Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Petra Salisbury
Senior Lecturer
Petra is a Lecturer within the School of Health. Since qualifying as a Youth Worker in 2001, the vast majority of work has been delivered in the substance use field. Working with young people (2001-2011) and then adults (2011-2019) but then worked in Children's Services for the last 18 months of front line practice.
Working with young people allowed experience in drugs education PSHCE lessons, outreach work, groups work, peer education work and one to one support in community settings. Moving into a custodial setting then gave insight into the criminal justice system, before returning to community based practice specialising in sexual exploitation cases.
The last role in community drug services was working with adults, managing and overseeing the city wide Harm Reduction Services. This focussed primarily on injecting drug users and access to appropriate equipment and information. Successfully oversaw the introduction of Naloxone to the city.
Current Teaching
- Module leader for the Politics of Everyday Life, level four across three degrees
- Practice placement module leader for the Youth and Community Development BA and MA
Research Interests
Petra recently completed a paper capturing the voices of injecting drug users and their opinions around safer injecting facilities. Her book chapter written with a colleague is awaiting publication, and this looks at the history, politics and legalities of drug use in the UK. Her PhD has recently been started and this is asking how women become involved with illicit drug use.
