Overview
Background
Jenny is the Deputy Director (Training) at Institute for Social Science Research, The University of Queensland. In this role Jenny leads the development and implementation of ISSR's training programs. This includes professional short courses aimed at Industry, tailored capability training for industry, Higher Degree Training, external and internal internships/placements, internal staff capability training, and teaching opportunities for ISSR staff in the schools including Honours supervision. In addition to leading this portfolio of work and teaching professional short courses, Jenny continues to lead a Research Group (Social and Educational disadvantage), contribute as an Associate Investigator to research for the ARC Centre of Excellence on Families and Children over the Life Course (the Life Course Centre), and supervise HDR students. She is a Psychologist and obtained her BA Honors, MA and PhD from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa. Before coming to ISSR, Jenny worked as a Chief Researcher at the Human Sciences Research Council in South Africa in the area of Education effectiveness.
Jenny’s research focuses on education effectiveness, parent engagement, student wellbeing, evidenced-based practice, and research that impacts policy and practice. She has extensive experience in large scale mixed methods evaluations, using administrative data together with survey and qualitative data. Jenny has worked closely with Government Departments and Ministries both in Australia (e.g., Tasmania DHHS; Australian DoE; Qld DoE; CESE NSW; Australian DSS; Qld DCSSD; Department of Home Affairs) and internationally (e.g., South Africa, Eritrea, Cambodia and the Solomon Islands) to gather research evidence from a wide range of disadvantaged communities to inform policy. Jenny is a Chief Investigator on an ARC Linkage project which investigates how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous children experience Out-of-Home Care (OOHC) using elicitation methods and a longitudinal qualitative research design to provide evidence to improve service agencies’ understanding of children’s experiences in OOHC and how agencies can best support families, carers and communities to promote the social, emotional, and cultural well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous children in OOHC. This research will improve service provider capability and test Government reform interventions. In addition to leading large commissioned evaluations and academic grants, Jenny is continues to build her research focusing on understanding why and how some schools located in disadvanatged areas are more effective at parent engagement than others and how improving parent engagement in these schools effects the learning and wellbeing of students living in these communities over their life course.
Availability
- Associate Professor Jenny Povey is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Arts, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Masters (Coursework), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
- Doctor of Philosophy, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Research interests
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School leadership
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School culture
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Parent engagement
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Child well-being
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Intergenerational transfer of education aspirations, values and attitudes
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Disadvantaged communities
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Evidenced based policy and practice
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Cross-cultural research
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social policy evaluation
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Psychometrics
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Innovative methods and techniques
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Survey methodology
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Quantitative data analysis methods
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Qualitative data analysis methods
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Education effectiveness
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Mixed methods
Works
Search Professor Jenny Povey’s works on UQ eSpace
2012
Journal Article
Perspectives of academic social scientists on knowledge transfer and research collaborations: a cross-sectional survey of Australian academics
Cherney, Adrian, Head, Brian, Boreham, Paul, Povey, Jenny and Ferguson, Michele (2012). Perspectives of academic social scientists on knowledge transfer and research collaborations: a cross-sectional survey of Australian academics. Evidence and Policy, 8 (4), 433-453. doi: 10.1332/174426412X660098
2012
Other Outputs
AusAID Review of Gender Training. Final Report
Haynes, M., Baxter, J., Claudio, F., Morris, L., Povey, J. and Shaw, E. (2012). AusAID Review of Gender Training. Final Report. St Lucia, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research.
2012
Journal Article
What influences the utilisation of educational research by policy-makers and practitioners? - The perspectives of academic educational researchers
Cherney, Adrian, Povey, Jenny, Head, Brian, Boreham, Paul and Ferguson, Michele (2012). What influences the utilisation of educational research by policy-makers and practitioners? - The perspectives of academic educational researchers. International Journal of Educational Research, 56, 23-34. doi: 10.1016/j.ijer.2012.08.001
2012
Conference Publication
Living environment and wellbeing: the effects of housing and local area disadvantage
Tomaszewski, Wojtek, Boreham, Paul, Jones, Andrew and Povey, Jenny-Louise (2012). Living environment and wellbeing: the effects of housing and local area disadvantage. 12th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 25-27 July 2012.
2011
Book
Wellbeing in Queensland : Report of the Social Wellbeing Project
Boreham, Paul and Povey, Jenny (2011). Wellbeing in Queensland : Report of the Social Wellbeing Project. Institute for Social Science Research The University of Queensland ABN: 63942 912 684 Brisbane, Qld., Australia: The University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research.
2011
Conference Publication
Factors Influencing Social Wellbeing, deprivation and Social Exclusion
Povey, J., Boreham, P. and Tomaszewski, W. (2011). Factors Influencing Social Wellbeing, deprivation and Social Exclusion. TASA Conference 2011, Newcastle, Australia, 29 November - 1 December 2011.
2010
Conference Publication
Assessing Gender Inequalities in the Academic Workforce
Boreham, P. and Povey, J. (2010). Assessing Gender Inequalities in the Academic Workforce. Australian Higher Education Summit, Adelaide, 2010.
2010
Conference Publication
Measuring social wellbeing in Queensland
Boreham, Paul R. and Povey, Jenny (2010). Measuring social wellbeing in Queensland. Social Wellbeing in Queensland Conference 2010, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 15 June 2010.
2006
Journal Article
The Griffiths Scales of Mental Development: a factorial validity study
Luiz, Dolores M., Foxcroft, Cheryl D. and Povey, Jenny-Louise (2006). The Griffiths Scales of Mental Development: a factorial validity study. South African Journal of Psychology, 36 (1), 192-214. doi: 10.1177/008124630603600111
2006
Journal Article
The biopsychosocial coping and adjustment of female medical professionals
Brown-Baatjies, Ottilia, Fouché, Paul, Watson, Mark and Povey, Jenny-Louise (2006). The biopsychosocial coping and adjustment of female medical professionals. South African Journal of Psychology, 36 (1), 126-143. doi: 10.1177/008124630603600108
Funding
Current funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Jenny Povey is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Available projects
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Improving the experiences of, and outcomes for, humanitarian migrants and refugee children
This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
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Social disadvantage and labour force participation
This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
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Improving the academic and wellbeing outcomes for, Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in Out-of-Home Care (OOHC)
This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. You will have access to qualitative data and SDQ (3 waves) collected for an ARC Linkage grant. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
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Parent engagement in student learning and wellbeing to improve outcomes for children and adolescents
Understanding why and how some schools located in disadvanatged areas are more effective at parent engagement than others and how improving parent engagement in these schools effects the learning and wellbeing of students living in these communities over their life course.This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
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Improving the experiences of, and outcomes for, humanitarian migrants and refugee children
This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
-
Social disadvantage and labour force participation
This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
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Improving life outcomes for, Indigenous and non-Indigenous children in Care or transitioning from care into adulthood
This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. You will have access to qualitative data and SDQ (3 waves) collected for an ARC Linkage grant. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
-
Parent engagement in student learning and wellbeing to improve outcomes for children and adolescents
Understanding why and how some schools located in disadvanatged areas are more effective at parent engagement than others and how improving parent engagement in these schools effects the learning and wellbeing of students living in these communities over their life course.This PhD would require you to apply for a UQ scholarship. If you are interested in this project and want more information, please contact j.povey@uq.edu.au.
Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
The impact of out-of-home care on children's social-emotional wellbeing: A life course approach
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Janeen Baxter, Professor Karen Healy, Dr Maca San Martin Porter
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Doctor Philosophy
Managing Odds: Addressing educational disadvantage through school accountability and better HRM practices
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Wojtek Tomaszewski
Completed supervision
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2024
Doctor Philosophy
Beyond parental school choice: Understanding parental engagement in the context of school choice policies
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Western, Professor Wojtek Tomaszewski
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Education, employment, and empowerment: Narratives from Pakistan
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Janeen Baxter
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
The Impact of Learning Environment on Successful Intelligence: Beyond the Understanding of Socioeconomic Status
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Robyn Gillies, Professor Wojtek Tomaszewski
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2022
Doctor Philosophy
Enhancing parent engagement in secondary school: An investigation of agency, dialogic learning, and intersubjectivity using Bronfenbrenner and Bakhtin frameworks.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Kate McLay
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Same-same but different? Country of origin and labour market outcomes of immigrants in Australia
Joint Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Janeen Baxter, Professor Wojtek Tomaszewski
Media
Enquiries
Contact Associate Professor Jenny Povey directly for media enquiries about:
- parent and community engagement with student learning and wellbeing
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