Ursula Harrison

Research Fellow

Ursula Harrison joined the Work and Economic Security team in May 2019. She holds a PhD in community development from Victoria University.

Her previous work has been in the community sector, for many years as manager of a women’s neighbourhood house and more recently in conducting research on adult education and community development practices in neighbourhood houses.

Currently, Ursula is working as the Life Chances research fellow. The Life Chances study , commenced in 1990, is a unique research project that examines how family income, social class, ethnicity and gender affect the lives of individuals.

Contact ursula.harrison@bsl.org.au

Selected BSL publications

Bowman D & Harrison, U 2024, Inequality in Australia: insights from the Life Chances Study 1990–2024

Harrison, U & Bowman, D 2024,  Finding a balance? Work, family and economic security: insights from parents in the Life Chances study

Harrison, U & Bowman, D 2022,  Return to the family safety net? Economic security as Life Chances participants turn 30

Harrison, U, Curry, M & Bowman, D 2020, Setbacks at 30: Life Chances and COVID-19 ­(COVID-19 Insights)

Selected external publications

Ollis, T, Starr, K, Ryan C & Harrison, U 2018, 'Learning across the lifespan: lifelong learning in neighbourhood houses in Australia', Australian Journal of Adult Learning, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 449–79.

Ollis, T, Starr, K, Ryan, C, Angwin, J & Harrison, U 2016, Every day you learn something: learning for life? Neighbourhood houses, adult learning and transitions to higher education, Arena Publishing, Melbourne.