Who Is Psychology Really For?
A recent piece by Professor April Hargreaves, Director of Research at Spark and Programme Director at ICEP Europe, asks a question that feels both simple and deeply important:
Who is psychology really for?
It is a question that sits at the intersection of education, access, and societal impact. And it is one that deserves serious attention.
Across Ireland, the demand for psychological knowledge and support continues to grow. We see this in education, in mental health services, and in communities navigating increasing complexity. Yet, despite this growing need, access to psychology as a discipline remains limited.
Traditional pathways are often:
- Rigid
- Campus-based
- Designed around narrow entry routes
For many people, especially those with lived experience, non-traditional backgrounds, or competing life responsibilities, these pathways can feel out of reach.
This is not just an educational issue. It is a structural one.
Why This Matters
If access to psychology remains narrow, so too does the field itself.
We risk creating a system where:
- The voices shaping psychology are limited
- Lived experience is underrepresented
- The discipline becomes less reflective of the communities it serves
As April highlights, widening participation is not simply about fairness. It is about relevance, quality, and future impact.
Who gets to study psychology ultimately shapes what psychology becomes.
Rethinking Pathways
The article points toward the need for more flexible, inclusive pathways into psychology.
This includes:
- Part-time and accessible routes
- Recognition of diverse academic and professional backgrounds
- Learning models that work alongside real life, not against it
These are not compromises. They are necessary evolutions if psychology is to meet the needs of modern society.
Who Are ICEP Europe?
ICEP Europe (Institute of Child Education and Psychology Europe) is a higher education provider specialising in psychology, inclusive education, and professional development.
Their programmes are designed to support educators, practitioners, and professionals to build psychological understanding in ways that are flexible, applied, and relevant to real-world settings.
Through part-time and accessible routes, ICEP Europe has opened up pathways for individuals who may not have followed traditional academic routes, helping to broaden participation in psychology and related fields.
A Shared Commitment
At Spark, this is exactly the kind of work we stand behind.
We believe in:
- Research that challenges systems
- Approaches grounded in lived experience
- Opening doors for people who have traditionally been excluded
Our partnership with ICEP Europe is built on these shared values.
Through our ethical research partnership network, we are working together to:
- Bridge lived experience and academic research
- Develop more inclusive pathways into psychology and education
- Ensure research is grounded in real-world impact
This is not just collaboration. It is alignment in purpose.
And that matters, because meaningful change happens when organisations move in the same direction.
Our Address
Neurodiversity Spark
89 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HP
Read April's Full Article
If psychology has ever felt out of reach, or if you are interested in how the field can evolve to better reflect society, this is well worth your time.
Final Reflection
This is not just a question for universities or institutions.
It is a question for all of us:
Who do we believe psychology is for, and who are we still leaving out?