Congratulations to Abi Gough (BA Drama: Education and Community), winner of the 2026 Institute for Social Justice Student Prize! We put some questions to Abi about her achievements, intentions, and how social justice has been entwined with the three years of her degree.

I was honoured and genuinely surprised to receive the 2026 Institute for Social Justice Student Prize at York St John University. To be recognised in such a competitive field is incredibly meaningful, particularly because the award celebrates work that creates positive social change and supports marginalised communities. A big thank you to the ISJ Student Prize Panel for selecting my work.

What shaped your personal commitment to social justice? Looking back, my understanding of social justice has been shaped by a simple but powerful question: who gets excluded, and how can we remove those barriers?

Through my experiences throughout my degree, my understanding of social justice and the arts developed into a critical, practice-based perspective. Engaging with children with PMLD, learning-disabled performers, and healthcare contexts highlighted how exclusion is often produced by systems rather than individuals. I have come to understand over my time at YSJ that inclusion requires ongoing adaptation, empathy and attention to structural barriers.

What opportunities did your degree offer to develop your understanding and contribution to social justice? Throughout my degree in Drama: Education and Community, I became increasingly interested in how creative practice can be used to challenge inequality and increase participation. What began as an academic interest developed into a series of projects, placements and opportunities enabling me to work alongside people whose voices are too often overlooked.

One of the most significant experiences was my volunteering placement at Applefields School, where I worked with children with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD). I helped co-create immersive and sensory theatre experiences designed to support communication, engagement and self-expression. Working alongside staff and students challenged many previously held assumptions about participation and communication. I saw first-hand how creative environments can enable young people with complex needs to engage with the world around them in ways that traditional educational approaches do not always enable.

This experience inspired my dissertation, which explored how participatory theatre can improve access for children with PMLD and address barriers to inclusion within education. Through both research and observation, I experienced that exclusion is often created not by an individual’s disability, but by environments and systems that fail to adapt.

Alongside this work, I completed a paid internship with the Institute for Social Justice, supporting the I’m Me Festival. The festival celebrated the creativity, identity and voices of learning-disabled and autistic artists. This experience reinforced the importance of accessibility not as an afterthought, but as an essential part of meaningful participation.

My final-year Independent Project, I’m Here Too, explored social justice from a different perspective: healthcare. Drawing on our own lived experience of chronic illness, I co-devised a performance lecture with Amelia Annear examining communication between healthcare professionals and patients. The project sought to challenge situations where patients can feel reduced to a diagnosis or condition rather than being seen as whole people. Using forum theatre and lived experience, we encouraged nursing students to reflect on empathy, communication and patient-centred care.

This project taught me that social justice is not only about changing policies or systems; it can also involve changing everyday interactions. Small actions such as listening carefully; communicating respectfully or creating space for someone to be heard, can have a significant impact on people’s lives.

What impact did you have on the lives of others during your degree? Across all these experiences, there is a common thread: inclusion. I sought to create opportunities for individuals to feel seen, valued and able to participate on their own terms. Through theatre, facilitation and advocacy, I was able to contribute to more inclusive environments that encouraged communication, confidence and participation.

Perhaps the biggest impact has been on me personally. Living with chronic illness has shaped my perspective motivating me to advocate for others who experience barriers to participation and belonging. Through my studies and practical experiences, I have developed a much deeper understanding of social justice as an ongoing commitment to removing barriers, amplifying underrepresented voices and creating opportunities for participation.

Tell us about your future plans: what do you hope to be doing in five years’ time? This autumn, I will begin an MSc in Dramatherapy at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, taking the next step towards my goal of becoming a qualified Dramatherapist. In five years’, I hope to be working therapeutically within the Learning Disabled Community, using creative practice to support communication, wellbeing, self-expression and inclusion.

I would also love to continue building on the work I have already undertaken in education, healthcare and community settings, advocating for those whose voices are often underrepresented and helping individuals overcome barriers through the arts.

Receiving the Institute for Social Justice Student Prize has reinforced my belief in the power of creativity to make a meaningful difference. I hope this is only the beginning of a lifelong commitment to using the arts as a tool for inclusion, advocacy and social change.

What’s the change you most want to see in the world? The change I most want to see, is a world where difference is celebrated rather than accommodated. I want to help create a society where everyone feels included, valued and empowered to participate on their own terms. Every project I have been involved in reflects this commitment. As I continue my journey into Dramatherapy, I hope to contribute to social change one conversation, one project and one person at a time, helping to create a more compassionate and inclusive world for future generations.

What advice would you give someone just starting at YSJ and wanting to make the most of their time here? Be brave, be passionate and be yourself. Say yes to opportunities, even when they feel daunting, because that’s where the most growth can happen. Some of my most meaningful experiences at YSJ came from stepping outside my comfort zone, trusting the lecturers and working with communities I might never otherwise have met. Follow what matters to you, embrace every opportunity, and make the most of your time here – it can genuinely change your life.

Thank you so much to Abi for taking the time to answer our questions.