Eliz McArdle is Course Director for the BSc (Hons) Community Youth Work full-time programme and a Lecturer in Community Youth Work at Ulster University.  Eliz is currently Year Head for Year One of the part-time BSc (Hons) Community Youth Work programme at Ulster University.  Prior to this, Eliz was Course Director for the Certificate in Youth Studies with franchised partner, YouthAction Northern Ireland (2018-2022). From 2017-2022, Eliz was Project Manager for the EU funded YouthPact project; a support, development and research programme for youth sector peace building. This involved partnership, financial and human resources management and the provision of training across 49 organisations on bespoke Community youth work themes. Eliz was co-ordinator of Year One BSc Community Youth Work and Placement Co-coordinator across all full-time cohorts (2014-2018). 

Previously she worked for 10 years as Team Leader for the Equality Work with Young Women team in YouthAction Northern Ireland (previously the Gender Equality Unit). This involved managing projects and staff working with young women across themes of mental health; political engagement; sexual orientation; young parenting and equality. Prior to this, she worked as Development Officer at Ulster University developing new pre-vocational training for youth workers working in community relations and peace-building in Northern Ireland. 

Eliz is co-convenor of the all-island body of youth work educators in higher education, the Youth Work Educators Forum.  Eliz co-founded the Critical Voice NI website for writing on youth work practice. Eliz McArdle’s research interests are in feminist youth work; how youth work practice builds mental health; and the role youth work can play in peace-building. She has been External Examiner for a range of youth work programmes at Dundalk Institute of Technology (2014-2017) and most recently for University College Cork (2019-2023). 

Civic Engagement 

Through YouthPact, Eliz built a network with 249 workers across 49 youth organisations. Previously as placement co-ordinator Eliz worked closely with approximately 70 youth work organisations, regionally and internationally to develop and sustain high quality placements. 

Special Achievements 

In 2019, Eliz was part of the CYW staff team who were awarded an Academic Excellence Award for the BSc Hons in Community Youth Work 

In 2022, Eliz was nominated by the Department for the Economy for attendance at Buckingham Palace Garden Party, in recognition of her contribution to peacebuilding during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Eliz is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2016)