Co(l)laboratory Researcher Profiles
Project Title: Understanding and responding to youth violence – blending data science with lived experience
What were you doing before starting this PhD?
I had completed my under graduate studies in July 2022 gaining a first class degree in Youth Justice at NTU. I have since been working part time and looking after my son. I knew I wanted to continue my academic journey, but was unsure how I would be able to.
What motivated you to apply for this specific PhD project?
Having completed my degree in Youth Justice I was certain I wanted to use the knowledge and understanding I had gained in this area to help my community. I had thought about working in Youth Offending Team but knew I wanted to continue with my academic career too. When I saw this project if felt like the right thing to do. I felt like this was the best way for my to not only help my community but to work with them in this project and include their voices within the research in the hope that we can create real change together.
What difference do you hope to make in Nottingham through this research?
I hope to create a better understanding, by listening and working with the community. By making sense of big data and what this means for the people that live in this city. I hope to inform policy and create better practice when addressing the issues that arise from the research. But more than I anything else I hope to create a stronger community that work together to create a more knowledgeable, understanding, fairer and safer city for our young people
What do you hope to be doing in 5 years’ time? (personally and/or professionally)
I hope to be continuing in my academic career. I also hope that some form of inclusive project will have been or will be on its way to being set up for my local community as part of the research that we have done together, and I would still be involved with that. I would love to lecture and be part of the growing working class academics that are looking to shake up the status quo and encourage more people who feel like there is a barrier to higher education take the leap and do it regardless.