About
I am a public policy researcher at the University of Liverpool’s Heseltine Institute, where my work focuses on relational approaches to public services and the role of trust in improving outcomes—particularly for communities facing the challenges of worklessness, poor health, digital and social exclusions. I believe the voices and experiences of service users and wider communities are not just valuable but essential for shaping services that are equitable and grounded in local realities.
Through the ESRC-funded Creating Opportunities through Innovation Fellowship (COLIF), I am nurturing connections between University of Liverpool colleagues and Liverpool Citizens, the local chapter of Citizens UK and supporting the development of evidence based “ask” to key decision makers by providing research insights to Liverpool Citizens Action. This work creates opportunities for collective action, civic empowerment, and meaningful social change by fostering stronger relationships between members of the alliance including universities, housing associations, schools, .the NHS, community, and faith groups.
My research is rooted in co-production, genuine community engagement, and open knowledge exchange, with the aim of reducing inequalities and strengthening place-based approaches to public policy. As a Co -Investigator on a British Academy project called Community-Led Television, Local Voice and Climate Action, I organised and facilitated mini publics which were filmed and edited to into short films, we shared our experiences of working on this project in articles in Alternative Futures and contributed a chapter to Toxic News.
I have collaborated with colleagues across disciplines and with external partners including CITY REDI at the University of Birmingham, Edge Hill University, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, LiVV Housing, Fusion 21, Liverpool John Moore’s University, Love Wavertree CIC, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority. I am also a member of the steering group of North Birkenhead’s Cradle to Career Programme Steering Group, contributing to a long-term effort to improve life chances in the area. As a result of my collaboration with the Institute of Digital Media and Society, I was also invited to be part of LCRCA Digital Inclusion Task Force.
My outputs include evaluations, research reports, blogs, responses to UK Government enquiries and book chapters, and have presented my research to diverse range of audiences. These include events at the Department of Business and Enterprise, Manchester University Inclusive Growth Conference, University Policy Exchange Network, Ignite, the Political Studies Association 2023 Conference and the Poverty Research Action Network Health Summit.