Cohort 2026 Research Placement Project
About The Project
Food insecurity and financial hardship are growing challenges across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR). Leicester South Foodbank supported over 60,000 households last year, highlighting both the scale of need and the pressure on community support systems. While foodbanks play a vital role as first points of contact during crises, long-term reliance on emergency food aid is not sustainable. Strengthening referral pathways, improving coordination with local services, and understanding user needs are essential to creating a more effective and joined-up support system.
This 12-week research placement will work collaboratively with Leicester South Foodbank, academic researchers, and local partners to explore how existing referral and support systems operate at the point of service use, and to identify opportunities for evidence-based improvements that align with wider Leicester City Council strategies on food insecurity, welfare, and community support.
Using elements of Grounded Theory to analyse user and partner perspectives, and systems thinking to map relationships between organisations, the project will generate insights that inform practical, evidence-based changes. The findings will support Leicester South Foodbank and local partners to strengthen service pathways, reduce duplication, and better address the underlying causes of hardship.
Project Aims
The overall aims of this project are:
To identify opportunities for change in referral systems and support pathways, aligning recommendations with local authority strategies on food insecurity and welfare.
To capture lived experiences of users, volunteers, and referral partners through surveys and/or interviews, identifying gaps, overlaps, and unmet needs.
To map and analyse the referral and support systems surrounding Leicester South Foodbank, focusing on how households engage with services at the point of use.
Project Team
- Research Candidate: Euan Johnston
- Lead Supervisor: Dr Tung Dao (De Montfort University)
- Academic Co-Supervisor: Dr Francesca Faedi (University of Leicester)
- Academic Co-Supervisor: Dr Ayham Jaaron (De Montfort University)
- Community Supervisor: Bruce Harrison (Leicester south foodbank)