Collaboratory Researcher Profiles
Project Title: Who Lives Invisibly Poor? Mapping Invisible Poverty in Leicestershire and Rutland
What is your connection to Leicester, and what were you doing before starting this research placement?
I was born in Leicester and have lived most of my live in the City or the County. I originally lived in an outer city estate with parents who had low paid manual labour jobs and struggled to survive. I left school at 16 and since then I have worked in either local roles eg New Parks or regional roles supporting local social enterprises. I currently run with co directors a social enterprise in Leicestershire. I also completed my Masters degree at DMU in 2010 through a sponsorship awarded by the Leicester Mercury. I now run a local social enterprise, and I also support other social entrepreneurs start-up and grow their social enterprises.
What motivated you to apply for this specific research placement project?
I have been at the receiving end of such research projects, such as filling in questionnaires for other research projects, being part of consultation groups, therefore I was interested in taking part in the initial research ideas. I also want to help make a difference for the people who are most underserved. I believe things can be done better and differently to ensure services, spaces etc are more inclusive and reach wider communities.
All of my work has been supporting disadvantaged communities, through programmes that have an economic focus however are also inclusive. More importantly I’ve set-up and ran social enterprises and still do in Leicestershire and Rutland. This research project gives me the opportunity to also build on my own lived experience of living in a family where Mum was a cleaner and Dad an engineer however due to health challenges and low pay we lived in in-work poverty, but like many we didn’t apply for free school meals etc. This research project ignites my passion to map out financial exclusion in Leicestershire and Rutland. I’ve worked a significant time of my career locally, specifically the VCSE sector so I see first hand the challenges we know exist. This forms an important element to addressing hidden poverty and this research project will help me understand other programmes that also supports people with lived experience of (invisible poverty), in terms of successes and challenges.
Why do you think this research is important?
We’re currently living in a cost of living crisis for many more people since the end of the COVID pandemic, however some of the communities in Leicestershire and Rutland have been facing financial challenges for some time before then with higher levels of poverty in comparison to other communities. The cost of living crisis has though affected many more people, with some of this impacting on invisible poverty so it’s essential that invisible poverty can be mapped out so that sustainable solutions can help to address the impacts of invisible poverty, and improve the economic and social outcomes of people in Leicestershire and Rutland.
What do you hope to be doing in 5 years’ time? (personally and/or professionally)
Growing more social enterprises that helps to specifically address economic and social exclusion.