Our Research Centre trains young women who lead peer research into economic injustice. They explore the multiple barriers they face in their own lives and the lives of other young women who’s voices are not heard by decision makers.
In this blog, Freya interviews fellow peer researcher Iulia, to find out her thoughts on her peer research experience. Iulia shares what she has learnt and how she has grown through the process.
Iulia joined the peer research programme at the beginning of the project and became one of the first 12 peer researchers. She joined the programme because of her passion for Young Women’s Trust and because she felt she wanted to give back. She describes the experience as amazing as she has been involved in lots of different aspects of peer research. These include
- Undertaking interviews
- Taking part in focus groups
- Completing data analysis
- Contributing to research questions
- Providing information for a report published by the Research Centre
She describes herself as lucky as she also worked on the launch of the Research Centre. This involved her taking part in even more opportunities such as
- Talking to the media
- Creating videos to support the launch
- Writing blogs for the Young Women’s Trust website
There is power in numbers
lulia tells me that the part of the programme she enjoyed the most was talking about and presenting on the results of the research. She found it empowering to be able to say ‘this is what I have experienced, this is what I have discovered and this is what people like me are experiencing’.
Iulia believes that there is power in numbers and when you talk about a shared issue together it is easier to reach a reliable conclusion.
I have worked for this
For lulia, the moment she was most proud was when the first report was published, and her name was on the cover. She thought, “I’ve done it, I’ve done this and I’ve worked for this and it is a palpable result.”
She found working with other peer researchers really cool and it was one thing she was excited about from the beginning, because everyone was so different. Everyone came from very different backgrounds and there was always something new to learn in every meeting. This included, how to be more accommodating to neuro diverse people and young mothers, things that she would never have been asked to consider without the peer research programme.
lulia tells me that through this process she has learnt that with the right knowledge she can do anything she wants, and that for her curiosity will always take her to a place that feels comfortable.
When I ask her what one thing, she will take from this experience she tells me
If I carry on being curious, I will go on to do pretty big things.
The Research Centre for Young Women’s Economic Justice trains young women, who lead peer research into economic injustice. They explore the multiple barriers they face in their own lives and the lives of other young women whose voices are not heard by decision makers.
