Our Research

We are pioneers in the research space

Good research doesn’t just ask questions – it builds understanding, shifts power, and supports action. Our team brings together lived experience of homelessness with professional research expertise, grounding our work in the realities people face and helping us generate research that leads to lasting change.

For over two decades, we’ve developed participatory research methods rooted in lived experience. The peer research model – now widely used across the sector – began with Groundswell. Today, we’re building on our legacy, using what we’ve learned to shape new, more creative and inclusive ways of working. 

How we work

We bring rigour, creativity and care to participatory research.
We design research projects that are collaborative from the ground up, working with people with lived experience of homelessness to shape every stage of the process.

• Embedded – We work in, and with, communities, building trust and reaching people whose voices often go unheard.
• Collaborative – We co-create research questions, tools, analysis and outputs.
• Flexible – We adapt our approach to the needs and interests of those involved, from focus groups and interviews to creative storytelling, participatory evaluation and action research.
• Ethical and trauma-informed – We take safeguarding, consent and wellbeing seriously for those who participate in our research in any capacity, drawing on best practice across academic and community sectors.
• Action-oriented – We design projects that lead to insight and impact, including campaigning, service change, or new ways of working.

What We Offer

We work with charities, universities, funders and public bodies who share our commitment to high-quality, participatory research that leads to action.

We bring:

• Expert participatory research design
  We co-create research that is methodologically rigorous, inclusive, and grounded in lived experience. Whether designing projects from scratch or strengthening existing ones, we bring deep knowledge of what makes participation meaningful.
• Skilled, ethical facilitation
  Our team knows how to build trust — both where relationships already exist and in new contexts. We create safe, inclusive spaces where people feel heard, respected and in control of their contributions.
• Insight grounded in experience
  Because we work with communities — not just in them — our research reflects people’s realities. We are embedded, not external, and that shapes the questions we ask and the knowledge we generate.
• Powerful storytelling and accessible outputs
  We work across media and formats to ensure findings are engaging and relevant — whether that’s in-depth analysis, film, blogs, workshops or campaign tools.
• Clear recommendations and strategic impact
  We don’t just deliver data. We produce insight that can inform services, influence policy, and support systems change — and we work with our partners to make that happen.

Work With Us

If your values align with ours, we’d love to hear from you. We prioritise projects where:

• Our contribution is valued and properly resourced.
• We are involved throughout the research process, not just brought in to tick boxes.
• The findings will be used to make meaningful change.