What have you enjoyed most about working at TONIC?

I joined TONIC in June 2022, after graduating from Durham University, and have been able to work on such a broad range of projects. I have been able to assist and lead projects that span varying topics such as criminal justice, young people and families, mental health and substance misuse. Because of this, I have really enjoyed gaining valuable experience conducting research with lots of different individuals with lived experience such as victims and perpetrators of crime, as well as a variety of service users in the community. 

In summary, I am passionate about social equality and criminal justice, as well as being dedicated to empowering underrepresented individuals through social research. My role at TONIC allows me to channel this passion through all our work, which I find particularly satisfying.

What have you found most challenging?

TONIC has allowed me to gain experience conducting research in multiple prisons and probation areas across the UK, facilitating qualitative semi-structured interviews and focus groups with prisoners, prison staff, people on probation and probation practitioners.

I remember the first time I went into a secure setting for fieldwork, it was for an evaluation for the Ministry of Justice and I was quite apprehensive because I didn’t know what to expect. I was accompanied by colleagues and the TONIC team made me feel extremely supported throughout the process. It was a fascinating experience and I have grown in confidence each time I have conducted fieldwork in a similar setting. 

Fieldwork is always an interesting and empowering experience. However, sometimes it can feel like a lot of responsibility hearing someone’s lived experience and wanting to do that justice by ensuring their voice is heard through our research. This is where the support of my colleagues and the wider TONIC team has been invaluable. TONIC embed reflective practice and action learning sets into our team meetings to ensure we have the time and space to reflect on our work. In addition, all members of the team are offered external clinical supervision to discuss our experiences during fieldwork.

What have you learned in the last 2 years?

I am very lucky to work with such a knowledgeable and experienced team so have learnt a lot over the past 2 years! 

I feel privileged to work alongside some of the leading researchers in our field. Overall, I think my time at TONIC has taught me the value and importance of a trauma-informed approach. I now feel passionate about weaving safety, trust, collaboration, empowerment and cultural consideration into everything we do as researchers. My additional role as Co-production Lead at TONIC has allowed me to advocate for this by involving and empowering key stakeholders, including those with lived experience, to collaborate on designing the right methodologies, tools, interpreting findings, and forming recommendations. As well, my role involves advocating for the principles of co-production to ensure all our research activities are inclusive to all communities, and barriers experienced by underrepresented groups are understood and addressed. 

On reflection, I thoroughly enjoy working at TONIC, I have learnt so much and my role has provided me with valuable experiences and skills. I am looking forward to continuing to pursue my passion for shaping social policy and service delivery through my career.

Written by Maria Gallagher, Researcher and Analyst at TONIC.