Xiaohongshu
Join us for our project: Exploring Factors affecting Enterprise for South Asian Women with SHEWISE
The Research Volunteering programme through the Community Research Initiative gives YOU the power to take your research and classroom skills out into the community to create a positive social impact. Through our bite size projects, you’ll work with a group of interdisciplinary peers and organisational allies to tackle a project that will draw on your research skills. These projects are flexible and designed with students in mind to give you amazing experience to fuel your CV, explore new skills, and meet other likeminded students. Each opportunity is unique, make sure to check out our page for more information.
All about the organisation
SHEWISE is a women-only, community-led registered charity based in Hounslow and Tower Hamlets with a Pan-London reach. Built on a ‘by and for’ ethos, we provide holistic, trauma-informed, multilingual, and culturally sensitive wrapround services that address violence against women and girls (VAWG), with a focus on marginalised minority communities particularly from South Asian and Middle Eastern backgrounds.
A bit about the project
The key question for Camden Canals and Narrow Boat Association is why charities (or gatekeepers for people who are going through hardship and are based in the Camden Borough and surrounding Boroughs) are not picking up the free opportunity to go on boat trips. Marcus Ellenby (Director and Trustee) attends outreach events and connects with volunteers and trustees of various organisations. While all or most people agree that going for a boat trip is a great activity, the follow-through to organise the day out is very low. Even though the organisation is aware of risk factors, e.g. for schools and children to go on trips, and can support prospective attendees with travel costs to participate in the boat trips, the uptake is still low. Despite this, commercial opportunities are regularly booked by private people and companies. Thus, for paying customers, “a nice day out on the water” is sufficient to reach out and book the day. So, why do charities not take up the opportunity for free?
- What can I expect from this opportunity?
- Conduct interviews with women from SHEWISE’s service‑user community.
- Explore lived experiences around confidence, trauma, racism, and entrepreneurship.
- Analyse qualitative and quantitative data to identify key themes.
- Contribute to co‑design discussions about what the digital platform should offer.
- Summarise findings into a clear, accessible report and present it to SHEWISE staff.
- Gain hands‑on experience in community‑led research and culturally sensitive evaluation.
- How will my work on this project impact the community?
- Help SHEWISE design a platform that genuinely reflects the needs of South Asian women.
- Highlight the structural and personal barriers that limit access to entrepreneurship.
- Support the development of tools that build confidence, independence, and economic freedom.
- Provide evidence that strengthens funding bids and programme development.
- Amplify the voices of women whose experiences are often overlooked in mainstream research
What key tasks will the volunteer team be responsible for?
- Interview Service Users
- Conduct sensitive, culturally aware interviews with women from SHEWISE’s database.
- Explore barriers such as racism, trauma, confidence, and access to opportunities.
- Ensure conversations are trauma‑informed and respectful.
- Analyse Interview Findings
- Use qualitative analysis to identify recurring themes.
- Map out internal and external barriers to entrepreneurship.
- Highlight user needs, expectations, and concerns about the digital platform.
- Conduct Mixed‑Methods Research
- Support survey design and quantitative analysis where relevant.
- Explore broader themes around employment, enterprise, and wellbeing.
- Ensure research methods are culturally sensitive and inclusive.
- Produce and Present a Final Report
- Summarise insights in clear, accessible language.
- Highlight key barriers, user needs, and recommendations for platform design.
- Present findings to SHEWISE staff to support decision‑making and next steps.
What skills will I practice and develop during this experience?
- Qualitative interviewing, including trauma‑informed and culturally sensitive practice.
- Thematic analysis, interpreting lived experiences and identifying patterns.
- Quantitative reasoning, supporting survey design and analysis.
- Co‑creation and participatory research, working directly with stakeholders.
- Professional writing, producing clear, user‑focused reports.
- Presentation skills, sharing findings with SHEWISE staff.
- Critical thinking, exploring how racism, gender, and socioeconomic factors shape opportunity.
Time commitment
Time for analysing and summarising the interview output – allow several days