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Want to see community research in action? Join us on our immersive field trip with the Young V&A’s Designer in the Shed, Christie Swallow, for a community-centred exploration of how we can build stronger relationships with the human and non-human neighbours who share our city.
“It has really brought a really interesting group together and made me feel part of the UCL research community.”– A UCL student who joined us for our first trip!
What we'll explore
Embedded within the museum, Christie works alongside visitors and young people to explore sustainability through creative collaboration, fostering new ways of understanding our place within urban ecosystems.
Alongside visiting their work in The Shed, Christie will lead us on a Parakeet walk; convening with the bright green birds who are thriving in London. We'll learn about the ways Parakeets have fluttered through British and global history, exploring what lessons we can glean our fine-feathered friends in an age of climate crisis.
At the end of the walk, you will become a certified “Paracologist”, learning the stories of East London’s greenest inhabitants.
What can you expect?
- Visit a socially-engaged design studio
Christie’s work is all about putting research into motion. They centre co-design, horizontal ways of working and collaboration in their work. See how these values are translated into design proposals.
- Explore a unique Museum:studio space
The Shed is a novel studio:display hybrid space, dedicated to nurturing designers to develop their practice in partnership with local communities. For their residency duration, Christie embeds themselves into ‘The Shed’ and opportunities to engage with Young V&A’s visitors through Show and Tell events, tours and workshops.
- Learn about storytelling as a methodology
Through the Parakeet Walkshop, you’ll see first hand how storytelling is a collective and evolving method of research. We’ll explore how parakeets have been used to express different values; of belonging, of otherness, of trespass - and how the framing of a story is as important as the content itself.
- Come away with your own Parakeet pin and certification and a Social Impact goodie bag
Each walkshop attendee officially becomes a “Paracologist” - where you’ll receive a pin and certificate. To date, there are over 250 paracologists, living on all 7 continents (including Antarctica!). Your ticket invests in local community organisations and also gets you a free Social Impact goodie bag.
How will I benefit from this trip?
- Explore thinking-through-making
Research comes in many forms. Through their work in the Shed, learn how Christie advocates for making as a way of doing research; creating textile pieces, prototypes and material tests as physical embodiments of their research.
- Practice empathy for more-than-humans
More-than-human design is an emergent discipline, that asks us to step beyond the traditional confines of knowledge production. You’ll learn how Christie’s work engages with Parakeets and other nonhumans as people, not as specimens
- Learn more about London’s changing ecology
Following a record summer heatwave, there’s no denying London’s weather and its ecologies are changing. Parakeets are part of the city’s emerging eco-systems that will keep changing during this period of climate breakdown.
I still have a few questions...
- What if I'm not a researcher, or I don't research this topic?
Don't worry, you don't need to be a researcher to be able join us. In fact, we run these field trips so they open, friendly, and accessible for everyone. Come along with curiosity, and we’ll guide you through the experience step by step. Everyone’s welcome, and every perspective is important!
- Is this field trip open to people who haven't yet engaged with the Community Research Initiative?
Yes! Whether it’s first time exploring what community research looks like, or using community methods in your research, this event is for you. Lots of students who came along to our previous field trip hadn’t been in touch with our team before, so we love seeing new faces, as well as familiar ones.
- I’m interested in coming along, but don’t have anyone to attend with. Does that matter?
Our friendly team will be here to make sure that you feel welcome and comfortable at our event. We're biased but we also believe that the CRIS community is one of the most welcoming spaces at UCL. If you still have questions or worries about the event? Email our friendly team at and we can answer any questions you might have.
- And if you want to find out even more about what our field trips are like...
Then you can check out a blog written by a student who came along to our previous field trip! Of if video is more your thing, then watch a highlights video over on our LinkedIn page.
Photo credit: Sandra Ebert
And just so you know, when you register for a Community Research Initiative event, we'll add you to our newsletter so you can stay in the loop about future events and community research opportunities. If you'd prefer not to receive these updates, just let us know by emailing [email protected]. And if you change your mind later on down the line, you'll be able to unsubscribe at any time.
About the Community Research Initiative
The Community Research Initiative is a part of the Students' Union Social Impact Team. We bring people together across the student-community divide to explore the possibility of creating socially impactful research with and for the community. From discovering new ways of working to co-creating research with local communities, we are here to walk with students through their community research journey.