Research that begins with people
and ends with real change.
I treat research as a shared journey – from attentive listening to decisions that genuinely improve people’s lives. I bring together the perspectives of an academic researcher, an urban pedagogue and a practitioner working in the field. For over a decade, I have designed and conducted research in which theory always meets practice, and describing reality leads to change, not merely to a report.
I work where worlds intersect: schools, housing estates, courtyards, public institutions, organisations and local governments. I am interested in the small centres of the world – children, families, local communities – and in how “system-level” decisions shape their everyday lives.
Robust academic and implementation foundations
My work is rooted in critical pedagogy, urban pedagogy, action research and applied research. The projects I lead do not end with theory – they are implemented in schools, local communities and institutions.
Research as a process,
I design research so that diagnosis, recommendations and implementation form one coherent process. Research should serve people – not the other way round. I create reports and analyses that are genuinely readable and actionable: with quotations, problem maps, executive summaries and step-by-step recommendations.
Experience working with diverse groups
I have carried out dozens of interviews and research processes with parents, children, young people, teachers, school leaders, specialists and public officials. I pay careful attention to language, pace, comfort and the safety of every person who shares their story.
Social sensitivity and responsibility
I am critical but not cynical. I am interested in power structures, exclusion and systemic violence – but I do not conduct research that harms. I look for ways to restore a voice to those who are usually unheard.
Critical and engaged pedagogy
I draw inspiration from the thinking of bell hooks, Paulo Freire and the action research movement. I see education as a practice of freedom rather than the reproduction of inequality. I treat research as a tool for social change, not just for describing reality.
Urban pedagogy and the axis mundi
I understand the city as a textbook, a classroom, a laboratory and a stage of everyday life all at once. The street – the very one where children and adults live – is, for me, an axis mundi: a point where stories, conflicts, hopes and opportunities intersect. This is where I situate my research and projects.
Applied research and action research
I work within the cycle: diagnosis → action → reflection → adjustment. I do not separate “research” from “practice” – one grows out of the other. I want recommendations to be implementable here and now, in the real conditions of schools, organisations and cities.
Participation and agency
Where possible, I use participatory methods: involving in the research process those directly concerned by it. Participants are not a “sample” – they are co-creators of change.
Research for diagnosis
I conduct research that helps to understand the “here and now” within an institution, school, organisation or local community. I diagnose needs, tensions, resources and areas requiring support. I translate results into concrete recommendations and possible action scenarios.
Qualitative interviews: IDI, FGI, LGD
I design and conduct: • IDI – in-depth individual interviews, • FGI – focus group interviews, • LGD – local discussion groups. I work with parents, children, young people, teachers, school leaders, specialists, officials and local community leaders. I ensure an atmosphere of trust, safety and clear confidentiality rules.
Urban research and local diagnoses
I specialise in research on cities and neighbourhoods. I explore how people experience space (streets, courtyards, estates, schools, institutions), where feelings of exclusion, threat or lack of belonging emerge, and what local support networks and tensions exist. I combine observation, research walks, interviews and document analysis.
Strategic analyses for local government and business
I develop analyses that support data-driven decision-making: SWOT analyses for municipalities, institutions and projects; document analyses (strategies, programmes, policies, regulations); pre-implementation diagnoses; analyses in the areas of corporate social responsibility, community engagement and initiatives supporting children and families.
Participatory research methods
I design processes in which participants co-create the research: case studies, environmental studies, research workshops, walks and city mapping with children, young people and adults, and collaborative recommendation-building. This is especially important when our goal is to strengthen the voices of children, young people and local communities.
Desk research and document analysis
I complement fieldwork with robust analysis of strategic and operational documents, existing data (reports, statistics, evaluations) and internal materials of institutions. This ensures that recommendations align with the wider context and support coherent action.
How we can collaborate?
Initial conversation
Together we refine the research questions and implementation goals.
Research design
I select methods, tools and a timeline suited to your context.
Research implementation
I conduct interviews, observations and analyses both in the field and online.
Report and recommendations
You receive a clear summary along with proposals for next steps.
Change support
I can accompany the implementation process (consultations, workshops, training).