MRS announces winner of homelessness research challenge
27 October 2020

A team from Walnut Unlimited has won the Giving a Voice to the Homeless challenge, run by the Market Research Society (MRS).

Early in 2020, MRS asked members of its young researchers network &more to submit proposals for the competition. The aim was to provide organisations that support homeless people – Government agencies, charities and volunteer groups – with useable insight and recommended, practical actions to help significantly increase society’s understanding of homelessness.

Eight high-quality entries were submitted by teams from seven research agencies and judged by a panel that included experts from MRS, charities and homelessness services such as Shelter, the Centre for Homelessness Impact and Crisis. 

The winning proposal, from Walnut Unlimited, focused on the hidden homeless population – people who do not show up on official figures – and aims to gain a greater understanding of this group. The panel was particularly impressed by the passion of the team, Abigail Olingschlaeger, Bessie Pike and Alice Carver from Walnut Unlimited, all of whom are under 30, and the way the project would engage homeless people in the collection of the data.

The proposal involves training homeless people as researchers and teaching them new skills, enabling them to have a meaningful influence over the design, execution and outcomes of the research. In a further development, this exciting and potentially impactful project has received £25,000 in funding from a foundation and two private individuals.

It now requires £30,000 more in funding before the team can begin its work. Walnut Unlimited is actively pursuing these funds and anyone with an interest in helping finance this important research should call Neil Preddy on 0797 130 5191 or email neiljpreddy@gmail.com.

Jane Frost CBE, Chief Executive of MRS and member of the judging panel, comments: “It was great to see so many young researchers enthusiastically and intelligently engaging with such an important societal issue. We’re always keen to support those who are at the early stages of their research careers and it would be fantastic to see the chosen project secure the additional funding it needs, particularly given the potential positive impact it could have.”

The project was the brainchild of Neil Preddy, a trustee of Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF), who worked alongside Phyllis Macfarlane, MRS Board Member and a member of the judging panel, to bring it to fruition. Phyllis Macfarlane explains: “For those working to alleviate homelessness there is little research beyond government data and small-scale qualitative studies. This competition was designed to change that and the winning entry from Walnut Unlimited would shine a light on an under-researched group, having a genuine impact on the way we engage with homelessness and teaching new skills to the people the researchers engage with.”

Guillermo Rodríguez-Guzmán, Head of Evidence and Data at the Centre for Homelessness Impact, and member of the judging panel, says: "2020 has presented a unique opportunity to make strides towards ending homelessness in the UK in a way that we previously did not know was possible. As we move forward it is essential that the solutions we design are evidence-led, informed by research."  

Abigail Olingschlaeger, Research Manager at Walnut Unlimited says: “Homelessness is an inescapable issue in society, and one that we are all passionate to influence and help. However, to date there has been limited large-scale quantitative research which focuses on the hidden homeless. Ours would be the first study of its kind and we are determined to secure the funding to deliver the research and make a real difference.