Why Social Research?

I have been part of the TONIC team for around 2.5 years, joining after spending approximately 15 years working within the Criminal Justice System and victim support sector. One of the things I value most about working at TONIC is the people. The team brings together a real breadth of experience and a wide range of professional backgrounds, which creates an environment where different perspectives are genuinely valued.

Everyone at TONIC is deeply passionate about the work they do. This is not surface-level research; we are committed to understanding experiences in detail and using what we learn to drive meaningful, positive change for service users. I particularly value TONIC’s focus on innovation and its commitment to ensuring that research is trauma-informed and truly service-user led. The way learning from one project feeds into the next, helping us continually reflect and improve our practice, is something I find incredibly motivating.

Education

My route into social research did not begin with a clear intention to pursue research as a career. At school and college, I was drawn towards psychology, and later at university I studied Criminology and Criminal Justice. I was always interested in understanding what makes people tick, why perpetrators commit crime, but equally how victims are supported in the aftermath.

Alongside this, I studied subjects such as drama and performing arts, which at the time felt separate from my academic interests. Looking back, these experiences played a significant role in building my confidence and developing skills that have proved invaluable throughout my career, particularly around communication, presenting and managing conversations with a wide range of people.

While my education has been relevant across all stages of my career, I did not know at that point that I would end up working in social research. In truth, I did not really know what social research was. I simply followed my interests, without a clear picture of where they might eventually lead.

Learning Through Career Experience

For me, it is my career rather than my education that has most shaped my route into social research. I have always believed that supporting roles have a shelf life; working closely with victims can take a significant emotional toll. After many years in frontline roles, I began to recognise recurring frustrations experienced by victims and witnesses, and I saw how even small changes to systems and processes could make a meaningful difference to someone’s experience.

This led me into more strategic work, where I learned a great deal about the Criminal Justice System, policing, support services, different crime types and how responses to these are structured. Through this, I gained a deeper understanding of how some of the challenges faced by victims come about, and I was able to work towards improving service provision at a local level.

It was during this period that I first heard the term “social research” and realised that it closely aligned with what I enjoyed most: speaking with people, facilitating focus groups, analysing information and developing recommendations that could drive change. Discovering that organisations like TONIC were doing this work on behalf of victims and witnesses across the country felt like a natural next step. To me, social research offered a way to continue supporting the cause I cared about, but in a way that could influence systems at a broader level.

TONIC

My route into TONIC was more proactive than accidental. I reached out to the team to share my experience and express an interest in learning more about their work and whether my skills could complement what they were doing. Moving away from the public sector after so many years was daunting, but I was immediately made to feel welcome.

As soon as I began to see the types of projects I would be working on, I felt motivated and genuinely excited. Throughout my career I had developed strong communication skills, which meant I felt confident conducting research interviews and focus groups with both service users and professionals. I also quickly discovered how much I enjoyed the analysis stage including bringing together different perspectives and identifying themes within complex information.

One challenge I faced early on was that university felt like a distant memory, and my academic writing was a little rusty. I was well supported by colleagues and encouraged to build my confidence, and developing my report-writing skills is something I am particularly proud of during my time at TONIC.

I joined TONIC as a Researcher and Analyst, and after a year in role was promoted to Research Manager and asked to take on the role of Victims’ Research Lead. This involves leading on projects relating to victims and witnesses, including Victims’ Needs Assessments. As the team has grown, I have also taken on line management responsibilities, which I have found incredibly rewarding, particularly supporting and developing newer members of the team.

Final Reflection

I absolutely love what I do. No two days are the same, and I feel that I am constantly learning. Listening to service users and professionals continues to give me a balanced understanding of the issues we research. Working across different areas of England and Wales has reinforced for me that a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works; the most valuable insights are often found in the nuances of local contexts, communities and populations.

Being able to return to areas where I have previously worked and see tangible developments as a result of our recommendations is particularly meaningful. It is in those moments that the real-world impact of social research becomes clear.

Reflecting on my route into social research, I think there is a common misconception that research must be academic in nature. In reality, social research is rooted in the day-to-day experiences of real people, and in striving to make those experiences better. Formal education can provide a strong foundation, but it is not the only route in. For those who have worked as practitioners supporting victims and witnesses, or within areas such as the Criminal Justice System, drugs and alcohol services or mental health, the depth of knowledge and people skills gained through practice should never be underestimated. These experiences can be just as valuable in shaping meaningful and impactful research.

Written by Jess Simms, Research Manager, January 2026