Research Frameworks & Models
Over the past five years, my work has drawn on both lived experience and academically grounded models to build more inclusive, insight-driven research. I’ve used these frameworks not just to shape how I work, but to help institutions rethink how they connect with communities, collect insight, and deliver impact.
Below are some of the key frameworks and models I use in my practice.
1. The Interspace Framework
Understanding the space between institutions and communities
At the heart of Elysium’s approach is a simple truth: the people closest to the problem often sit furthest from the power. The Interspace Framework recognises that meaningful insight and impact are only possible when we acknowledge and work within this tension.
As a consultant, I operate within this “interspace,” not fully inside the system, but not fully outside it either. I work with clients to bridge the gap between institutional strategy and community reality. This framework informs how I build trust, surface hidden insight, and co-create solutions that speak both languages.
2. The RCA Model
Relationships. Credibility. Access.
Built on years of frontline research experience, the RCA Model is a practical framework for unlocking deeper, more authentic engagement, particularly in communities that are often under-represented or over-researched.
R – Relationships: Building genuine, long-term relationships rooted in respect and reciprocity.
C – Credibility: Demonstrating cultural competence, lived experience, and a clear commitment to impact.
A – Access: Gaining permission to enter spaces and conversations that surface deeper insight, often inaccessible through traditional research methods.
This model underpins how I design research strategies and train teams to move beyond extractive engagement.
3. The Continuum Model
Embedding community voice across the research lifecycle
The Continuum Model outlines how to involve communities and those directly affected by an issue at every stage of the research process, from design and delivery to analysis and dissemination.
This model reflects leading best practice in inclusive and participatory research. I support clients to design projects that adopt it, provided the appropriate resources, timelines, and infrastructure are in place.
Academic Influences
Elysium’s practice is informed by a number of influential research traditions and theorists, including:
Paulo Freire – Critical Pedagogy
Freire’s emphasis on dialogue, power, and co-creation shapes how I approach research as a tool for both insight and liberation — particularly in marginalised communities.
CBPR – Community-Based Participatory Research
CBPR offers a structural model for co-producing research with communities. Its principles — shared power, mutual benefit, and community ownership underpin many of the projects I’ve delivered.
Intersectionality Theory
Rooted in the work of Kimberlé Crenshaw and others, this lens helps ensure research design captures the overlapping and compounding nature of social inequalities, especially in public health and equity work.
Why It Matters
Frameworks matter, but only when they’re used well. I don’t just reference theory; I bring it into practice. Whether I’m advising a public health team, reviewing a research protocol, or supporting a charity director to better understand their community, these models guide the way I think, act, and support change.
If you’d like help building or applying any of these frameworks in your own work, I’d be glad to support.