Opportunities for Researchers
Photo by Alex Whitehead Javega
Collaborating with Collective Aid offers a range of unique opportunities. We are welcoming researchers all your round looking to gain firsthand insights into the challenges facing displaced people across the Balkan route.
Due to our size and structure, we are able to offer research access to our unique datasets and testimonies that span from Lesvos to Calais. As we are working to identify trends as part of our evidence-driven advocacy, our advocacy team are always keep to explore ways in which we can collaborate with more researchers who share our goal of challenging the policies that are affecting displaced people.
We are primarily focussed on research topics including but not limited to, human rights, border violence, the criminalisation of migration and humanitarian aid, access to basic services, border externalisation, border militarisation, and the use of border technology. If you are interested in any of the topics and you would like to collaborate, simply fill out our form to start a conversation about your research proposal.
Whether you are interested in joining us and our partners as we work to publish and share impactful research or whether you are looking to share your findings with broader platforms and audiences, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Why Collaborate with Collective Aid
By partnering with Collective Aid, researchers gain access to unparalleled resources and opportunities, including:
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Gain unparalleled access to field sites across the Balkan route, where Collective Aid operates on the frontlines of humanitarian assistance. Researchers can participate in mobile services delivering essential supplies to displaced individuals. Observing direct support services allows you to engage with critical insights into the daily challenges faced by people on the move.
As a participant in our services, you will also receive hands-on training in ethical testimony collection which will ensure your work upholds the dignity and safety of the people we are providing services to.
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Collective Aid offers access to exclusive datasets and firsthand testimonies gathered across years of operations along the Balkan route. You will benefit from wide sets of anonymised data on the experiences of displaced individuals, including testimonies of border violence and human rights violations. We are also constantly working to identify insights into human rights trends, service gap trends, and service access. This data is essential for our advocacy work and we are more than happy to share it for the purpose of academic publications.
We are always happy to work researchers that wish to work with our data and resources, your contributions will support us in gaining a deeper understanding of human rights where we work and the systemic challenges facing displaced people.
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Expand your professional network by collaborating with Collective Aid and its extensive connections in the migration and humanitarian sectors. We are constantly engaging with NGOs, advocacy groups, and policymakers - and we recognise the importance of ensuring researchers are part of our partnership building. Participating in collaborative research and advocacy initiatives could be a key opportunity to amplify the impact of your work and we are happy to engage in partnerships that promote the visibility and influence of your work.
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Enhance your skills and knowledge with specialised trainings provided by Collective Aid. As part of your collaboration, you’ll have access to workshops on safeguarding and risk management, equipping you to work safely and ethically in sensitive contexts. Ethical research requires clear understanding of the context in which you are operating and that requires training which is why we have multiple frameworks for training individuals who are focussed on methodologies such as testimony collection which require understandings of trauma informed research and participant consent.
Collective Aid carries out research and advocacy according to guiding principles of precision, inclusion, and adaptability and we will consistently push our partners to uphold these standards themselves as this is the only way that partnership opportunities can materialise ethically sound and professionally enriching outcomes.
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We are committed to supporting your academic and professional growth. and we are absolutely prepared to support in writing tailored letters of recommendation or references that verify your research and reflect your contributions to our work. Gaining endorsements for your research, co-publishing your findings and presenting joint research can be an excellent pathway to enhance your academic CV and we understand that providing this support to research partners is essential to their academic and professional journey.
As a researcher, we ask that you join us in our commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism and ethics. For this reason we expect all researchers to follow our protocols for safeguarding, risk management, and ethical boundaries - we provide all of the training necessary to do so. Further to this, although no specific time commitment is required, we do ask researchers to support the operation where they are operating, supporting the continuity of services while their research is ongoing.
Photo by Aidan Frere Smith
Take the First Step Today
Ready to collaborate with us? Fill out the application form today and start your journey with Collective Aid. To help us better understand your background and research goals, we ask you to submit your CV and a Research Proposal. Your CV helps us assess how your expertise aligns with Collective Aid’s mission and ongoing work and the research proposal is your chance to outline your vision for collaboration. We’re looking for objectives that align with our values, a clear and relevant methodology and a defined vision for positive impact - how your findings contribute to systemic change or advocacy efforts. These documents allow us to ensure that your research aligns with our organisational goals and that we can provide the support and resources you need. By understanding your skills and vision, we can build a collaboration that is productive and mutually rewarding.