Natasha Pope

Psychology PhD

As a mother with a passion to make society a safer place for young people, Natasha decided to pursue a PhD, researching knife crime and prevention of serious youth violence.  Having studied both her undergraduate and Master's  degree at BCU, she wished to continue working closely with academics within the Forensic Psychology department. Natasha’s area of research is close to her heart, and with her impactful research she hopes to make true change for the future of knife crime intervention provisions.  

“Doing a PhD always felt unobtainable for me. I had spent many years outside of education and concentrating on being a mother, before joining BCU as a mature student. In many ways, achieving both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree for me were unexpected accomplishments in themselves. It was beyond me to think that I could possibly go further in any academic capacity, and in all honesty, the opportunity to pursue a PhD felt outside the realm of possibility for me.  

It was a conversation with my Master’s supervisor, Dr Laura Hammond, that introduced me to the idea of conducting a PhD. She saw potential in both me and my research, and the contributions it could make to society. It was only because of Laura, and the fantastic Forensic Psychology department, Professor Michael Brookes, and Dr Rahul Jalil, that this was even possible.   

The lecturers are one of the reasons that I have stayed at BCU throughout my undergraduate, master’s and now my PhD. I was so impressed with them, both with their passions for teaching and enhancing student experiences, and the variety of experts within my field.  

Having such a wealth of experience and knowledge around me, and ties with sectors, local communities and organisations made me feel like the university was invested in me, and that the lecturers would prepare me for the realities of the field I was entering. They consistently go above and beyond for every student to reach their full potential.  

I have loved being part of the research community at BCU. Being an active member of the Crime and Society Research Centre enables me to network with other like-minded PhD students and staff. I often partake in research showcases and conferences, such as BCU’s recent collaboration with WAITS, a local domestic violence organisation for women.  

Ultimately, I decided to pursue my PhD because of my children. I wanted to show them the value of education, and how important it is to pursue something that you are passionate about. I also want society to be a safer place for them and all young people. Speaking to so many individuals effected by knife crime motivates me to do all that I can to help support those working to prevent serious youth violence.  

I am motivated through my teaching activities at BCU, and I am very grateful to have the opportunities to share some of my knowledge and experiences with students across the university. Hearing students say that they took knowledge away from my lectures inspires me to delve further into my research and continue to share what I’ve learned.  

Unbeknownst to me, I had started to delve into my area of research since my undergraduate degree, when I attended a guest lecture by anti-knife crime campaigner, Alison Cope. Having known her son, Joshua Ribera, who was a victim of knife crime, and being a mother myself, her talk resonated with me. It was this I reflected on when deciding what to pursue in my dissertation. I realised that there were so many gaps in the literature on knife crime, and areas that needed further expansion, particularly what works in terms of interventions.  

It was after this that I was introduced to the knife crime lead from West Midlands Police, who expressed an interest in my research and provided data to help me explore this avenue further. I was invited to learn more and observe some of their interventions in schools.  

This included presentations facilitated by the Precious Lives team, metal arches and knife wand search operations, and reviewing choices and consequences books developed by the Sandwell Police Partnerships Team. I visited a safety education centre facilitated by the West Midlands Fire Service alongside Young Persons Officers from the West Midlands Police, and they later invited me to help facilitate two World Café events being held in conjunction with The Princes Trust and the National Citizen Service (NCS).   

Together, these opportunities highlighted areas for further investigation and how important it is to learn more about what is being done, why, and what young people want and need from school-based anti-knife crime interventions. This ultimately forms the basis for my PhD research.   

Since becoming a PhD student, I feel I have matured a lot. I have learned that my voice and opinion is valid, and I am more confident in my ability to critically challenge information. More importantly, I have learned not to compare myself or the progression of my research with others, as our experiences of conducting PHD research are so unique.  

The most valuable piece of advice I received from my supervisors is that a PhD is a marathon, not a race, and that you need to be flexible in your approach and willing to adapt, as we cannot always foresee how things are likely to change over the years. 

Given that knife crime is a controversial topic at best, it can be tricky navigating the politics involved. This type of research not only requires interactions with academics and various police forces and violence reduction units, but also local community organisations and schools, and there can be lots of differing viewpoints and experiences to consider. With that said, researching this area can also take a toll on you personally and emotionally. I am fortunate to have amazing support systems in place at BCU and an excellent supervisory team who I can talk to whenever I need to.  

I have been in my current position as an Assistant Lecturer in Psychology within the Forensic Psychology department for a year now during which time I have been a co-module lead for the BSc Forensic Psychology module. I would like to progress further within my role, taking on a lecturer position once my thesis is submitted and to progress within academia.  

I am hopeful that my research will help to make a difference in the world of anti-knife crime interventions. It is my hope that this research provides some food for thought on best practices and goes some way to improving the efficacy and knowledge base surrounding current provisions.  

For me, ‘I AM BCU’ represents a community which seeks to inspire and nurture you to be the best you can be.”