Meet Trent
My name is Dr. Trent Grassian and I am the founder of the Reconnections Project. I am a researcher, educator, and facilitator who is passionate about helping non-profits and activists think differently in order to be more strategic and impactful.
I have more than 20 years of experience working across a wide range of ‘sectors’, including years on the ‘frontline’, in the back office, and in key Senior Leadership positions. I have helped dozens of organisations on five continents think strategically and have designed and overseen a wide range of impact assessments, evaluations, and practical pieces of research.
My varied, international experience has helped me recognise both the issues with how our public and non-profit sectors are formed and continue to function and the huge potential for transformation and real, lasting impact. I am passionate about bridging the divides between us and between our ‘sectors’ to stop working in the name of doing good to actually having real, transformative, systems changing work.
I hold a Bachelor's in Anthropology and Feminist Studies, a Master's in Public Administration, and a PhD in Social Policy. I have more than a decade of experience conducting key pieces of research for the non-profit, private, and public sectors across a wide range of areas, including homelessness, systems change, LGBTQIA+, education, youth, animal protection, healthcare access, environmentalism and sustainability, Housing First, dietary and behaviour change, and more. Building on my activist routes and years as a teacher, he is an accomplished public speaker and facilitator, having led on a range of day and multi-day trainings for non-profits, Local Authorities, and more and has given a wide range of talks and workshops across five continents.
Trent's publications include:
Mayday Trust. (2023). Wisdom from a Journey to a Good Life: Capturing the voices of people seeking sanctuary in the UK.
Grassian, T. and Maheru, A. (2022). ‘Barriers to adopting a plant-based diet’ in Kassam, S. and Kassam, Z. (eds.) Plant-based nutrition in clinical practice. Hammersmith.
Grassian, T. (2022). Transition Access Survey 2022. TransActual.
Grassian, T. (2022). Annual review of single homelessness support in England. London: Homeless Link.
Grassian, T. (2022). Introducing specialist roles to Housing First services: Findings from five Housing First Grants. London: Homeless Link.
Grassian, T. and Hertzberg, D. (2021 / unpublished). “I want to live in a safe space”: Experiences, needs and ambitions of Islington’s Everyone In residents. London: Homeless Link.
Homeless Link. (2021). Young and Homeless 2021. London: Homeless Link.
Grassian, T. and Boobis, S. (2021). Working together: the homelessness sector’s path beyond COVID. London: Homeless Link.
Grassian, T. and Boobis, S. (2021). Homelessness provision for the future: Best practice from the homelessness sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. London: Homeless Link.
Grassian, T. (2020). ‘The dietary behaviors of participants in UK-based meat reduction and vegan campaigns: A longitudinal, mixed-methods study'. Appetite 154.
Education Endowment Foundation. (2020). Impact of school closures on the attainment gap: Rapid Evidence Assessment. London: EEF.
Education Endowment Foundation. (2020 / unpublished). COVID-19 Policy Briefing: School’s Needs and Challenges in Supporting Disadvantaged Pupils. London: EEF.
Education Endowment Foundation. (2020). Communicating Effectively with Families: Guide for Schools. London: EEF.
Grassian, T. (2019). Meat reduction and vegan promotion. For Us All.
Grassian, T. (2019). ‘Food Policy: Where does environmental nutrition fit in?’ in: Sabatier, J. (ed.) Environmental Nutrition. Elsevier: pp 263-284
Animal Charity Evaluators. (2019). 2018 Donor Survey Analysis.
Grassian, T. (2019). ‘A new way of eating: creating meat reducers, vegetarians and vegans’. PhD thesis. University of Kent.
Trent's presentations and panel discussions include:
TransActual’s Transition Access Survey 2022. Trans Health Forum: 2022.
Housing First Specialist Roles. Homeless Link webinar: 2022.
Barriers and Behavioural Strategies to Adopting a Plant-Based Diet. Plant-Based Physicians UK: 2022.
Unjust Food: Causes and Outcomes. Panel Discussion, Climate Healers 2022.
Veganism and Food Justice: Panel Discussion. Global VegFest: 2022.
Working together: the homelessness sector’s path beyond COVID. Homeless Link webinar: 2021.
Barriers, Motivators and Opportunities for Promoting Sustainable Dietary Change. Various non-profit organisations internationally: 2019-2020.
Why We Eat What We Eat: Panel Discussion. Victoria & Albert Museum and the Imperial College’s Great Exhibition Road Festival: 2019.
Power, Privilege & Veganism: Building an Inclusive Vegan Community. VegFest UK Intersectionality Summit: 2018; 2019.
Promoting Meat Reduction: Struggles & Successes. Keynote at Eat Better Summit, Compassion in World Farming: 2018.
Motivators and Barriers for Meat Reduction & Veg*n Promotion. Asia for Animals, Kathmandu: 2017.
Promoting Veg*nism: Struggles & Successes. Conference on Animal Rights in Europe, Vienna: 2017.
Trent's workshops and trainings include:
Systems Reflect Training. Multiple non-profits and local government organisations across the UK: 2023-2024.
Wisdoms Listening Exercise Training. Multiple non-profits and local government organisations across the UK: 2023-2024.
Challenges and approaches to achieving appropriate behaviour change around sentience. The University of Oxford and the RSPCA: Sentience – science, policy and ‘real world’ applications: 2019.
Meat: Encouraging personal action. Understanding and changing behaviour. Friends of the Earth Basecamp: 2017.
Using the Behaviour Change Wheel to Promote Dietary Change. Human Behaviour Change for Animal Welfare: Exploring Key HBC Frameworks and Principles: 2017.
Media mentions and podcasts include:
"New report spotlights voices of migrants and refugees". (8 Nov 2023). Diocese of Westminster.
"New Report Spotlights Voices of Migrants and Refugees" (7 Nov 2023). Independent Catholic News.
“Trent Grassian” (15 June 2020). Sociology & Animals Podcast. American Sociological Association.
“Animal Chat with Trent Grassian” (12 June 2020). Animal Chat Podcast.
"Episode 501: Dr Trent Grassian on His Research into Vegan Campaigns" (17 Aug 2019). Our Hen House.
“Meat Reduction and Vegan Promotion: A Report” (23 May 2019). Faunalytics.
“Expert Series: Most comprehensive study of meat reduction and vegan promotion” (2 May 2019). The Vegan Society.
“Trent Grassian VegFest UK” (17 March 2019). AR Zone.
“Asia for Animals” (24 Jan 2018). Changing Times.
“Episode 408” (4 Nov 2017). Our Hen House.