Community Research Champions are members of the public, patients, and carers who want to make a difference in developing better health care and treatment. They connect researchers and communities and help promote health and care research.
This activity is good for wellbeing because
- it helps deepen connections between researchers and under-served communities, helping make sure they are included in the development of new procedures and treatments;
- taking part in health and care research can help deepen your understanding of health conditions you might have;
- health and care research can give you access to new treatments and therapies.
"It's one of the most rewarding things I've done. It's shifted my perceptions of research and people in my community."
How to contact
Where to go
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services
Allia Future Business Centre
London Road
Peterborough PE2 8AN
UK
Anameeka, one of the Community Research Champions, invited the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to a Holi event to talk to her South Asian community about getting involved in research:
What to expect
Become a Community Research Champion and help to make health and social care research more inclusive and effective. Health and social care research helps us to find new treatments and to ensure they’re safe and effective, diagnose conditions better and earlier, and prevent illness and look after ourselves. However, research participation doesn’t always reflect the different groups in our communities, those most affected by a health condition, or how different groups respond to treatments. This is where Community Research Champions can help!
Community Research Champions are members of the public, patients, and carers who want to make a difference in developing better health care and treatment.
They help spread the word about research in their communities, help health and care staff understand patients’ experience of research, and find out about people’s awareness and views towards health and social care research. This could be through finding out about existing groups, services or places in their community, 1-to-1 conversations, or group workshops. What champions do can be shaped by them and be flexible to their local area.
A Research Champion does not need any prior experience or knowledge about health and social care research. Free training and resources are provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to all Community Champions so that they have the knowledge and tools they need for the role.
Those curious about becoming a research champion should attend one of the regular drop-in session at the Peterborough Council for Voluntary Service (PCVS) office in the Allia Future Business Centre Peterborough. This is a relaxed space where people from the community get a chance to mix with people who are already research champions as well as researchers looking to work with communities in Peterborough. People are welcome to bring guests.
Sessions last around an hour and a half, but there is no expectation that people stay for the whole session, and people are welcome to arrive later than the start time. There is no need to register or book ahead, but to find out dates and times or ask questions, contact James at [email protected] or by phoning 07760 702 430.
More information
Anyone from the community is welcome, as well as researchers who are looking to make connections.
There is free parking available on site: make sure to park on the gravel outside of the Peterborough United stadium and register your number plate at the front desk of the Allia centre. The PCVS office is on the ground floor with accessible toilets available. Light refreshments (tea/coffee/pastries/fruit) are provided at the sessions.
PCVS is also helping to promote Be Part of Research, a free online service that helps you get involved in health and care research. Signing up is free and easy, and once you've let the platform know what health conditions you're interested in, it automatically matches you with studies you might be interested in. Scan the QR code or click here to go to the website: Be Part of Research
The drop-in sessions are free to attend, and there is no cost associated with becoming a research champion.
How to contact
Where to go
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services
Allia Future Business Centre
London Road
Peterborough PE2 8AN
UK
