Young People’s Advisory Groups‌

Several years ago a young people’s advisory group (YPAG) was established in a local secondary school to provide CCAH researchers with access to the insights and advice of a group of young people. More recently we introduced a formal learning programme for YPAG members about research, and the opportunity for them to carry out a small study of their own culminating in a presentation to CCAH staff and colleagues. A second group of younger pupils in a school in a more diverse community was established a year later. Over the years the YPAGs have been consulted on initial ideas for research, appropriate methods of recruitment and data collection, ethical issues and road-testing mobile phone APPs. The YPAGs’ membership changes each year as pupils move on, but their unique insights supply information and viewpoints relevant to the rapidly, ever-changing world of young people. The researchers consulting the YPAGs have also broadened from CCAH staff to undergraduate and post graduate students.

The value of the YPAGs as examples of good practice have been recognised by their inclusion in a successful bid to the RCUK (Research Councils UK) for monies to develop research based ac‌tivity in schools. The programme of learning has been used as the basis of some of this work, led by the Centre for Public Engagement, UoB. 

Public and Patient Participation

Public and Patient Participation (PPI), now a requirement of most funders, has long been a cross-cutting theme for the CCAH. Involving relevant patients or members of the public in designing, advising and managing research projects improves the quality of studies, and it is important to ensure that this PPI is timely, active and meaningful. Jenny Ingram is the lead for PPI across SSCM and advises researchers in the best ways to achieve meaningful participation. INVOLVE (involve.org.uk) also produces literature, guidance and resources about participation and payments for participants.

The expertise of running PPI available at CCAH has been used to support the work of some Health Integration Teams (HITS) across Bristol. These include RuBICoN, CIPIC and BoNEE. We have also been involved in a scoping exercise to establish the existence of other groups providing PPI with young people and parents across the Universities and Hospitals in Bristol, and have supported the development of a Young Peoples Participation Network for staff working with these groups.