Embedding lived experience in research funding decisions
Vocal Collective CIC is working with the Medical Research Foundation, people with lived experience, and public partnerships practitioners to strengthen how lived experience informs research funding. Together we’re developing and delivering approaches that bring people with lived experience into research funding decision-making, helping to ensure the Foundation’s investments are grounded in what matters most to people and communities.
We’re seeking lived-experience experts to review fellowship applications researching Suicide and Self-Harm
Vocal Collective CIC, working with the Medical Research Foundation, is looking for people with lived experience of suicidal distress and/or self-harm to join us in a Lived Experience Expert Review role for the Foundation’s Suicide and Self-Harm Research Fellowships.
These Fellowships support mid-career researchers working to improve understanding and prevention of suicide and self-harm. Bringing lived experience into the assessment process is an important step in shaping research that reflects real needs and priorities.
What We’re Looking For…
6-8 lived experience experts who will review a small number of research applications and take part in an online discussion with this group
2 lived experience experts who will communicate the recommendations from the online discussion at an online shortlisting meeting; and one of these experts will take part in the final interview process
You must have:
Lived experience of suicidal distress or self-harm
Some experience in research e.g. in public involvement or as a lived experience/peer researcher
Your insights will directly shape which projects receive funding, and learnings from doing this process together will influence the way that the Medical Research Foundation prepares for and conducts future grant processes.
We will select lived experience experts that meet the criteria described above. We hope to select people with differing levels of experience in reviewing grants including those with no previous experience. Our aim is to reflect the diversity of people experiencing suicidal distress and self-harm within the UK.
More About the Role and Commitments
Role 1: Reviewer (6-8 people needed)
Expected to be 2 days (15h) in total, payment of £525
Experience & Expertise
Mix of those with and without funding-review experience
Able to write a structured peer review summary (briefing around criteria provided)
Commitments
Available for a 2.5 hour online briefing session on 6th January (timings can be outside of traditional working)
Read and review key sections of up to four research applications (~2 hrs each) between
8–19th JanuaryAvailable for one 2-hour online discussion between 15th and 19th January (timings can be outside of traditional working)
Share your feedback about the process to inform future projects
Role 2: Shortlisting Representative (1 person needed)
Expected to be 4.5 days in total, payment of £1,150
Experience & Expertise
Some experience of combining peer review feedback, decision-making processes, resolving scoring discrepancies
Comfortable presenting feedback with academic reviewers
Commitments
Available for a 2.5 hour online briefing session on 6th January (timings can be outside of traditional working)
Reading key sections of up to 14 fellowship applications and peer review forms
Available for two 2-hour online briefing meetings between 15th and 19th January (timings can be outside of traditional working)
Attend a short 1:1 online briefing with Chair
Attend an online shortlisting meeting with the Medical Research Foundation all day on 22nd January
Share your feedback about the process to inform future projects
Role 3: Shortlisting Representative and Interviewer (1 person needed)
Expected to be 7.5 days in total payment of £2,250
This will include the shortlisting representative role plus:
Experience & Expertise
Some experience of conducting interviews
Comfortable leading questions about lived experience involvement (supported by Chair)
Commitments
Preparation for interviews
Join in-person interviews on 24th and 25th February
Share your feedback about the process to inform future projects
What We Will Offer
A compassionate, supportive, trauma-informed, and equitable process: starting with 1:1 conversations, listening to you about how you’d like to work with us
Payment for your time (for both the reviews and the meeting)
Clear written and verbal guidance throughout
Ongoing 1:1 and group support from the Vocal Collective team
A named contact throughout the process
Reflection and debrief sessions and additional clinical safeguarding support if needed
Personalised accommodations/adjustments to make the process as accessible as we can
A note on safeguarding, support, and learning…
We have developed a Safeguarding Statement and compassionate trauma-informed process with lived experience experts to support this programme. We will be evaluating to apply learning in future projects.
How to Apply and What Happens Next
1. Please complete this short expression of interest by 12th December 10 am:
2. For those shortlisted, we will contact you week commencing 15th December and arrange to have a 1:1 conversation (to provide us all with an opportunity to check this is the right role)
3. We will be in touch with everybody who expresses an interest by 19th December. If we are oversubscribed, we will signpost to similar opportunities and/or future projects.
About the Partners
The Medical Research Foundation is the independent charitable foundation of the Medical Research Council, funding research where there is high need and low investment. Vocal Collective CIC is a social enterprise bringing together diverse groups to understand and act on the health and social issues that matter to them. To speak to someone about this role, or what we can do to help you to express interest, please email Ness Bennett at hello@vocalcollective.org.uk.