How you can get involved in our research We are a group of people with asthma, parents and carers of people with asthma, and we get involved in the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research’s research in a variety of ways. We offer expertise based on our experience of living with asthma and also bring a range of personal and professional skills from other walks of life. Currently our group includes over 120 people, but we are always looking for new members to join us. What can I expect to do? Activities volunteer members can get involved in depend on how much time you have free and how much you can commit. Get involved in our research If you have from 15 minutes to spare, you can get involved in shaping the Centre’s research. Activities range from reviewing documents that will be read by people who are participating in research, reviewing a PhD or funding application, writing a blog for our website or telling us what you think of a project. See some examples of activities and the approximate timings they take. Image Volunteer patient lead As well as taking on some of the tasks listed above, if you have more time to commit, and you want to have a direct impact on the strategic direction of the Centre, becoming a volunteer patient lead might be for you. You would be invited to sit on our Centre Management Committee, join the Patient and Public Involvement Working Group and have regular contact and input with our core PPI team. Find out what one PPI patient lead got up to in his first 2 years in the role: Two years as a Volunteer Patient and Public Involvement Patient Lead | Bill Day FAQs Do I need to have experience in research? We only ask our members to speak from their own personal experiences living with asthma or caring for someone with asthma. We welcome people who have no previous experience with research or people who have contributed through other patient involvement schemes. We will help you identify projects and opportunities that best suit your interests. We also work to make sure you feel comfortable and confident in contributing to projects, and try to provide information about any relevant training opportunities. Do I need to attend face-to-face meetings? Many members offer help from the comfort of their home, using email or other methods of staying in touch. There are a number of different ways to get involved – you can look over leaflets, give advice about how to recruit people for a study, or offer ideas about how to share study findings. You could also help out with a Science Festival, speak to researchers at a conference, or attend face-to-face meetings if that is what interests you. It is up to you to decide how you would like to get involved. Do I need to travel? You can take part from anywhere in the UK, and there is no requirement to travel. Much of our work with researchers can be done from home, either over the phone or email. Equally, some of our researchers are keen to meet people face-to-face so opportunities do arise where we ask people to attend meetings. Interested? If you have asthma, we would love to hear from you if you would be interested in getting involved/joining our Patient Advisory Group and want to find out more. Please email us in the first instance, and we'll get back in touch with you to discuss further and answer any questions you may have. Email us How your information is used Your privacy is extremely important to us. Read our Privacy Statement to learn more about how your information would be used if you choose to get involved. Read our Patient and Public Involvement privacy statement This article was published on 2024-09-24
