Research Champions

Health and care research helps develop new diagnoses and treatments.

The NIHR is working with communities and members of the public to spread the word about research and make it more inclusive. By reflecting individual needs, research will have a positive impact on health outcomes.

Could you join us? Find out more about the opportunities below.

Research Champions

Research Champions are patients, carers, and members of the public, who are passionate about developing better health care and treatment. They help spread the word about research. They also help health and care staff understand patients' experience of research. 

What can Research Champions do?

• Raise awareness of health and care research and encourage people to take part
• Speak to patient and community groups about health and care research
• Deliver training for researchers and research staff
• Help people find out about research studies, including those available at Be Part of Research and Join Dementia Research
• Take part in media interviews to help raise public awareness of research
• Work with schools and other education settings to promote research
• Take part in local events and activities

The activities Research Champions do are tailored to their time and interests.

Hear from a Research Champion

Rizwan Rehman shares why he chose to sign up to help champion research.

Recruitment for Research Champions is currently paused, but we will be commencing recruitment again in October 2024. To register your interest, or for further details, please  get in touch with your local LCRN. 

Research Ready Communities

Research Ready Communities is a national programme working in partnership with local communities.

The NIHR wants to make sure health and care research represents and reflects all groups and communities to address health inequalities.

The Research Ready Communities programme helps to do this by:

• Partnering with local organisations who know and understand their communities best
• Recruiting and training Community Champions. Community Champions are passionate about creating positive changes for their community
• Supporting Community Champions to listen to people in the community. Finding out about their knowledge and views of health and care research
• Co-designing and implementing local activities that respond to these listening conversations. Activities are designed to help improve local inclusion in health and care research

Each Local Clinical Research Network (LCRN) is running the Research Ready Communities programme. LCRNs are working with local groups and communities to address their needs.

To find out more about Research Ready Communities, please contact crn.ppie@leeds.ac.uk You can also get in touch with your local LCRN.