BU Research Blog

BU PIER and BUCRU are holding a drop in event on 4^th November 10am-3pm, outside BG117.

Come and join us for an informal chat about getting the public involved in your research.  (There might be some chocolate too).

Do you have a question you’d like to ask members of the public?  An event you’d like them to attend?  Come along and sign up to VOICE, a new collaboration and digital platform for coordinating and supporting public involvement in research.

An increasing number of researchers across BU are involving and wanting to involve people with lived experience in shaping and informing research. VOICE@BU brings together the public involvement work of the PIER (Public Involvement in Education and Research) Partnership, BUCRU (BU Clinical Research Unit) and the Dorset and Salisbury office of the NIHR Research Design Service South West (RDS SW) to support and facilitate public involvement in research at BU.

VOICE@BU includes:

Mel Hughes, Pete Atkins and Angela Warren from the BU PIER Partnership

Helen Allen and Louise Ward from BUCRU and the NIHR Research Design Service South West (RDS SW)

Colleagues from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences based research centres e.g. ADRC

Colleagues from BU Research Development & Support (RDS) Team (for coordinating public engagement)

In May we ran a demonstration of VOICE you can view the recording here

To summarise, researchers can:

• Easily and quickly register for VOICE
• Submit an opportunity request to involve members of the public in their research
• Use the digital tools the platform offers to involve members of the public in research
• Promote workshops/focus groups
• Facilitate online discussions
• Promote opportunities for the public to join steering groups
• Online surveys & polls
• Set timed challenges and encourage ideas from the community (bring your ideas and questions along and chat through at our drop in)
• Set up a closed group to communicate, share documents and support an established public involvement group
• Communicate with VOICE members regarding specific opportunities
• Access and share support and learning resources to help patient and public involvement and engagement activities

You can register with VOICE and explore what is available and email us: voice@bournemouth.ac.uk to discuss how we can help get the public involved in your research and/or promote an event/opportunity to VOICE members.

Come and see us on Thursday 4^th November 10am-3pm, outside BG117 in the Bournemouth Gateway Building