In this blog, Fran Morland, Research Partnerships Coordinator, reflects on VONNE’s involvement in a recent Summit event hosted by the Institute of Medical Humanities at Durham University. Sharing personal insights from the day, as well as reflections from key partners, Fran considers how VONNE has collaborated with academic institutions to share the importance of the VCSE sector in developing meaningful health research.
Collaboration between the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and research institutions plays an important role in tackling health inequity and creating meaningful change for communities. By working in partnership, organisations can combine expertise, reach cross-sector audiences, and ensure that community voices are reflected in research and decision-making.
VONNE is embedded in health research across the region through our dedicated North East and North Cumbria VCSE Research Partnerships work, as well as being a partner on a number of other research projects (Research Engagement Network (REN), NortHFutures). As part of this representation, Lisa Taylor, Health and Wellbeing Programme Director at VONNE, and Fran Morland, Research Partnerships Coordinator at VONNE, are both members of the Strategic Engagement Group (SEG) for The Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities. Based at Durham University, the Platform aims to empower health and care researchers from different sectors and disciplines to co-develop new approaches to health inequalities. The SEG, made up of members from the VCSE, research and health sectors, was developed to advise on the Platform’s research and engagement plans (including the Medical Humanities In Practice Fellowship scheme), help shape accessible communications and amplify opportunities for community involvement in research.
Evelyn Tehrani, Senior Research and Engagement Manager for the Institute of Medical Humanities, and founder of the SEG, had this to say about the Platform:
“The platform is committed to collaborative research with the people and communities who have the lived experience of the conditions we are researching. We aim to create enabling and accessible research spaces in which these diverse voices can define and shape the research from the start.”
Having contributed to regular SEG meetings and advised on a number of pilot research projects encompassing a wide range of subject matter, including sensory input and historical healthcare from centuries past, working towards findings that are impactful to modern healthcare, Lisa and Fran recently attended and presented at a SEG led Platform Summit. The event brought together researchers from across the platform to reflect on their work, hear from members of the SEG on their own motivations for being part of the Platform and invited discussions on how we can continue to collaborate across sectors. It was an excellent opportunity to hear diverse perspectives on effective research inclusion and how we might achieve this as a collective. VONNE was able to share information about how the VCSE sector can be a valuable research partner, as well as details on our own research involvement as an organisation and support and resources available to researchers and VCSE organisations.
Following presentations from the SEG, Angela Woods, Director of the Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities, shared that the group’s “vision for our future is both humbling and inspiring.”
Evelyn shared the following reflections with us about her experience of the Summit and working with the SEG more widely:
“I was delighted that the SEG were able to lead this Summit. Their presentations demonstrated our shared commitment to enabling equitable collaborative research and developing accessible research spaces and methods which centre diverse lived experience voices. Their inspiring event clearly highlighted the benefits and opportunities of mutual learning across sectors, and that by working together we can develop research which is more relevant and beneficial to affected communities. I have learnt so much by working with the group over the past two years. Their generosity, insight and combined expertise is truly humbling. I look forward to continuing to work with the group over the next 4 years to develop more exciting initiatives and to continue to champion engaged health and medical humanities research.”
Both Lisa and Fran are eager to explore new ways to engage in this partnership moving forward to ensure VCSE sector representation is at the forefront of the Platform. Through VONNE’s role with the SEG, we are able to contribute to wider discussions on inclusive research design and impact; a role that we feel privileged and excited to have. If you would like to know more about our involvement with this project, or any of our other research work, please visit our VCSE Research Partnerships programme webpage or reach out on email to: francesca.morland@vonne.org.uk