Find out about our objectives and our strategic and advisory groups
Within DECIPHer, we define Public Involvement (PI) as “research being carried out with or by members of the public rather than to, about or for them” (INVOLVE, 2019).
All our PI work is underpinned by our PI Strategy which has the following objectives.
Embed public involvement throughout the development, design, conduct and dissemination of research studies.
Effectively integrate public perspectives into the governance of the Centre.
Develop capacity for public involvement across the DECIPHer research Centre.
Provide, and signpost to, learning and development opportunities for the public and DECIPHer staff and students.
Maximise equality, diversity and inclusion of public involvement in DECIPHer.
Evaluate our public involvement activities.
DECIPHer Public Involvement groups
DECIPHer’s research focuses on public health, including topics such as physical activity, mental health and substance use. DECIPHer believes that the research it undertakes should be undertaken with members of the public, rather than to or on them.
To help shape our work, we rely on the involvement of members of the public across DECIPHer research projects and governance. For example, we formerly had a Public Involvement Steering Group (PISG) which helped to develop and oversee the implementation of the Public Involvement strategy. However, with the new round of funding we merged this group with our scientific members group to create a combined Advisory Board. This Advisory Board includes public, policy, practice and academic representatives, ensuring that the broad range of expertise available to us is utilised meaningfully and effectively.
We also involved members of the public in the development of our current Centre funding, two of whom became Public Co-Applicants and now sit onour centre Co-Investigator group meetings. These meetings give Public Contributors the platform to identify research priorities for the Centre. Furthermore, to advise our research that focuses on children and young people we also have an advisory group entitled; ALPHA ( Advice Leading to Public Health Advancement). ALPHA is made up of young people aged 14-25 years old living across South Wales. Please click the ALPHA page button below to find out more about ALPHA.
We invite public contributors to participate in strategic discussion in a variety of ways:
> Attendance at meetings
> Providing / Receiving training
> Presenting at / Attending events,
> Providing feedback
In addition, more bespoke public involvement activity takes place within each individual research project undertaken in DECIPHer, working with representatives of the specific populations that the research is for.
