Making mental health research stronger by improving collaboration between people with lived experience and researchers

We are building the Lived Experience (LE) Collaboration Platform – an online platform that makes meaningful collaboration between researchers and people with lived experience of mental health challenges easier and more effective.

This project is funded by Wellcome and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

It is co-developed by Science Practice, The McPin Foundation, The MHPSS Collaborative, and a Working Group of people with lived experience, researchers and coordinators, with input from Wellcome and UKRI.

While good resources and examples of lived experience collaboration already exist, they are scattered and often hard to apply. This platform will bring existing trusted materials into one place, show what good collaboration looks like in practice, adapt resources where needed, and co-create new ones where gaps exist.

What we mean by lived experience collaboration

By lived experience we mean knowledge and insight gained from first-hand experience of mental health challenges. People self-identify with this experience – no diagnosis or prior contact with mental health services is required.

In collaboration, people with lived experience join research teams as colleagues and partners. We distinguish between participation – taking part in a study as a research subject, and involvement or collaboration – working with a research team to advise, design, guide, or carry out the work. Involvement helps keep research relevant and ensures findings can be applied in real-world settings.

Carers, parents, and family members also bring important perspectives. While the focus is on lived experience of mental health challenges, carer voices will be included where relevant.

What the platform will do

The platform will be co-developed with a Working Group to ensure it is clear, useful, and easy to use. It will:

• Show real examples of collaboration, including what was tried, what changed and what was learned.
• Provide practical tools such as templates, checklists, meeting guides and role descriptions that are ready to adapt.
• Offer guided pathways based on who you are and where you are in a project.
• Make finding things easy with clear search and filters.
• Use interactive elements where useful, such as quick decision guides or step-by-step prompts.

The aim is simple: arrive with a question, leave with something you can use.

First focus areas

The online platform will also include distinct modules focused on specific aspects of mental health research and collaboration. Together with the Working Group, we will co-develop the first two modules:

1. Child and youth mental health collaboration (ages 10–24).
2. Safeguarding in lived experience collaboration, particularly when working with people with learning and communication differences (including, but not limited to young people).

Each module will include examples, tools, and guidance specific to its setting.

Who it’s for

• People with lived experience who want to share their expertise to shape research
• Researchers, clinicians and practitioners who want to collaborate well
• Coordinators and managers who support research teams to deliver lived experience collaborations well
• Funders and policy leads who set expectations and standards

Different users will find tailored routes into the same trusted content.

✋ Join the Working Group

We’re inviting around 25 members to help shape the platform and the first two modules.

Please note: all working group members are expected to have direct experience as collaborators on a mental health research project. This means that they have played an active role in defining, framing, advising or carrying out research.

We welcome people with diverse perspectives and collaboration experience, such as:

• People with lived experience of mental health challenges from different backgrounds and regions, including people often excluded from research
• Mental health researchers at all career stages
• Lived experience research coordinators
• Carers, parents, or family members.

🌍 We are especially keen to bring together people of different ages (with a focus on 16–25), career stages, and countries – including those in low- and middle-income countries.

What Working Group members will do

• Share perspectives and expertise on what good research collaboration looks like
• Explore challenges and opportunities in lived experience research collaboration
• Identify the most useful support and resources
• Co-develop platform ideas and module content by reviewing early ideas and sharing feedback
• Work with others in open, collaborative conversations to build a shared vision.

Optional opportunities to contribute include sharing examples or stories of research collaboration, testing early versions of the platform, or joining smaller topic groups.

Time and recognition

• Expected time: ~15 hours between November 2025 and December 2026, mostly through online group conversations and feedback activities
• Payment: £25 per hour, up to £375 for core contributions, with additional payment for optional activities (such as joining smaller topic groups)
• Other recognition: acknowledgements, certificates, mentorship, connections, and other forms agreed with the group.

How to apply

We welcome applications from people with lived experience (including young people aged 16–25), researchers, coordinators, carers, and family members.

Please complete one of the following forms below, depending on the role you’ll contribute from most directly:

👉Expression of Interest (EOI) for People with Lived Experience or Carers who have collaborated as partners, advisors or consultants (not research participants) in mental health research projects: https://forms.office.com/r/jBSy7dDJKA

👉Expression of Interest (EOI) for Researchers or Coordinators with experience of involving, supporting or facilitating collaborations with people with lived experience as partners, advisors or consultants (not research participants) in mental health research: https://forms.office.com/r/PVNDtjQnaN

We recognise that applicants may have overlapping roles and expertise. For example, a researcher may also have lived experience, or a carer may also coordinate involvement. Please choose the form that reflects the perspective you will contribute from most directly.

Deadline: 20 October 2025, 16:00 UK time

If you’d like to apply in another format, for example by voice note or another accessible option, or have questions, please contact Ana Florescu, Project Lead, at ana@science-practice.com.

We’ll support you to apply in the way that works best for you.

What happens after you apply

We aim to respond to all applicants by early November 2025. If we need more information about your application, we may follow up by email.

Applications will be reviewed by the project team to ensure a balance of roles and experiences, with particular attention to including a wide range of lived experiences, research perspectives, and geographies (including low- and middle-income countries).

Joining the Working Group is one of several opportunities to collaborate on this project. If you are not selected this time, please note that there will be other chances to contribute, such as one-off workshops, interviews, or user testing. You can let us know in the Consent section of the Expression of Interest if you are happy for us to keep your details for future opportunities.