Paid Public Advisor Role for the Community Research and Engagement Network (CoREN

We are currently looking for a new Public Advisor to help develop and lead the Community Research and Engagement Network (CoREN) up to March 2026. Public Advisors work across the Applied Research Collaboration – for more information, please see – https://arc-nwc.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/.

Background
The CoREN brings together: public advisors, representatives from voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations, researchers and others. By coming together, the CoREN will help us to share our knowledge and skills, and to create a platform for research to be developed and shared that can improve population health and address health inequalities.

Public advisor involvement
We need one public advisor to sit on the co-ordination group and to help lead the CoREN moving forward.

What will you be doing?
• Participating in co-ordination group meetings online every 6-8 weeks
• Sharing and challenging ideas on how we can improve collaboration
• Helping to determine where we take the CoREN
• Giving your thoughts on documents that the CoREN manager (Claire), or other members of the co-ordination group, share
• Sharing information about CoREN events with other public advisors (and others) who might be interested, or whose input might be particularly useful
• Attending and helping to run CoREN events

Is this for you, and how to apply
We are looking for people who:
• Are thoughtful and would like a chance to think through and challenge ideas
• Enjoy working closely with others
• Like to plan!
• Have a good attention to detail and are good at ‘joining the dots’
• Are interested in health and social care, and health and social care research
• Are able to work remotely using Microsoft Teams (you don’t need to be brilliant at this and we can provide training

Unsure?
If you are not sure if this opportunity is for you, please do not feel you can’t apply, just pause and think again! Your life experiences of home, work and family are worth more than you realise!

Training & Support
You will be given an induction and ongoing support from the team to enable you to carry out your role in the CoREN. If further related training needs arise, we will identify how to support these as the project progresses.

Fees/Payments
You will be paid for activity/contributions in line with the ARC NWC payment of fees policy:
• Co-ordination group meetings – approximately 1–1.5 hours duration £25
• When review, comment and/or the preparation of any documents are needed before a meeting there will be a further payment of £25
• All fees/payments for activities will be agreed in advance

To find out more, to submit your expression of interest, or for advice on how to do this please contact us at:
c.selby@lancaster.ac.uk