Become a member of our Lived Experience Advisory Group and help to create better mental health through data-driven research

DATAMIND is a network of researchers, charities and patient and public members who want to make the best use of the UK’s mental health data to improve people’s lives. The voices of patients and the public are key to everything we do.

We are a team of researchers from institutions across the UK, including: Swansea University, Kings College London and University of Cambridge. We work in partnership with mental health research charities MQ and McPin. The Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) is managed by colleagues at the University of Cambridge.

Our research is funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Anyone who is over 18 with an interest in mental health research and/or data science and experience of mental health conditions – either personally or as a carer or parent.

The main qualities we look for are commitment, enthusiasm and relevant personal experiences. No specific skills, education or training are required.

We aim to include people from across the UK, with the broadest possible variety of backgrounds and perspectives. We particularly welcome applications from areas of the UK where we currently don’t have much or any representation (Northern Ireland, the Midlands, the North and Scotland) and people who have diverse views and experiences, including those who are more cautious or sceptical about research with mental health data.

We welcome individuals with disabilities and are committed to ensuring you are able to participate to the best of your ability. We will offer additional support if you require it.

Attending online meetings

Participating in online (Zoom) meetings lasting 1-2-hours about every 3 weeks. These will be scheduled around the Group’s availability and are usually held during working hours in the week. Attendance at each meeting is optional and based on your availability and interest.

Between-meeting feedback

You might also be invited to comment on materials outside of meetings (e.g. reviewing text, video or other digital content and providing written/verbal feedback).

Pay

You will be paid £25 per hour for your active involvement. See our payment policy, (included in the last two pages of our terms of reference) for details.

Optional additional opportunities

You might occasionally have the chance to work on special projects connected to DATAMIND research which would involve attending additional, smaller meetings.

You might also sometimes be offered the optional opportunity to attend in-person events to talk about your own experiences and give your perspective on mental health research and data science. Your time spent attending these events would be paid for and travel costs would be reimbursed or paid up-front.

Please complete our application form by 30 September 2025:

If we want to discuss your application, we will contact you to arrange a brief chat on Zoom.

If you would like to receive the application form in a different format or provide verbal answers (e.g. over the phone or in an online meeting), please get in touch with the patient and public involvement coordinator, Naomi (nc482@cam.ac.uk).