Support our psychology education & research
Get involved in our research
Have you previously accessed or received support via a mental health service?
Perhaps you’ve cared for someone or supported a friend/family member while they’ve accessed these services or received treatment?
If so, you could use your experiences to help shape psychological training and research within the University of Exeter.
Members of the public with the above lived experience play a vital role in ensuring that our work is informed and led by service users. We refer to these people as Experts by Experience (EbEs).
This involvement gives our students, trainees, staff and researchers a stronger understanding of the needs and views of people who are living with mental ill-health and are accessing mental health services. EbEs can have a positive, lasting impact on teaching and research, which in turn, can make a real difference.
Share your views, make a difference
If you choose to support our work as an EbE, you’ll have the chance to help shape and develop our work, including what we prioritise, as well as how it is planned, delivered and evaluated.
You could use your lived experience to support this in a range of ways, such as:
- Taking part in focus groups
- Assisting with student research
- Attending meetings and providing feedback
- Supporting student and staff recruitment
- Leading teaching sessions
- Contributing to the development of training courses
Why get involved?
The expertise that EbEs bring is hugely valuable, which is why we offer payment to thank them for their contribution and time. (You don’t have to accept payment if it doesn’t suit your circumstances – we can also arrange vouchers or a donation to a charity if this is preferred).
Here are a few of the benefits current and previous EbEs have reported from sharing their experiences:
- Feeling valued, respected and heard
- Improved confidence and skill development
- Personal satisfaction, empowerment and hope
- Building new relationships through meeting others with similar experiences
- Gaining experience that can support future employment opportunities
How to take part in our psychology research
Within Psychology, at the University of Exeter, and its linked networks, there are several ways for Experts by Experience (EbE) to get involved with us. You can take part in as many of the groups as you wish:
The Lived Experience Group (LEG)
The Lived Experience Group (LEG)
The Lived Experience Group (LEG) is based at the Clinical Doctorates and Post-Graduate Research Portfolios (DClinPsy/PGR)).
The Lived Experience Group (LEG) is a group of people who have personal experience of mental ill‑health, along with supporters such as carers, friends or family members. These individuals are recognised as Experts by Experience (EbE).
The group works with staff and trainees across the Clinical Doctorates and Post Graduate Research Portfolios (DClinPsy/PGR) to help shape research, training, and policy. Most commonly, LEG members support Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) trainees with their research projects.
What LEG members do
LEG members share their experiences and advice, usually in conversation with individual students or small groups. Their insights help improve:
- Research projects
- Mental health training
- Understanding of real life experiences of mental illness
- Decision making and policy within the programme
The group is also expanding its work across other psychology doctorates and apprenticeships.
Why join the LEG?
If you have lived experience, being part of the LEG can help you to:
- Feel connected to your community
- Use your skills, knowledge and lived experience in a meaningful way
- Build confidence and self esteem
- Better understand mental ill health and its impact on individuals and supporters
- Support students and future psychologists in their learning
- Challenge stigma and promote more positive attitudes toward mental health
- Raise awareness of the needs of different communities
If you’re a researcher at the University, research that includes people with lived experience:
- Makes research more relevant and meaningful
- Helps shape better research questions and participant recruitment
- Improves the quality and accuracy of data
- Makes taking part in research a better experience for participants
- Helps share results more clearly with the public
How the LEG works
The LEG meets every two months. Meetings are hybrid (online or in-person) and last up to two hours.
Meetings include:
- Student research presentations
- Discussions about involvement opportunities
- Updates on LEG activities
The LEG stays connected with other lived experience groups at the University. If the LEG is not recruiting, they can signpost you to other groups (also listed on this page).
Recruitment usually happens twice a year. Contact us for further information.
Interested in joining?
If you have lived experience of mental ill health (or support someone who does), and you feel able to share your experiences, you can express your interest in joining the LEG or contact us using the details below.
Contact us
Phil Ruthen
E: p.ruthen@exeter.ac.uk
Associate Lecturer - Lived Experience Co-ordinator
DClinPsy/Portfolio and Clinical Education Research and Development (Cedar)
Lived Experience Group team
E: leg-dcpgr@exeter.ac.uk
If you are staff or a trainee who is seeking EbE involvement in your research, you can express your interest here.
Cedar
About Cedar
Cedar (Clinical Education Development and Research) is one of the UK’s largest providers of training in psychological practice and therapies. We deliver training to mental health practitioners at all levels, both in the NHS and private practice.
We have a growing network of EbEs (children, young people and adults) who use their lived experiences to support the development of our training curriculum and research. Their perspective as service users/supporters of service users help to shape future therapists and enhance psychological therapies across the UK.
How EbEs support Cedar's education network
Here are a few examples of how EbEs support Cedar’s education work:
- Providing guidance to students, trainees, researchers and teaching and support staff, based on their own experiences and challenges
- Contributing to the planning, development, evaluation and delivery of training programmes, ensuring they are relevant, effective and compassionate
- Helping to identify gaps in service provision and advocating for changes in policy and practice
- Supporting quality control by sharing their views
- Attending meetings and giving their thoughts on Cedar and University processes
- Helping to ensure equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and accessibility are always priorities
Contact us
If you are interested in becoming a Cedar Expert by Experience, please fill in our Expression of Interest EbE eform, which also gives more information about the role. You can also email us using the contact details below.
Harriet Keers (she/her)
E: Cedar-EDI@exeter.ac.uk
Project Co-ordinator -Cedar EDI, EbE & Adult CBT Training Portfolio
Phil Ruthen
E: Cedar-Psy-Participation@exeter.ac.uk
Associate Lecturer - Lived Experience Co-ordinator
DClinPsy/Portfolio and Clinical Education Research and Development (Cedar)
For Cedar staff - if you are seeking EbE involvement in your work, please complete the eform.
CYP Network South West
About the CYP Network South West
The CYP (Children and Young People’s) South West Community of Practice is a collaboration between the University of Exeter and over 20 service providers and commissioning bodies of children and young people’s mental health services.
The Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (CYP-IAPT) programme is about transforming child and adolescent mental health services to make them better for young people and their families. An essential part of this is ensuring that young people and families are involved in the design, delivery and evaluation of services.
Visit our website to learn more about us and how you can participate in our work.
Contact us
Harriet Keers-Stribley (she/her)
E: Cedar-EDI@exeter.ac.uk
Project Co-ordinator -Cedar EDI, EbE & Adult CBT Training Portfolio
Phil Ruthen
E: Cedar-Psy-Participation@exeter.ac.uk
Associate Lecturer - Lived Experience Co-ordinator
DClinPsy/Portfolio and Clinical Education Research and Development (Cedar)