FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT DO OUR SESSIONS LOOK LIKE?
We meet every month for café sessions, usually on the 3rd Wednesday of every month. Sessions last for an hour and a half: we have icebreakers for the first 20 minutes, followed by an hour of research discussion and then 10 minutes of a cool down activity (meditation, desk yoga or a casual chat).
WHAT CAN I DO IF I'M WORRIED SOMEONE MIGHT RECOGNISE ME?
You can choose to have your camera off for the session, if this would make you feel more comfortable. You can also use a pseudonym, but please let our team know by email before the session, so that we know to let you in! Many of our members prefer to use the chat function to communicate, and we always have a dedicated research assistant making sure that these are read out loud on your behalf.
HOW DOES THE RESEARCH DISCUSSION WORK?
This part of the session lasts an hour. The researcher will usually have shared something to look at in preparation for the session: this might be a video, a poster, or a document. If this has been shared, we ask that you spend half an hour before the session looking at this so that you are ready for the session. The researcher will usually prepare a PowerPoint with direct questions for you, and these are typically shared before the session too.
Examples of questions may be "Is this written piece clear and accessible to young people? Is there anything I should include (e.g. a jargon buster sheet) to make it more accessible?", or "Would this poster grab your attention if you were in a CAMHS waiting room?"
DO I HAVE TO HAVE PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE?
You do not need to have any experience of involvement in research to attend. We are looking for those who want to be involved because they are passionate about making a difference and would like to use their experiences to positively shape future research and service development.
However, there are a limited number of places for each session and so we will select those with the most appropriate lived experience. So, for example, if we are looking at a research study about eating disorders in young people, we are looking for those to attend who have experienced an eating disorder personally, or have a friend, or family member who has. We aim to enable all members to attend at least some sessions.
WHAT IF I NEED SUPPORT DURING THE SESSION?
If you need support during the session, you can directly message one of the co-facilitators on the Teams call. They will be introduced to you when you join for your first session. From here, they can take you into a private breakout room where you can discuss your concerns with them. If you need to step out of the session for any reason, you can also let them know.
WHAT IF I NEED SUPPORT AFTER THE SESSION?
Libby (the Coordinator) will always remain on the Teams call for 15 minutes after the session, so if you either think of something that you would like to add to the discussion or you would like some extra support, you can join her there. You can also email us if you have been distressed by something that we have spoken about, and we can talk about this over video call. We also share some external places of support on our newsletter and the handbook when you signed up.
ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, OUTSIDE OF THE CAFE?
Outside of sessions, there are also opportunities to be involved in a further capacity, such as with social media, writing for our newsletter or blogs, attending events, or being involved in the development of the group.
We also advertise other paid opportunities from other organisations/researchers, giving you access to other youth-led projects that align with our values. Recent co-production opportunities have been through Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS), and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
DO YOU OFFER INDUCTIONS?
We are happy to offer Induction sessions to all of those new members who are interested in being a part of Youth PPI Café, but want to get a better sense of the group beforehand.
In each induction session, we will explain a bit more about the Youth PPI Cafe, and all the exciting ways in which you can get involved, and have your voices heard. We will then close with a mock discussion, so you can experience what a typical session of the Youth PPI Cafe is like. There will be a chance for you to ask questions or speak to the team about any concerns you may have.
If this sounds like something you may be interested in, please let Libby know.