Aware was originally founded with a number of volunteers with lived experience of mental health difficulties. Peer support and services that are underpinned by lived experience have been a central strand of our services since the mid 1980’s and we are dedicated to carrying this into our research strategy. We see PPI as a central pillar of meaningful research into contemporary understandings in mental health.

PPI refers to ‘’research carried out ‘with’ or ‘by’ patients, service users, carers, families using health and social care services, people with lived experience of health conditions (who may or may not be current patients), patient advocacy organisations, and members of the public’’(HSE, 2021).

PPI Involvement in research at Aware can include any of the following:

• Being co-applicants for funding for a research project
• Being members of a research or advisory group for Aware projects or supported collaborations
• Advising and developing patient information leaflets
• Advising on service evaluation and audit
• Co-researchers e.g. carrying out interviews with research participants
• Carrying out user led research

If you are interested in getting involved in any of the above or have ideas about how you would like to be involved, or would simply like further information, please get in touch at research@aware.ie.