Coventry Health Determinants Research Collaboration is on a mission to help Coventry City Council become more research-active.
Last August, Coventry HDRC shared an article on our internal staff portal highlighting an opportunity for individuals working in local authority settings to undertake short placements supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to enhance their careers.
The placement helps develop skills and capabilities to co-create more meaningful research that is better connected with practice. The placements include up to £15,000 per individual funding and offer the chance to experience research within an NIHR setting.
Liza Armstrong, a Team Leader/AMHP in Mental Health, contacted Coventry HDRC and applied for the fellowship with a letter of support and advice from the team. Liza was successful and has been awarded Pre-doctoral Local Authority Academic Fellowship (PLAF) full-time funding to complete a Master of the Arts qualification in Research Methods. She began the course in October and shares her experience:
I would recommend that other colleagues within Coventry City Council apply for the fellowship and take advantage of this opportunity. Since beginning the course, which is based around mental health social work, I have connected with NIHR and individuals all over the country as a representative of Coventry, establishing a network and building connections. There are different pathways to complete the fellowship. I would encourage any colleagues interested in applying to seek support from the Coventry HDRC Team and myself.
The next round of applications is expected to open in January 2025. Please visit the NIHR website for information and updates.