The Network will provide an inclusive space to share experiences of involvement, learning, good practice and resources, engagement, challenges and suggestions. It will also seek to strengthen relationships and collaborate as appropriate with other research involvement activities and groups in South London.                                                              

Role and purpose

The Involvement Learning Network will assist ARC South London staff, contributors and collaborators to develop their involvement-related knowledge and skills, providing an inclusive space to share experiences, learning, good practice, resources, challenges and suggestions. This will include:

  1.  discussions and seminars, with opportunities for sharing experience, insights and issues;
  2. action learning and/or other developmental activities;
  3. signposting, or providing links to, relevant resources and learning opportunities as appropriate;
  4. sharing ideas and learning opportunities with people enabling involvement in health and social care research in National Institute for Health and Care Research and other South London organisations.

Membership

The Involvement Learning Network will not have a formal membership but instead will be open to all ARC South London researchers and other staff, patient, service user, carer and public contributors and people enabling involvement in organisations collaborating with the ARC, for example other NIHR bodies such as Biomedical Research Centres, South London university departments, the Health Innovation Network and King’s Health Partners.

Meetings and activities

  1. Gatherings will be held at least twice a year and meeting dates will be set at the beginning of each financial year. There will be additional events and activities, enabling shared learning and development.
  2. Events will be held online, at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience or another suitable location, with travel and other necessary expenses (if any) paid for any patient, service user, carer and public members whose attendance is requested for specific agenda items or to strengthen joint working across involvement structures within the ARC.
  3. Events will be organised and administered by the involvement coordinator, with support from others in ARC core services and facilities and taking account of learning needs and opportunities identified by the Capacity building theme, Patient and public involvement research theme, Involvement Advisory Group and partner organisations. The focus of activities will also be shaped by the views and suggestions of the people who are part of the Network.

Presentations

Involvement Learning Network - 27 March 

Patient and public involvement throughout the lifecycle of research - reflections of a service user PPIE lead, Mary Newburn Consulting

Working together from start to finish in participatory action research, Josephine Ocloo, senior researcher, King's College London and equity, diversity and inclusion lead ARC South London 

Review

We will seek ongoing feedback from Involvement Learning Network participants regarding activities and events, so that we can continually shape the programme to ensure it adds most value. In addition, these Terms of Reference shall be formally reviewed after the first year, and every two years subsequently.

Date of publication - July 2021

Date of next review - July 2023