Involve Voices4Care Volunteers in your work
Bring lived experience into your work
Voices4Care provides opportunities for AIIHPC member organisations and key stakeholders including researchers, educators, health and social care professionals policy makers to involve people with lived experience, carers and members of the public in shaping palliative care across the island of Ireland.
Whether you are conducting research, developing policy, improving services, designing educational programmes or creating resources, Voices4Care members can bring valuable insights grounded in real life experience.
Who are Voices4Care members?
Voices4Care members are volunteers from across the island of Ireland who want to improve palliative care for everyone.
Our members include:
- People with experience of palliative care
- Family members and current or former carers
- People living with life limiting conditions
- Members of the public with an interest in improving palliative care
Members bring diverse experiences, perspectives and skills. Opportunities can be shared across the whole network or targeted to particular experiences, communities or jurisdictions where appropriate.
How can Voices4Care support your work?
Voices4Care members contribute in many different ways depending on your needs. Please see below for examples of how Voices4Care members have supported activities across research, policy and practice, service design and improvement and education and awareness.
Research
Members can support:
• Developing research questions and priorities
• Strengthening grant and funding applications
• Reviewing participant information sheets and consent materials
• Reviewing surveys, interview guides and study materials
• Reviewing health literature and dissemination materials
• Advising throughout the research process
• Supporting dissemination, knowledge exchange and impact activities
Policy and Practice
Members can support:
• Policy development and consultation
• Reviewing draft guidance and recommendations
• Advising on implementation plans
• Contributing to steering groups and advisory groups
• Identifying issues and priorities that matter most to people and families
Service Design and Improvement
Members can support:
• Co designing services and programmes
• Reviewing patient and family information resources
• Participating in workshops and focus groups
• Testing ideas and proposed changes
• Providing feedback on experiences of care
• Helping services understand what matters most to those they support
Education and Awareness
Members can support:
• Support the development of educational resources and materials
• Speaking at conferences, events and webinars
• Supporting staff education and training
• Sharing lived experience perspectives
• Contributing to awareness campaigns
How does it work?
Step 1: Tell us about your project
Complete one of our request forms outlining the support you are seeking and how you hope Voices4Care members might contribute.
Step 2: We review your request
The AIIHPC team reviews all requests to ensure they align with the purpose and values of Voices4Care and that appropriate supports are in place for volunteers.
Step 3: Opportunities are shared
Relevant opportunities are shared with Voices4Care members. Members decide whether they would like to take part based on their interests, experiences and availability.
Step 4: We support the process
The AIIHPC team helps facilitate the involvement process and encourages feedback so that volunteers understand the difference their contributions have made.
Ready to work with Voices4Care?
All Requests (except research)
If you are seeking Voices4Care involvement in service design, quality improvement, policy development, education, consultations or other initiatives, please complete the Voices4Care Involvement Request Form.
Contact – Yvonne McCahill, Programme Manager for Policy & Engagement, ymccahill@aiihpc.org 00353 87-947148
Click on link to access the Voices4Care Involvement Request Form [Download the Voices4Care Involvement Request Form]
Research Requests
If you are seeking involvement from Voices4Care members in a research project, please complete the Voices4Care Involvement in Research Request Form.
Researchers are also encouraged to use the AIIHPC Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Impact Evaluation Framework to help plan, capture and evaluate the impact of PPI throughout the research process.
Contact, Jane Clare, Palliative Care Research Network Project Manager, jclare@aiihpc.org
Click on link to access the Voices4Care Involvement in Research Request Form [Download the Voices4Care Involvement in Research Request Form]
Click on link to view the Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Impact Evaluation Framework which was developed to support researchers to measure PPI impact in palliative and health care research using quantitative and qualitative methods. [Download the PPI Impact Evaluation Framework]
Please note – Submitting a request does not automatically guarantee Voices4Care involvement. Requests are reviewed to ensure they are meaningful, appropriate and align with the purpose and values of Voices4Care. Where possible, we will work with you to identify the most suitable approach to engagement.