Volunteer Trustee and Rethinking Mental Health Research Lead

What will you be doing?

We are looking for a Trustee who can combine membership of the Board of Trustees with a Mental Health Research Lead role. As a Trustee you’ll

Ensure we continue to operate within our charitable remit (the advancement of health and the prevention of sickness) Review and approve our Annual Report and Accounts Support and provide advice on our work Attend (virtual) Board meetings

As Mental Health Research Lead you’ll lead a small team of volunteer researchers, aiming to identify:

the root causes of the reported children and young people's mental health crisis fresh, non-pathologizing approaches to protecting children and young people’s mental health which approaches internationally are most effective in protecting mental health in childhood and adolescence, according to published research how these approaches could be adopted or adapted in the UK, including any existing policy or practice which could be built on and which key stakeholders need to be engaged.

You’ll be working alongside our current Trustees, a small team of graduate volunteers, and health research partners (currently at Derby University, Greenwich University, King’s College London and the U3A). Our volunteer researchers (usually with a Masters or PhD) seek to identify the underlying causes of preventable illness, as well as any initiatives internationally which have reduced these health risks and could potentially be adopted or adapted for use in the UK. This enables us to produce sometimes fresh perspectives to help influence health policy and practice. For example our research suggests it is time to reframe how student mental health is considered and how children and young people’s mental health can best be encouraged.   We’ve consciously chosen to operate as a virtual, voluntary organisation. This means you won’t need to worry about staffing or premises issues or about fundraising – although you may wish to help with occasional research grant applications, in conjunction with our university research partners – and there is minimal bureaucracy. As a virtual, voluntary organisation, meetings are usually via Zoom to enable participation as widely as possible.  

What are we looking for?

As a Trustee

Enthusiasm for our guiding principle that prevention is better than cure The ability to exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member. Willingness to bring energy, expertise and commitment to the role, and potentially broaden the diversity of thinking on our board. Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

As a Mental Health Research Lead

A mental health-related PhD and publications. Research experience which has enabled you to achieve appointment as a Senior Lecturer, Senior Research Fellow or Professor in the UK. A commitment to evidence-based research The ability to lead and motivate volunteer researchers with diverse backgrounds and experience.

Experience of securing research funding would be an added recommendation.

What difference will you make?

As a Trustee and Mental Health Research Lead you will be particularly well placed to influence our development as a health think tank - and hopefully also to influence wider thinking on what works when it comes to encouraging positive mental health. We seek to influence both policy and practice. For example, given the possibility of a change of government later this year, in February we met with Luciana Berger, who is leading Labour's Mental Health Review. Following the meeting we provided a range of evidence she had expressed interest in, which she has found very helpful.  Following our research into Student Mental Health, in partnership with Greenwich University, King's College London and Ulster University (which you can see the report of on our website) we have recently started work with three universities and the U3A on a potential bid for funding for a follow-up intergenerational research project.