Something we are proud of as HDRC Portsmouth is our Community Researcher Programme, which supports local people to investigate issues that matter to them and their communities.
Our first cohort showed that the programme is about far more than learning research skills. Recruited through relationships built across Portsmouth communities, each researcher brought valuable lived experience and a passion for creating change.
Through regular training, practical activities and peer support, participants grew in confidence and increasingly recognised their own experiences as expertise. Researchers who initially described feeling nervous, overwhelmed or unsure of themselves finished the programme feeling confident to engage communities, gather evidence and pursue questions that matter to them.
Just as important were the relationships formed along the way. Researchers spoke about feeling part of a community, with one participant describing the group as a “Community Researcher family”.
Today, they are exploring topics ranging from support for asylum seekers and refugees to the impact of late autism and ADHD diagnosis. The programme continues to demonstrate that meaningful research starts with people, their experiences, their curiosity and their commitment to improving life in Portsmouth.
If you know someone who might be interested in the next cohort, please contact HDRC Portsmouth on hdrc@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
