| Lockey
R, Sitzia J, Gillingham T, Millyard J, Miller C, Ahmed S, Beales
A, Bennett C, Parfoot S, Sigrist G, Sigrist J. (2004) Training
for service user involvement in health and social care research:
a study of training provision and participants’ experiences
(The TRUE Project). Worthing: Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS
Trust.
Contents:
Introduction
These guidelines have been developed from the research findings
of the TRUE project, in particular from interviews and focus
groups
with a diverse range of service user researchers. The main guidelines
are intended primarily for people who plan to provide training
to service user researchers and we use the word ‘you’ to
mean ‘the trainer’. However the guidelines will also
be of use to:
- Commissioners of training/research
- Researchers
- Service users involved in planning of training
- Participants in training
The following is a brief summary of key points for commissioners
and service users followed by the full guidelines.
Key points for Commissioners of Training
Commissioners of training may also be commissioning the research
project to which the training is related. They may also be service
users themselves. Key points that need to be at the forefront
of any commissioning of training for research involvement are:
- Are the trainers able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding
of service user involvement?
- If you are commissioning external trainers, have you ensured
that they are able to provide suitable training? This
may include considerable
dialogue and working together during planning stages, along
with service users.
- Are you confident that the trainers and yourselves will
be able to provide adequate support both during and after
training?
This may
include practical, emotional and research support.
- Training for service user participants can have considerable
costs involved. Is the training budget realistic, including
possible transport,
accommodation and payment of service users costs?
- Make sure that the training is closely related and applicable
to research roles/activities that participants will be
involved in.
- If you are paying participants directly have you made
sure you will be able to make prompt and adequate payments?
Key points for Participants
Participants or representatives of participants should be
involved in planning of any training. At case sites where
this was the case,
participants needs were well catered for. The following are some
key issues for service users involved in planning training:
- What experience do the trainers have of service user involvement?
Are they willing to access training for themselves on involvement
issues if necessary?
- Are the trainers able to demonstrate a sound knowledge of
the issues and practicalities of undertaking training for
service user participants?
- Do the trainers want to work with participants or representatives
of participants in order to ensure training is planned to suit
participants’ needs?
- Have arrangements regarding payment, transport and any other
costs been made clear?
- Do the trainers, if external, fully understand the purpose
of the training and what roles/activities it will be applied
to?
- Make sure everyone is clear about what follow up support/training
the trainers will be able to offer – or not.
The Main Guidelines
The guidelines are divided into three parts:
They are presented in the form of a checklist that is intended
to be immediately useful in practice. The checklist presents
specific
points for consideration, however they should be seen
in the context of building a responsive and enjoyable training
experience. Give
to and gain from the process and make sure that participants
do too! Experience shows that ‘successful’ involvement
in research means not only achieving the research outcomes
and the development
of research skills but also the opportunity to develop
confidence, social inclusion and life skills. Your training
should aim not
only to prepare people for research but also to provide
a positive contribution
towards these broader personal gains.
Part A : Before training
This part is by far the largest in these guidelines. This reflects
the need to give very thorough consideration, time and planning
prior to providing training (and involving people in research).
In particular, by drawing on the experience of others the training
can be enhanced for all participants and possible problems and
barriers may be avoided. Preparation of trainers
- Are you able to demonstrate competence, knowledge and understanding
of service user involvement generally?
- Do you have sufficient knowledge of the service user group
your training is aimed at?
- Do you have knowledge and understanding of the service
user movement?
Preparation for training
- Have you worked with relevant service users and/or service
user groups to plan the content, style and delivery of
the training?
- Have you budgeted for extra costs that may be involved
including transport, overnight accommodation, and
payment that service
users might require?
- Have you considered which learning environment will
be most suitable, e.g. classroom, workplace, home
based
or combination?
- Have you considered what the most appropriate training
methods are, e.g. role play, practice examples,
factual information,
learning
on the job or a combination?
- Have you planned to include informal learning
opportunities, where people can share experiences,
build confidence,
learn from each other,
and have fun?
- Does the training relate to a planned role/activity
that will be accessible to participants following
training?
- Have you ensured that the language to be
used is clear and free of jargon?
- If using external trainers have you ensured
they are able to provide suitable training?
- Have you made information available to
participants in advance about:
- Aims and objectives of the research?
- Aims and objectives of the training,
including learning outcomes?
- Personal time commitment required
to participate in the training
and research?
Time
- Does the proposed time and place of training suit the participants?
- Does your proposed timetable allow enough time for a flexible
and responsive training approach?
- Does your timetable allow participants to have time and
space to input into the structure and content of the
training?
Venue
- Have you ensured the venue is accessible to all participants? (A
site visit is advisable)
- Have you provided participants with a map and directions
for getting to and around the venue?
- Have you arranged transport and overnight accommodation
if needed?
- Does the venue allow for an informal and relaxed learning
environment including:
- Comfortable seating
- Good lighting
- Suitable room temperature
- Adequate space
Participant's Needs
- Have you ensured that people’s personal needs will
be met including:
- Refreshments
- Dietary needs
- Parking arrangements and proximity to public transport
- Adequate washroom facilities
- Comfort breaks
- Have you ensured that communication will be possible for
all participants, including interpreters if required?
- Have you ensured there will be adequate support during training?
(Extra people might be required to give practical assistance
and for small group work facilitation).
- Have you made plans for prompt and adequate payments to participants,
including expenses?
- If project-based training, have you planned for providing
support, facilitation and further training during the research
involvement
period, e.g. mentoring?
- Does your timetable take into consideration participants’ commitments,
such as schooling, religion and health?
- How will you acknowledge participants’ involvement and
learning? In some cases accreditation might be appropriate or
a certificate
of their attendance.
Evaluation
- How will you obtain participants’ feedback immediately
following training?
- How will you evaluate the longer-term benefits of the training,
both in terms of participants’ involvement in research
and personal benefits such as increased confidence?
Part B : During training
- How will you ensure that people feel welcome?
- Have you communicated clear aims and objectives so that the
participants know what they have come for and what the goals
are?
- How will you ensure that service users participating in the
training will be treated as equal partners and their expertise
valued and
used?
- How will you involve participants in ‘setting the scene’ for
the training so that people can express views, wishes and concerns
including establishing group agreements?
- How will you find out at the beginning how people view themselves
and how they like to be referred to?
- How will you make sure everyone’s contribution is recognised
and acknowledged?
- How will you identify and address individual learning needs,
e.g. literacy, numeracy or use of computers?
- Have you made it clear to participants that they should
ask if clarification is needed and that no question is
a silly question?
Part C : After training
Evaluation
- Have you ensured you have collected feedback from participants
both immediately following training and at a later date?
Continuity, support and further training
- Have you thanked people for their willingness to take part in the
training and their contribution to it?
- Have you celebrated the success of participants’ learning
achievement, through, for example, the presentation of certificates
or a social
event?
- Have you allowed time after the training/research has ended
to assist with further research developments?
- Have you considered how you will provide some continuity
for people, so that the contact does not end abruptly when
the training
or project
ends?
- Have you explored with participants their further training
needs and wishes?
- If you are planning more training, have you used participants’ feedback
to inform it?
- Have you reflected on your own role
in providing training? What have you learnt? And what you
would do differently next time?
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