By London YPAG,
This year we had 12 members of GOSH YPAG attend our annual visit – the highest turnout to date! This proves what a popular external PPIE activity this is and how well our organisers prepare and engage with the YPAG.
The reflection below from GOSH YPAG member Keldon and organiser Alice says it all!
Keldon – it was your first time attending the workshop, what were your key takeaways?
Attending the workshop for the first time was an exciting and insightful experience. I gained a better understanding of how research in psychiatry is conducted and how young people’s perspectives can shape studies to be more inclusive and relevant. It was great to see how university students valued our input and were eager to hear our thoughts.
What was it like to meet university students, and what did you learn?
Meeting the university students was both inspiring and engaging. They were very clear on what they had researched.
Have you any examples of the feedback you gave to the students in your breakout groups?
In the breakout groups, we provided feedback on the clarity of their research explanations and the accessibility of their study materials. For example, we suggested using simpler language in consent forms and including visual elements to make complex ideas easier to understand. We also discussed ways to make research participation less intimidating for young people, such as incorporating videos or interactive content to explain the study process.
Why is it important that YPAG gives their opinions at workshops like these?
YPAG plays a crucial role in ensuring that research is designed with young people in mind. By sharing our perspectives, we help make studies more inclusive, ensuring that the voices of young people are heard in the research process. Workshops like these also give us the opportunity to learn more about careers in research and healthcare, inspiring us to think about how we might contribute to these fields in the future.
Anything else you feel is important to say?
Overall, the workshop was an eye-opening experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of it. It was great to see how researchers value young people’s input, and I look forward to participating in more sessions like this in the future!
Hi Alice – tell us what the students thought about having GOSH YPAG’s input on the day
A couple of students have now furnished us with some really lovely quotes about the session and their takeaways!
Overall, the session was incredibly valuable in helping us understand young people’s perspectives on our patient information sheet and consent form. Their insightful feedback helped us to shape those materials more appropriate and relevant to young people and highlighted the importance of involving them at all stages of research.
Student A.
“Getting input from the young people helped me to clearly observe the large gap between something working in theory and something working in practicality that often may only be noticed by those outside of the field. It was amazing to get ideas from so many varied perspectives and inspiring to see young people keen to get involved in shaping research for the better.”
Student B.
Sent on some feedback received from GOSH YPAG on their information sheet/consent form, which I’ve summarised as follows:
You can read our GenerationR co-developed Patient Information Sheet Guidelines for researchers here
Patient_Information_Sheet_PIS_Guidelines_for_researchers.pdf
Working together teaching postgraduate students how to carry out research with young people since February 2020! Read on to for a combined Blog from three of this year’s GOSH YPAG member attendees as they reflect on their annual visit in February 2026 to work with over 30 students Thank you to Aleena Lu’Lu, Betty and […]
This film from an adult perspective looks at the practicalities of being involved in clinical research: the time needed, and what payment and expenses you can expect to receive.
These scenarios have been developed and tested by Generation R YPAGs.
