Adult 18+

Call for involvement: The UKRI Complex Emotions Research Hub

Lived experience

What’s the project?

Does life seem harder for you than it does for other people?

Is life sometimes a rollercoaster of emotions?

Do you find yourself behaving in ways that you feel are out of control?

Do you sometimes have thoughts and feelings around self-harm?

Do you find rejection, or the possibility of rejection, very difficult to deal with?

About the Complex Emotions Research Hub

The Complex Emotions Platform Hub is a UKRI-funded research programme and one of 5 hubs dedicated to the in-depth study of severe mental health problems from 2024, for five years.

This research is hosted by Sheffield Health and Social Care Foundation Trust (SHSC)  in partnership with Sheffield and Plymouth Universities.

By ‘complex emotions’ we mean experiences and feelings that can be confusing and difficult to manage, like difficulties in relationships and worries about being abandoned; difficulties regulating emotions, with strong emotions but also episodes of detachment, or dissociation; and managing impulses that might have negative consequences, including self-harm and suicidal feelings.

The aim of our hub is to undertake research necessary for positively transforming care and outcomes for people who experience complex emotional difficulties.

Sometimes people are given the label of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This is a diagnosis that is troublesome to many people. It can be associated with prejudices and stigma and misunderstanding by health professionals.

Partners in this research

Find out more

What we are looking for

We are looking for ten people with experience of Complex Emotions and the difficulties that are often associated with the diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) or Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPSTD) or carers of people with these experiences.

We fully recognise these terms are troublesome to many, and this is partly why we are doing this research. Please see our Plain Language Summary, which is located on the ‘About’ tab of this website.

It may be that you haven’t haven’t heard of the above terms but identify strongly with the experiences listed above. If so you may be able to help us with this research as part of a group called a Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP).

We are encouraging applications from people connected to the areas our work will focus on: Plymouth or Sheffield and the surrounding areas.

We have  been given the opportunity to learn about these experiences, and over a period of five years are hoping to work with people who experience these difficulties to find ways in which to help you and other people like you.

Mental health issues and experiences affect everyone, but involvement in research does not always reflect this.

Therefore, we are actively seeking applications for the LEAP from  minoritised ethnic groups and those who have gone through difficult life experiences or are part of other marginalised groups (for example those with disabilities, those from low income backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ people).

We would like to recruit people who are passionate about:

  • Using your lived experience of complex emotional difficulties in research
  • Improving mental health services for people experiencing complex emotions
  • Ensuring that the voices of other people with lived experience of mental health difficulties are heard when undertaking research
  • Learning from other people with different perspectives and experiences

The LEAP will be expected to attend meetings both online and face-to-face (although the majority of meetings will be online).

We will try to help in case anyone does not have a suitable computer/phone to take part in online meetings.

Meetings will likely take place four times a year and involve giving opinions and advice on the study, its methods and progress which will be online, in person or a mix of both.

There will also be some tasks between meetings and maybe some  future opportunities to take on other roles in the research and learning that is going to take place over the course of the study.

You may enjoy writing and be asked to write blogs. Perhaps you like to paint and draw? Your creativity will be enormously helpful and you may find yourself collaborating with us in designing and running workshops that will be interesting and engaging.

  • Live or have connections to Plymouth or Sheffield and surrounding areas.
  • Have lived experience of complex emotional difficulties.
  • Value research as a means of better understanding mental health difficulties and a way of helping.
  • Experience in, or an interest in developing skills in working with and engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and communities.
  • The project will run for five years and it would be great if you could make this commitment, however we do understand that people might not be able to stay involved for the entire time as personal circumstances change.
  • Has access to a stable Internet connection and be able to join on a device that is suitable for online video conferencing (a laptop, tablet or smartphone)
  • Have access to a private space to take part in online meetings
  • Be able or willing to travel to Sheffield or Plymouth for an in person meetings once a year (travel paid)
  • Be able to attend online/hybrid meetings with a camera on.
  • Be able to critically and kindly engage with others and to listen, respect and challenge differing opinions

If you are not selected for the LEAP

Due to the fact there are only limited places, we may not be able to proceed with your application.

We may also feel the project might not be the right fit for you  but we will let you know if this is the case.

As mentioned previously there may be other opportunities to get involved in this project over the course of the five years, so we would still like to keep in touch.

  • Panel members will be paid £25 per hour, plus £5 for online meetings to cover data costs.
  • All reasonable travel expenses for in-person meetings will be covered

Complete the expression of interest form below and submit before 5pm on Friday 8th November  2024.

If you need any help with the form, would like an alternative way to sub this or have any questions about the project or role,  please reach out via email or phone or text. We would love to hear from you.

Project email: [email protected]

Phone/Text: 07971 809655  (available during office hours Monday-Friday 9am-5pm)

If your application is shortlisted, we will contact you and invite you for a further conversation to discuss this potential role to help us decide on the final selection of LEAP members.

Expression of interest form

5pm on Friday 8th November  2024

Please note that the McPin Foundation regularly promotes opportunities on behalf of other institutions; we are not responsible for the continuation or contents of further correspondence with any project partners where we are not listed as the project main point of contact.

Read the McPin Privacy Policy