Why are we doing this work?
We are trying to simplify and improve the process for people who may have access and support needs that would like to get involved in our work.
Examples of access and support needs can include:
- asking us not to have more than one meeting in a day
- asking for documents in large print
- asking for the chat function to be turned off in online meetings
What is the activity?
We are designing a form and some template emails for sharing information about people’s access needs appropriately and with their consent, and we would like to involve people with access and support needs to help us do this.
This is the first part of a bigger pilot to test these documents with people who are currently involved in our work. For this activity, we particularly would like to hear from people who have never been involved in our work, or from people who have not been involved with our work in the last two years.
What is involved?
We have developed some draft forms and template emails that we would like you to review and then share your thoughts on, in a workshop that we will hold on Wednesday 8 October 2025.
We will send the draft forms and template emails to you one week in advance and ask you to review them.
We will then hold a workshop with 8 members of the public and some members of HRA staff where we will ask you what improvements could be made to the forms and their wording to support people who have access and support needs.
The workshop will be held from 10.00am to midday on Wednesday 8 October 2025 virtually on Zoom. We will include a 15-minute break.
What difference will I make?
Your input will help us make sure that the wording and format of the forms and emails that we send to members of the public are inclusive and clear, and easy to use and understand.
We will listen to your feedback and let you know what changes we have made as a result of the workshop. Where we can’t action your suggestions, we’ll explain why.
What support will I receive?
Our HRA Community Ways of Working sets out what you can expect when working with us, and our expectations for working together respectfully, inclusively and impactfully.
We have a small team at the HRA who will support your involvement with this piece of work.
If you are invited to take part in this activity, we will ask you to share your access and support needs and any requests for reasonable adjustments.
What skills or experience do I need to take part?
To apply to join the group, please answer the following questions using no more than 400 words or by recording a video or voice recording of no more than three minutes.
- please give an example of your experience of participating in workshops with some pre-reading involved
- please tell us about your experiences of asking for access and support when getting involved in research
- can you provide an example that shows you are able to respect other’s viewpoints and understand that not everyone will have the same experiences
- please confirm that you have not been involved in working with the HRA in the last two years
- please tell us where you found out about this opportunity
Please email this to the public involvement team using ‘pilot’ in the email subject line by midday on Wednesday 17 September 2025.
If you have any questions, or anything is unclear, you can call the public involvement team on 020 7104 8161.
How will you decide who will be involved?
We will remove your name from your application and transcribe any recordings and videos we receive into text documents. Two members of HRA staff will consider your application against the criteria above. We will shortlist people who have met the criteria to join the group. If we receive many applications that meet the criteria, we will select at random.
We will let you know whether you have been successful by Wednesday 24 September 2025.
Will I receive payment?
In line with our payments policy, we can offer:
- £25 to prepare for being involved in this work by reading the documents that we send you and attending a short briefing meeting if required
- £50 for taking part in an informal workshop
- £25 for attending a meeting to exchange feedback on your involvement, to include preparation and reviewing notes
Will my expenses be covered?
Yes. It is our policy to cover reasonable expenses, if agreed in advance. For example, travel, additional childcare, or for a carer or personal assistant. We offer a £5 contribution towards any incidental expenses incurred by attending online meetings.