Community Champions Programme

Our Community Champions Programme brings together members of the public who can help us reach diverse communities. Champions tell people in their communities about Our Future Health, so that all kinds of people can be represented in health research.

About the programme

Our Future Health is committed to building a resource that truly reflects the UK population. It means we can identify differences in how diseases begin and progress in people from different backgrounds.
 
So far, our numbers show that we are the most ethnically diverse large-scale research programme in the UK. However, we still need to do more to help people from under-represented communities take part in Our Future Health.

Many people prefer hearing about health programmes from members of their own community. That’s why we help our Champions to reach out and build trust in what we’re doing.

What our Champions do

Champions support us in a variety of ways. For example, they:

  • identify opportunities for engagement
  • organise events
  • answer questions within their communities

We work with our Champions, to make sure they have the guidance and materials they need. All we ask is that Champions have the time to attend a monthly online catch-up and get involved in reaching out to their community.

Our Champions offer their support for a variety of reasons. These include:

  • ensuring their community is represented in health research
  • playing a role in the UK’s largest health research programme
  • gaining experience and learning new skills for future employment

Who can be a Champion?

Anyone over the age of 18 can apply to be a Community Champion. It is a volunteer position, and you do not need to be an existing Our Future Health volunteer.

We are keen to hear from people who have existing links to communities that are under-represented in health research. This includes ethnic minorities, lower socio-economic groups, and young adults.

How to apply

To apply to be a Community Champion, complete our online form. It takes 5-10 minutes to fill out and includes some questions about your reasons for wanting to take part.

Our Community Champions – privacy notice explains the information we collect as part of the programme.

If you would like more information, or have any questions, please contact community@ourfuturehealth.org.uk