Join the Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) at the University of Oxford

A group from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford are seeking to recruit individuals to join a Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) for a long-term research project on worry and rumination. The overall goal of the project is to understand how brain processes lead to symptoms of rumination and worry. This will be used as a step towards targeted treatments.

Members’ personal experiences of worry and/or rumination will be used to help inform project decision-making. They will help ensure that the research is meaningful, relevant, and grounded in real-world experience.

The panel will be made up of 8 public contributors who fit the following criteria:

• Aged 18+
• Current or past lived experience of what it’s like to get stuck in loops of worry and/or rumination (e.g. such as during a period of depression and/or anxiety)
• A willingness to engage in meaningful collaboration and sharing of ideas, perspectives, and feedback
• You do not need to have any specialist scientific knowledge or prior involvement experience

Expected commitment from participants:

• The overall research project will take place over 5 years
• There are multiple sub-studies within this project, and the LEAP will contribute across these
• The purpose of this role is to provide lived experience perspectives on multiple aspects the project
• Contributions will be in multiple areas of the research process, which includes (but is not limited to):
  • Shaping diverse and inclusive recruitment strategies
  • Reviewing and co-developing engaging and accessible study materials and resources
  • Advising on decisions about methods used & usability of study tasks
  • Supporting the distribution of results
• Attend and contribute actively to:
  • Monthly online meetings (1-2 hours)
    Note: These are likely to be scheduled 09:00 – 17:00, Mon-Fri
  • An annual in-person meeting held in Oxford (half/full-day)
• The initial duration of involvement is 18-months, with potential extension if mutually agreed
• A review of participation will take place at 12-months, though panel members are free to withdraw at any time

Closing date to apply: Monday 29^th June 2026, 09:00am,t hough may close prior to this if there is significant demand

Whilst the group encourage members to attend the monthly meetings, they recognise that symptoms and circumstances may fluctuate, and they will be flexible and supportive regarding participation.

Reasonable travel expenses will be paid for the annual in-person meeting, and the team are able to reimburse for purchase of a webcam for members who do not have one available. The team will ensure that the annual in-person meeting is held in a location that is accessible to all members (e.g., wheelchair friendly).

Auto-captions can be used during online meetings, and documents and agendas will be provided in advance of meetings.