VOICE: Make your VOICE heard
VOICE is a citizen involvement organisation, network and digital platform. It uses the experience, ideas and insights of people to ensure that research and innovation focus' on the real needs and priorities of real people.
What is VOICE?
VOICE is a citizen-involvement organisation, network and digital platform. It uses the experience, ideas and insights of people to ensure that research and innovation focus on the needs and priorities of real people.
Embedded in The UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing, VOICE also works with businesses from concept to market. It identifies unmet needs and co-designs new, desirable products and services to support healthy, long lives.
What volunteering activity can I undertake with them?
VOICE is a platform where researchers can post opportunities for members to engage. From events through to public representation, there are a number of ways for you to get involved in helping to progress ageing research.
You can take part in as much or as little as you like, remotely or in person. It can fit in with your interests and schedule. Best of all, it’s free of charge to join the network.
What can I currently get involved with?
There are opportunities from institutions across the UK including:
- Improving mental wellbeing for people newly diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, at Bournemouth University
- Early diagnosis of head and neck cancer – what helps and hinders?, at Newcastle University
A few current opportunities are highlighted below:
Are you interested in Spiritual Health?
About the project
A research team at Newcastle University is looking at how spiritual health needs can be identified by the primary health care team.
They are looking for members of the public, patients, primary care staff, community spiritual health professionals and volunteers who are interested in spiritual health to help co-design some training for use in primary care.
You will be given a £50 gift voucher for your time for each hour-long workshop. There will be four to six workshops, and these will be held either face-to-face or online, depending on your availability. The first workshop will take place Monday 28 April 2025, 12:30 - 13:30.
What is spiritual health? (Not just religion!)
- Being your best self
- Meaning Peace Purpose
- Something Bigger (maybe God)
- Families Communities Connection
- Personal spiritual activities
- Festivals, rituals and expression
The deadline to register your interest is Monday 14 April 2025, 10 pm.
Concentration difficulties in everyday life
About the study
The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of concentration difficulties and how they affect people in their everyday lives. More specifically, the study is examining the relationship between concentration difficulties, sleep difficulties and aspects of daily functioning, including socialising and loneliness in adults.
The hope is that this research will benefit people experiencing concentration difficulties in the longer-term. Firstly, it may contribute towards increasing the availability of helpful sleep interventions which reduce daytime tiredness for people reporting poor concentration and problems with daily functioning. Secondly, it may lead to adapted strategies to help people meet their social goals. Finally, it may provide further insight into how concentration difficulties may influence the way people react to uncertainty and anxiety/worry.
A donation will be made to Mind, a charity supporting people with mental health difficulties, on behalf of all participants.
Who is eligible to take part in the study?
Participation is open to anyone aged 18 or over, regardless of whether you experience concentration difficulties.
Further information
Pam Boullin and Georgia Mooney (Trainee Clinical Psychologists at Newcastle University, employed by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust) are carrying out this research.
Professor Mark Freeston, Newcastle University, is supervising this project.
The deadline to register your interest is Sunday 1 June 2025.