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Greater Manchester Research Engagement Net...

Co-creating Resources to Engage Young People in Health Research

D-CYPHR (DNA, Children and Young People’s Health Resource) is the first of its kind study in the UK, recruiting young people aged 0-15 into health research, by donating a sample of spit and some health data.

Project Partners

To encourage more participation in D-CYPHR in Greater Manchester, we brought together young people and children in creative workshops to:   

  • Understand how we can effectively engage young people in Manchester

  • Explore what would help them make informed decisions about taking part in research

  • Co-create a solution to help encourage young people to find out more about D-CYPHR

We also involved parents, guardians, and carers to understand what would help them in supporting children and young people to participate in this research.

The young people we worked with

  • Felt strongly that the key message needed to be that they have the power to do something that can positively impact research and other people.

  • Wanted a strong Manchester identity, including landmarks, street art, the colour yellow and similar elements.

  • Wanted to see themselves in the designs through pictures and engaging quotes from peers.

  • Felt that a collage design with bold bright colours would stand out and grab the audience’s attention.

  • Suggested that schools would be the best channel for dissemination through to avoid being ‘drowned out’ in an already saturated social media space.  

  • Shared that a QR code linking to more information was needed so people could respond quickly and find information easily.

At the family event, people really liked the eye-catching designs, straight forward language and the ease to sign up. Importantly, they wanted to see the names of the conditions the study would help understand more about. Both parents and young people felt that the NHS logo makes the research feel trustworthy and needed to be included.   

If we can get the positive message about health research embedded at a younger age, the hope is that young people will take this through into their adult lives.

Lynsey Priest, NIHR BRC Project Manager

I think [the researchers] have a better understanding of what young people will stop and look at when joining research.

Mahdlo, Youth Zone member