The Oxford Health BRC has made a commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and will strive to ensure it underpins all activities.
Our EDI Strategy building on the NIHR EDI Strategy, stated we would highlight EDI exemplars of best practice and innovation.
We include below a series of articles to highlight how we are ensuring EDI considerations are integral to the design of Oxford Health BRC studies.
ORIGIN study
The ORIGIN study was set up to allow 16-24 year olds from underrepresented groups to actively co-design an online arts and culture intervention aimed at reducing anxiety and depression
The NIHR funded ORIGIN (Optimising cultural expeRIences for mental health in underrepresented younG people online) study has been funded to facilitate 16-24 year olds, particularly from underrepresented groups, to co-design an online arts and culture intervention aimed at reducing anxiety and depression.
The ORIGIN study, as part of the Mental Health in Development BRC Theme, is being led by Dr Rebecca Syed Sheriff and involves Oxford Health BRC Director, Professor John Geddes and EDI Academic Lead, Professor Kam Bhui as co-applicants.
The study will be an active collaboration of 1500 young people with NHS Trusts, UK universities, museums and charities. Importantly, and emphasizing the BRC’s EDI commitment, the study participants will include underrepresented autistic and LGBTQ+ young people, ethnic minorities, and those on NHS waiting lists for mental health support, including in some of the most deprived areas of the UK such as Cornwall, Liverpool, Sheffield and Blackpool. Active inclusion of these underrepresented individuals will ensure a relevant, and engaging, intervention is produced.
The study arose from a pilot project, O-ACE that included diverse young people from its inception. One of the grant holders of the ORIGIN study is a public co-applicant with lived experience of being autistic and having mental health issues, and with connections to Barnardo’s and Youth Futures Foundation.