Young Person's Advisory Group
Our group of young lived-experience advisors aim to help improve the way we measure symptoms of depression and anxiety and investigate how common antidepressants might work.
PERL’s young person’s advisory group (YPAG)
Please get in touch if you are interested in joining as an advisor! We are looking for fluent English-speaking people aged 14-24 with lived experience of depression or anxiety (yourself or someone close to you of a similar age) based in or near to Oxford. Click below for more information.
What does this involve?
Online meetings approximately every 2 months for each working group, with an annual option to renew membership. The meetings will involve reviewing common self-report and computerised measures of mood disorders and collaborating with the research team to create new and improved versions. Payment is offered and all reasonable travel expenses for any in-person meetings will be reimbursed.
Topics of Interest
Advisors with AdvOx have the opportunity to join any of our 4 working groups.
Negative Bias
People with depression may experience the world in a different, more negative light.
Social Processing
We're interested in we can measure differences in social interactions for people with depression.
Motivation and reward
A common symptom of depression is loss of motivation. We'd like to know how this affects young people.
Anger and Irritability
AdvOx are interested in how depression and antidepressants may affect anger and irritability.
What's it like to be an advisor?
BBC News Article
FAQs
What is the YPAG?
The Young Person’s Advisory Group (YPAG) is a group of young people aged 14-24 years old with an interest in shaping mental health research, as well as empowering and educating other young people. The aim is to use young people’s experiences and perspectives to guide the PERL research in a way that is meaningful, inclusive, and impactful. Young people will provide insights and reflections based on their experiential expertise to inform project priorities and help shape dissemination activities. It is hoped that that this will ensure that the PERL project as relevant to, and inclusive of, young people as possible.
As a YPAG member, you will be brought in as an expert on your own experiences, whatever they may be.
What’s the Project?
Led by the University of Oxford, and funded by the Wellcome Trust, this YPAG will lay the foundations for a 6-year long study aiming to help us understand how the antidepressant fluoxetine works in young people. We hope that this research will lead to better prevention, education and treatment in adolescent mental health and wellbeing – backed by the best and newest scientific evidence.
How often are the meetings?
We held 6 meetings with the core group in-person. Currently, each working group meets online roughly every 2 months.
Will my time be compensated?
Time is reimbursed at the rate of £25/hour
Do i need to share personal stories?
No, nobody is required to share anything personal. Members may choose to talk about their personal experiences, but this is not necessary. Most feedback in our sessions is taken with full anonymity. All members are briefed to keep any information shared confidential.
Can i leave the group?
Yes! Members may leave the group at any point. In a situation where a member is unable to continue, they are expected to notify the facilitators as soon as possible. Resigning group members may be asked to provide feedback on their experience in writing to help guide the future running of the YPAG.
How is my information kept confidential?
Open discussion about mental health may sometimes involve members talking about sensitive information about their own experiences (though this is not required). These discussions are invaluable but can only take place if members keep what is said confidential. Facilitators of the group will keep personal experiences shared by members confidential, unless there is risk of harm to that member or someone else. Members must not share personal information about members outside of the group (e.g., name, email address, location etc.) and must not record sessions.
Thank you for your interest!
If you are experiencing low moods or depression and would like advice or support, please read our mental health support page.