Call to Attend Workshop on Adolescence, Mental Health and the Developing Mind

The MRC, AHRC and ESRC have launched a Call for Expressions of Interest to attend a workshop on
Adolescence, Mental Health and the Developing Mind on 22 November 2019.

Expressions of Interest to be submitted by 31 October 2019
This workshop will launch a major new cross-council partnership in Adolescence, Mental Health and the Developing Mind which will support multidisciplinary research and innovation in an area of strategic importance aligned with UK government policy research priorities. The programme will be jointly delivered by the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).
Activity supported through this programme will help to provide a better understanding of how genetic, physiological, psychological, social and cultural factors across the life course shape the adolescent mind; of how they interact to influence, both positively and negatively, lifelong mental health, educational attainment, identity, social relationships and behaviour; and of the key concepts and values involved in these explanations, such as mental health/illness and autonomy. Research will address complex, multifactorial problems that cut across a number of policy domains, requiring engagement of wide-ranging stakeholders and active coordination. This integrated approach is intended to generate better interventions to promote good mental health; accelerate translation of research into policy and practice in education, healthcare and other public services; promote young people’s life chances; and strengthen young people’s involvement in research and innovation.

To launch the programme the research councils will be holding a facilitated workshop to engage the breadth of relevant research communities and stakeholders, communicate their ambitions and forge new multidisciplinary networks.
The workshops will consist of a mixture of presentations from UKRI, keynote talks, stakeholder engagement and knowledge exchange, opportunities to meet other researchers and facilitated discussions of key challenges and opportunities for research. The research councils intend to:
• Communicate the scope and ambitions of this initiative
• Foster cross-disciplinary networking and knowledge sharing
• Facilitate interactions with key stakeholders, including policy makers, health, social care and education sectors, young people, carers and those with lived experience of mental health problems
• Explore research and methodology challenges, including opportunities for innovation and novel approaches.

Those who wish to attend a workshop must complete an expression of interest form by the deadline of 31 October 2019 (16:00).
Venue to be confirmed (London or Birmingham)
Applicant will be notified of outcome of EoI on 8 November 2019
Places are limited to approximately 100 attendees.

If anyone applies and gets a place on this workshops, I’d be grateful if you could let me know (lorraine.smith@ncl.ac.uk)