Public involvement is ‘an active partnership between patients, carers and members of the public with researchers that influences and shapes research’ (NIHR). ‘Public’ can include patients, potential patients, carers and people who use health and social care services as well as people from specific communities and relevant lived experience.

Public involvement is a really important part of this project and includes:

• Workshops with Muslim women with lived experience of accessing or supporting family members to access mental health services, when we were developing plans for this project.
• A ‘public co-applicant’ (Farzana Karawalli) who was involved in the development of the proposal, is an advisor to the research team, sits on the trial management group and supports the young women’s advisory group with Louca-Mai Brady.
• An advisory group of young Muslim women with relevant lived experience (more information below).
• Two members of the young women’s advisory group sitting on the trial steering committee.

We are working to make sure that public involvement informs all stages and elements of the study, is inclusive and reflect cultural sensitivities and lived experience. We will evaluate our work in collaboration with members of the young women’s advisory group, who will also have the opportunity to co-author a publication about learning from public involvement in the study.

Young Women’s Advisory Group

The group consists of 10 young Muslim women with lived experience of using mental health services and/or affected by mental health issues. Our group meets online every 2-3 months to advise and support the researchers.

Group members will be posting blog posts here about our meetings.

If you’re interested in joining the Young Women’s Advisory Group please see the attached flyer and/or email im-adapted@herts.ac.uk

Quotes from group members

“I joined this project because I believe mental health in the young Muslim community is often overlooked, especially among women. Cultural stigma can prevent open discussions, with mental health issues sometimes dismissed as a lack of faith or strength. Having witnessed this firsthand, I want to challenge these misconceptions and raise awareness about the importance of mental health support for young Muslim women. This project isn’t just another study—it’s a step toward real change, and I hope it helps shift attitudes and provides hope for a future where mental well-being is better understood and addressed.”