We have exciting news – we at the Mental Health Research Incubator are pleased to announce that we are recruiting for the 2024 GROW programme cohort!
GROW is a fully-funded programme for early career mental health and addiction researchers who have completed a PhD and who are moving towards an independent research career.
GROW is a multifaceted programme composed of:
- Networking with peers: the cohort is formed of people at a similar stage of their careers who have some career goals in common but who are also able to share their diverse range of experiences and expertise with each other;
- In person launch meeting: the programme starts with an in person meeting to get to know each other;
- GROW Gathering: a further in person meeting to network with GROW programme alumni and participate in workshops at the annual GROW Gathering;
- Online group sessions: monthly sessions with guest speakers who cover areas of specific concern to early career mental health researchers;
- One-to-one coaching sessions: meet with a trained coach with extensive experience working with and supporting academics and address your personal career challenges or goals. There will be five sessions to work on topics specific to you.
“GROW is the best thing I have done for researcher development in my career. The supportive space that has been facilitated is unreal! “ A 2023 cohort member
“I’ve been telling everyone in work they should get coaching. We all need an unbiased, independent person to guide us.” A 2023 cohort member
This year we are expanding our focus to include early career researchers who focus on addiction. Addiction is an area which often overlaps with mental health research, but is under-funded and understudied by NIHR applicants. We particularly welcome applications from addiction researchers this year.
After a successful pilot in 2023, we will again be hosting an person GROW Gathering in 2024 with a chance for the current cohort to meet and network with GROW alumni.
“This day made me think about how we grew as GROW researchers. We celebrated our peers obtaining their PhDs, grants, new contracts… Having this network made me feel less isolated as a researcher. Thank you for your continuous support over the years.” A GROW alumni member
The GROW programme is funded under the NIHR’s Mental Health Research Initiative via NIHR Research Infrastructure. The GROW programme is therefore free to attend, including travel and accommodation for the in person events.
Applications open at 10am Tuesday 30 January and close at 10am Tuesday 5 March 2024. Successful applicants will be notified in late April, and the programme will run from June to December 2024.
For further information and to apply to the 2024 GROW Programme, please visit the main GROW page here