The NIHR recently launched a new grant programme which is a great opportunity for early/mid career mental health researchers to support undergraduates to experience mental health research by having them as interns.
Supervisor/applicant benefits
This award is for early to mid career researchers who have yet to start establishing independence.
In the first round the NIHR are specifically looking to support certain professions/areas of interest to them, these are:
- AHP’s
- Social care
- Research Methodology
- Public Health
- Data Science
Therefore, it covers many fields in which people might be focusing on mental health research.
The NIHR are intending for this programme to support the development of the applicants by providing the opportunity to develop the careers of more junior members of a team and to act as a mentor. There will also be an event at the end which sounds like a mini symposium which will allow the interns the supervisors (applicants) to network.
Intern benefits
The aim of the programme is for postdoc researchers in England to support internships for to up to 3 undergraduates per applicant/co-applicant with the following support:
- variable length to fit best with the interns and the opportunity you will be providing them – 2-4, 4-6 or 6-8 weeks in length
- a stipend/salary/bursary for the intern
- travel and accommodation expenses for the intern
- training and development funds for the intern to do any associated training activities
- Networking opportunities and the possibility of continued support and contact with NIHR
The application period is open now until 18 January 2024, so there is still some time to apply. Alternatively, look through call, whet your appetite and keep an eye out for future rounds.
For full details of the programme and to start an application, head to the NIHR website here. They also had a webinar and the recording can be found here
Are you thinking of applying to this grant to have interns on your project? Let us know over on Twitter/X @MHRIncubator