Are you interested in becoming part of a research team aiming to end HIV infections and stigma in Bristol’s African and Caribbean heritage communities?
We’re looking to recruit four community researchers to help with the evaluation of Common Ambition Bristol (CAB), a major community powered project led by Brigstowe, a Bristol charity for people living with HIV, and African Voices Forum, the Bristol network of African and African-Caribbean heritage community organisations, working in collaboration with African and Caribbean heritage communities.
Through Common Ambition Bristol, community members are working in partnership with health care professionals from Unity Sexual Health to co-produce sexual health services to ensure they fit the needs of African and Caribbean heritage communities. By working together, sharing responsibility, decision-making and power, the project aims to co-design bespoke HIV testing and sexual health support services in Bristol to increase HIV awareness, HIV testing, while reducing HIV stigma. Because this is a new way of working, it’s important that the project is evaluated to ensure the services developed are acceptable and having the desired outcomes.
As a community researcher you’ll work with researchers from NIHR ARC West and the University of Bristol, and the CAB Project Delivery Group, which is made up of community members and sexual health staff. Responsibilities include collecting data, such as getting feedback on the new sexual health service by asking users to complete a survey or asking them about their views on the service and help interpret the findings. This will involve field work in a variety of community settings in Bristol and as a community researcher you will receive supervision from African Voices Forum.
To apply you will need to be based in Bristol and be part of or have good links with African or Caribbean heritage communities in the city. You will:
Have a passion for diversity and equal opportunities, an interest in research and evaluation and may have some experience of research methods.
Have good communication skills and be comfortable discussing sexual health and HIV. You will have a respect for diversity, be inclusive and non-judgemental.
Have good time management and organisational skills and be willing to travel to different locations in Bristol and work some evenings and weekends.
The time commitment will vary according to the project phases but is likely to be around 3 hours per month (including initial 5 hours of training). You’ll be paid £25 an hour for your time.