My name is Ruby Bradshaw, I'm in Year 12 of Sixth Form and from the 23rd to 27th of June I got the amazing opportunity to do some work experience with the MindTech team at the Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, a research facility focusing on mental healthcare and dementia technologies.
Leading up to this I was full of nerves not knowing what to expect but was met by the team full of smiley faces. During my time here I got to meet with members of the team and learn about the various roles that take place to make their work possible. During the week I got to learn about what these projects are for and the work that goes on behind the scenes to make this possible.
At the beginning of the week, I got to meet with Fiona who talked to me about the work she does creating all the news articles and keeping the MindTech website up to date. She also explained the current art exhibition that is up around the building, a key part about the Institute of Mental Health which invites artists to produce work which is displayed.
I also met with Mathew who explained his role as Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Coordinator which is a role I’d never heard before. Patient and Public involvement (PPI) is actively engaging patients, carers, and members of the public in healthcare and research processes, rather than just involving them as research participants. This really stuck with me because it shows the care that the team at MindTech - not only put into their research, - but also the family and friends that can be affected as well. I think the PPI is also a reflection on how well everyone collaborates here at MindTech and how everyone works as a team. I also worked on a project called ORBIT.
The ORBIT project is a new NIHR-funded initiative that transforms an evidence-based online behavioural therapy for tics in young people into a digital tool for delivery within the NHS. During the week I got to look at who was involved in the study and what roles they played in it, and design some graphics based on PPI suggestions for the new platform.
Another project I worked on was called CaTS. CaTS helps young people tell the story of their self-harm journey by mapping the thoughts, feelings and events involved in a self-harm episode. A timeline is set out with multiple timepoints starting from 6-months prior to self-harm and ending after self-harm. In the week, I got to look at some patient facing material and review whether it would be suitable for a young person.
This experience has allowed me to learn new skills such as graphic design and get creative, something that I haven't done in a long time. Though I didn't expect it, visiting has allowed me to see different career paths I've never thought about before.
I'd like to say a big thank you to the MindTech team for having me, it's been amazing!