Citizens in Research

The Hopkins Centre has a vision of the future in which dignity is a driving principle for all interactions that involve people with disabilities, including research. Through partnerships between people with disabilities, researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and community, we are focused on exploring bold ideas and better solutions for the future.

We welcome people with disability, service-users, carers, support networks and people with lived rehabilitation experience to be part of meaningful research and really making a difference in influencing the future.

We are focused on the importance of embedding people with disabilities and lived experiences into the fabric of research and practice within hospital, community service and broader community contexts. Currently we are working to ensure all of our research projects include people with disability engaged in the design or implementation of the project.

Get involved in research

If you would like to get involved in our research and learn more, please see the opportunities below to get involved and participate.

Citizen Researcher Inclusive Futures Hub

Previously known as ‘Dignity Community Hub’

Join our citizen science platform to for Griffith University disability, rehabilitation, and inclusive futures. Find out more about our research, opportunities to be involved in a research team/project, research participation options, and regular updates. The Citizen Researcher Inclusive Futures Hub is a platform where our members come together to develop innovations, seek sustainable solutions, exchange knowledge and participate in research. Click here to join and learn more.

Citizen Research Essentials: A short course

If you would like to learn foundational skills to support your journey as a Citizen in Research, we encourage you to take this bespoke 101 beginners’ course about research called Citizen Researcher Essentials: Short Course. The short course explores research, the research process, and the opportunities for consumer and citizen involvement. Supported by Grifith Inclusive Futures interdisciplinary research alliance, this is a digital badge and micro-credential course for health consumers and citizens interested in getting involved in research.

The free short course has achieved remarkable success with over 150 enrollments and 50 completions, establishing it as one of Griffith Health Group’s most impactful micro-credentials while advancing innovative co-designed research methodologies. The course is now transitioning to a more accessible platform – register your interest here to receive notification when it becomes available.

Ambassador Council

Our Ambassador Council leads the way in ensuring research is conducted in line with the needs of those who use disability and rehabilitation services, and addresses topics of relevance and importance to the community. Reinforcing the Centre’s vision, the Council promotes and enhance engagement with people with disabilities and assist to raise awareness of the importance of people with a disability participating in research and design of services or interventions. Through the Council, we work together to promote the importance of dignity and respect to build an accepting and supportive community for all.

Read more about our ambassador council.

The Dignity Project

One of our key citizen-science initiatives, The Dignity Project, addresses the right of all citizens to have access to their environment and be treated with respect at all times. Using creativity, collaboration and citizen-led research, the project aims to drive disability reform by disrupting stereotypes, sharing experiences, addressing challenges, promote respect at all human interfaces and learning from history to create a better future. This project will reinterpret and analyse collective experiences, enabling co-design of services, practices and design innovations for the future.

Read more about this project here.

HabITec

HabITec aims to ethically expedite the process of applying technology to rehabilitation and independent living by creating a sociotechnical space where consumers, practitioners, funder, developers and researchers can work together to develop and test rehabilitation tools and technologies. HabITec will improve access to consumer-centric technological solutions. The physical HabiTec Lab has been developed in partnership with Occupational Therapy and The Division of Rehabilitation, Metro South Health and is located at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Read more about this project here.

Resource: Deciding whether to participate in research

The Hopkins Centre researchers and seed project team, co-designed and co-produced this community resource for Australians that live with disability. This best-practice resource assists in engaging, supporting and completing research with people with an acquired disability and vulnerable populations for better research outcomes. The project team explored literature, research engagement experiences of people with an acquired disability and consumer experience, to create this co-designed and co-produced resource to support potential research participants who live with a disability to:

  • Make an informed decision about whether to take part in a research project.
  • Be empowered throughout the research process.
  • Ask questions and speak up about individual needs to ensure researchers respect the rights of participants.
  • Make decisions that ensure researchers treat individuals as participants, rather than just as subjects
Click here to view and download resource

To get involved or learn more about our citizen science initiatives, please email us at hopkinscentre@griffith.edu.au.