How you can support the campaign
1. We need your help to create content. Photos of researchers now vs when they started
We want researchers to share photos of when they started in research and how they look now. Ideally, both photos would be in a work setting, but if there are no older work photos this isn’t a barrier to their involvement.
We are interested in stories from all ages of researchers but those with a longer career may have different motivations which would be interesting to a potential researcher.
The ask. Ask researchers with a great engaging story to take a photo of themselves in their work setting on their smartphone. We want them to share this along with a photo from the start of their career.
Photos should be in portrait or vertical orientation.
Storytelling requirements: Please ask researchers who provide their photos to complete the sentence: “I want to Shape the Future of healthcare. I have worked in research for x years. I am motivated by [insert motivation to work in research]”.
The idea is to create content visually similar to the Children in Need 'Positive relationships' page.
We encourage LCRNS, ARCs, CRFs, CCFs and researchers to share photos and their stories on their own social media profiles, mainly on Twitter/X. Don’t forget to tag @NIHRresearch or tell us about your posts so we can support and share. We’ll acknowledge and tag your LCRN or ARC or centre in our social media activity.
Please contact frances.lister@nihr.ac.uk and giuseppe.rella@nihr.ac.uk to find out more.
2. Please share the campaign message with your local NHS Trusts
Please contact the NHS Trusts in your area to make them aware of the campaign. You can use the text below in emails, newsletters and social media.
“Join the Shape the Future campaign this November to find out how you can add research to your career with the NIHR and in the NHS.
The campaign, running 6th to 30th November, will offer Link and Learn, a time-limited mentoring scheme, which will give you the chance to ask questions and get career guidance from more experienced researchers. A wide variety of internships, work placements, research delivery schemes and academic schemes will be revealed in early November.
To find out more about the campaign and how the NIHR can support NHS employees and students in adding research to their careers please visit the Shape the Future campaign page.”
You are very welcome to use this campaign as an opportunity to promote your own career development schemes and the support you’re able to offer to anyone wanting to start or develop their career in research.
3. Support the campaign on social media
Please share information about the campaigns, either by retweeting from our twitter or by sending out your own tweets.
There are some examples of tweets on Shape the Future Autumn Campaign google drive. Feel free to use or customise the text.
4. Create your own content and post it on social media
Find and promote inspiring stories of researchers, new or more experienced, that show why research matters to them and to the public they work with.
Researchers could work with you to share their motivations and experiences through videos, threaded posts or long-form posts on LinkedIn. We would like to see people highlight the personal stories that inspired them to engage in research. It is also an opportunity to emphasise the role of research and innovation in shaping the future of healthcare and highlight its impact on patient care and the NHS.
Content could be structured around these three points;
1. What sparked my interest inspired me to work in research
2. Why I love working in research
3. How my research has/will have an impact on patients, the public, colleagues and/or the NHS.
Share existing content that promotes your own capacity-building awards and career development schemes
A call-to-action should be included to encourage people to “Find out how you can add research to your career by visiting…” . This could be the link to the main campaign page.
Please include the hashtags #NHS75 and #ShapeTheFuture and mention the appropriate social media account so we can respond and share. Include #NHS75 and the word “research” in your post (this is particularly relevant for Twitter/X), Please also include #ShapeTheFuture, ideally as part of the key message below (this is also relevant for LinkedIn)
