Capacity Building for Early Career Researchers: Insights from the Mixed Methods Research Training for PIECES Small Scale Research Grant Awardees
Written by: Swaleha Khowaja, Sr. Research Coordinator – Mental Health, IRD Pakistan.
From November 20-24, 2023, a cohort of dedicated researchers participated in an immersive 5-day Small Scale Research Grant (SSRG) Capacity Building Session. This blog post summarises the practical insights gained during this week-long program, with a particular focus on fortifying research capabilities for the PIECES Small Scale Research Grant awardees. The initiative is part of the larger NIHR UK-funded ‘Improving outcomes for people with psychosis in Pakistan and India – enhancing the Effectiveness of Community-based care (PIECES)’ project, spearheaded by the Queen Mary University of London and implemented by Interactive Research and Development, Pakistan (IRD) and Schizophrenia Research Foundation, Chennai, India. (SCARF) along with a host of local and international partners. The SSRG initiative aimed to enhance local endeavours in mental health, arts, community engagement, and mental health evaluation, and build the research capacity of early career researchers, students, clinicians, and academics in the public health field. The selection process for five finalists involved evaluating project proposals based on innovation, feasibility, and potential impact in the specified areas.
The sessions were facilitated by a range of experts including Junaid Siddiqui (Research and evaluation Consultant), Onaiza Qureshi (Senior Program Manager, IRD Pakistan), Aneeta Pasha (Country Director, IRD Pakistan), Maria Baig (Clinical Psychologist) and Dr. Kausar S. Khan (Senior Consultant, Community Engagement), Attendees included clinicians from PIECEs’ implementation partners Karwan-e-Hayat (KeH) and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), early career researchers from IRD and the selected SSRG project representatives.
Day 1: Laying Foundations and Unveiling Project Stories
The journey commenced with introductions facilitated by Dr. Kausar S. Khan, and the PIECES team. Brief yet impactful poster presentations from five SSRG projects provided a glimpse into diverse research endeavours on the progress updates and next steps for their research projects. The day unfolded with discussions on ethical considerations and the fundamental types and designs of research.
Day 2: Navigating Contexts and Demystifying Psychometrics
Day two immersed participants in understanding the contexts of their studies through research frameworks and the intricacies of psychometric analysis.
Day 3: Immersing in Qualitative Research Realities
The third day was a hands-on exploration of qualitative research—coding assignments, thematic development, and synthesising findings. Facilitators held engaging sessions, allowing participants to connect with the human side of data analysis.
Day 4: Crafting Research Narratives and Seeking Support for Grants
On day 4, the group dove headfirst into practical insights into grant writing and donor mapping, offering tangible tips for securing support. The afternoon delved into manuscript writing and a hands-on proposal development session using the PRECEDE-PROCEDE framework.
Day 5: Wrapping Up and Project Presentations
The final day started with a recap and lively Q&A session, followed by hands-on training on Zotero (reference management), project presentations from each SSRG project based on a culmination of the week’s lessons on strengthening methodology and proposal development, along with a closing note, distribution of certificates, and a group picture, marked the successful conclusion of this impactful capacity building session.
The SSRG Capacity Building Session, tailored for the PIECES Small Scale Research Grant awardees, was essential in exploring research components to strengthen research being undertaken by the SSRG grantees. This initiative, integral to the PIECES program, signifies a commitment to enhancing research capacity in Early Career Researchers from LMICs for better outcomes in psychosis care. As participants move forward, the focus will be on applying these insights to their work, contributing meaningfully to the broader objectives of the PIECES program.
Looking Forward to the Future
We are thrilled to announce that the PIECEs project will be entering its final year, marking a significant chapter in our journey towards enhancing mental healthcare for people with psychosis in India and Pakistan.
As we approach the final year, let’s delve into the exciting developments that lie ahead:
RCT Activities: Valuable Insights and Outcomes
Our dedicated teams are diligently working on completing participants’ sixth and twelfth-month follow-up assessments. Through in-depth interviews, we aim to understand the unique experiences of individuals who have received the intervention. We will also be finalizing our economic evaluation which will provide valuable insights to decision-makers in India and Pakistan. By highlighting the incremental cost and associated health outcomes of implementing DIALOG+ in routine psychosis management, it will offer a comprehensive perspective from the healthcare system’s point.
Implementation and Scaling up DIALOG+: Transformative Workshops on the Horizon
Anticipation fills the air as our teams gear up to conduct quality improvement and Support, appreciate, listen team approach (SALT) workshops in the coming year. These workshops represent a pivotal aspect of our scale-up activities, initiating the training of clinicians on DIALOG+. By integrating quality improvement methodologies and SALT principles, we aim to ensure a seamless and effective implementation of this innovative intervention.
Small-Scale Research Grants: Nurturing Early Career Researchers
Our team of early career researchers from India and Pakistan is set to complete their projects in the upcoming year. We eagerly look forward to their showcase presentations, where the fruits of a year-long capacity-building journey will be on display. These early career researchers have been pivotal in advancing our understanding of mental health, and their contributions promise to make a lasting impact.
Community Engagement Initiatives: Amplifying Impact through Arts-Based Methodologies
Teams in India and Pakistan continue to foster community engagement through theatre-of-the-art performances. In an exciting development, they are actively crafting an evaluation framework to assess the impact of community-based initiatives. Simultaneously, efforts are underway to develop a comprehensive community engagement toolkit, setting the stage for a more profound and sustainable impact on mental health at the grassroots level.
Dissemination: Sharing Insights and Shaping Futures
Our journey wouldn’t be complete without sharing our learnings and experiences. To facilitate this, we plan to host dissemination and knowledge exchange events, bringing together a diverse array of stakeholders. Academics, clinicians, policy-makers, service managers, patients, carers, and the local community will converge to engage in a dialogue that transcends boundaries. As our team diligently works on crafting a three-year project report, we aim to highlight our journey – from setting up the trial and initiating community engagement initiatives to fostering the growth of early career researchers.
Join us in marking the meaningful conclusion of the PIECEs project in the next year!