Including the voices of military women
The Centre for Military Women’s Research (CMWR) recognises the value and importance of the co-production of research and works to embed these principles into its research. Quality co-production ensures that research is undertaken with military women rather than for them.
Co-production can take different forms, but at its heart it involves ensuring appropriate members of the military community are involved in each stage of the research project, from design to dissemination, with an equal level of power in the decision-making process. People with lived experience are brought in to work within the project team to facilitate understanding of what this group needs and wants, and to inform the direction and outputs of research.
To facilitate co-production the CMWR has established a Women Veterans Research Advisory Group. This group is invited to join projects and co-production activities depending on their capacity at the time. Ad-hoc groups can be formed to capture specific experiences or different groups within the military women’s community (e.g servicewomen or female partners of service personnel).
The principles of co-production informed the findings and recommendations of CMWR’s We Also Served Report, as well shaping ongoing projects such as ‘Meeting the needs of women veterans in mental health service’ and ‘Female veterans experience of government and charities’.
If you are interested in being part of or learning more about the Women Veterans Research Advisory Group, please get in touch at female.veteran@aru.ac.uk.