This session will explore the concept of co-production and how it can be applied to develop evidence-based research. We will discuss Act Early’s co-production strategy, “Nothing About Us Without Us,” and share insights from staff members who work directly with communities to gather evidence through research. Finally, attendees will take part in an interactive activity, where they will be given a scenario and asked to explore how research can be co-produced to generate evidence-based solutions.
Speakers and Bio:
Shahid Islam
Shahid is Senior Research Fellow in the ActEarly Collaboratory with a special interest in citizen science and co-production. Prior to joining BIHR he held several posts in both the voluntary and statutory sector to drive forward the engagement and involvement agenda. In 2015 Shahid was the winner of Bradford’s Community Star Award for outstanding services to the voluntary sector and in 2021 he won the Chief Scientific Officer’s Excellence in Healthcare Science Research and Innovation Award.
He has led on the ‘co-production’ of the ‘co-production strategy’ which has been implemented across the health sector and he describes his role as community activism through applied research.
Jabu Phiri
Jabu is a Research Associate at the Bradford Institute of Health Research, where she is involved in several projects, including the AIM Project on adolescent mental health.
Before this role, she worked as a Community Engagement Officer on the Secure Data Environment. Prior to June 2023, Jabu was a Community Engagement Coordinator at Bradford Council. She also served as a Community Cohesion Officer at Manningham Housing Association.
Earlier in her career, Jabu supported elderly healthcare as an Area Care Manager, collaborating with various stakeholders.
Huma Zille
Huma is a Research Fellow at the Bradford Institute for Health Research. Her research work employs qualitative, creative and participatory methods within applied health research to explore how health, place, and lived experience intersect within the cultural and structural contexts of marginalised and underserved communities. Huma’s research interests focus on co-production, peer research, and community engagement, bringing together citizens, practitioners, and policymakers to co-design meaningful and equitable interventions. She is passionate about creating inclusive research cultures where collaboration with communities drives innovation, social justice, and systems change.
Naz Mahmood
Naz is a Research Fellow at the Bradford Institute for Health Research. Her research focuses on co-production and peer research. This involves supporting community organisations as equal partners in the research process, including training local peer researchers. She is also coordinating a study in collaboration with Bristol University and the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) on the co-production of a physical activity intervention for South Asian men with prostate cancer or at risk of prostate cancer. Prior to this role she has worked with several VCS organisations, focusing on improving the health and well-being of seldom-heard groups, including individuals living with mental health