CAMHRA Community Engagement Officer

SOAS University of London is the leading Higher Education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. SOAS University of London is positioned to play a leading role in reimagining higher education globally, with a new strategic plan in place as the basis for the renewal and revitalisation of the School which commits SOAS to both student responsiveness and research intensity. SOAS is moving towards a new moSOAS University of London is the leading Higher Education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East. SOAS University of London is positioned to play a leading role in reimagining higher education globally, with a new strategic plan in place as the basis for the renewal and revitalisation of the School which commits SOAS to both student responsiveness and research intensity. SOAS is moving towards a new model of international partnerships which is responsive to the transnational character of our global challenges.

About the Department:

The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action (CAMHRA) is a globally oriented and locally connected Centre of excellence for cutting edge anthropological research, education and public engagement in the field of mental health. It works to promote research on critical issues of inequality in access, experience and outcomes of mental health care with benefits for marginalised groups in the London area and cascading effects at national and global levels, and with special emphasis on mental health lived-experience and clinical practice-based research, and coproduced research outputs.

CAMHRA is funded for 5 years with a £7.8m grant from UKRI Research England, as a sustainable enhancement of research capacity in anthropological theory and ethnographic methods for mental health research, through additional academic staff, postdoctoral fellows, scholarships for doctoral and Master’s research. Partnership is central to the working of CAMHRA which has collaboration for research and education/training in anthropology with NHS Trusts, Thrive LDN, voluntary sector and Higher Education and international partners. CAMHRA is well placed for policy and public engagement while deepening SOAS’s connections with London’s diverse diasporic populations and international collaborators.

About the Role The Centre for Anthropology and Mental Health Research in Action wishes to recruit a full-time community engagement officer, with a specialist interest in collaborative and participatory research methods, to join a collaborative mental health ethnographic research programme led by Dr. Nikita Simpson and Professor David Mosse (co-director and director) at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. We seek an excellent candidate who has experience of working on public and particularly mental health research projects at community level with marginalised communities. We would strongly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience of mental health service use, and those from underrepresented groups.

The Community Engagement Officer will work with CAMHRA to advance its research, engagement, partnerships and educational offerings, particularly in the London area.

The post holder will co-design and deliver pilot ethnographic project with CAMHRA partners (community-based organisations, local authorities and NHS mental health service providers) focused on a variety of teams with concerns related to mental health inequality in London. This might involve facilitating workshops, developing relevant community governance structures, translating research findings for dissemination, developing continuing professional development programs, and co designing relevant ethical research protocols.

Interviews to be held: 4 and 5 of November, 2024 (subject to change)

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