Everyone experiences different degrees of trauma in their lives. These experiences can have a profound impact on our perspectives on situations.

Data research often uses public data which touches on potentially traumatic experiences for people – whether that is administrative data around social disadvantage, or health data on a serious disease. Public involvement is crucial for data research, but it’s important to acknowledge that certain conversations, while helpful for your research, may also bring up strong and unpleasant feelings and memories for your public participants.

So, how can we lead with empathy in our data research conversations?

In our third PEDRI webinar, Amy Hodgkinson (Learning and Development Lead, PEDRI) in conversation with Leila Neshat Mokadem (CEO, Equity Lighthouse) will explore ‘trauma-informed’ approaches in public engagement in data research. Both Amy and Leila have worked with a diverse range of audiences around sensitive issues. Join them to explore what a trauma-informed approach looks like in practice, and how you can create a safe-space for everyone.

Do you have a question about trauma-informed approaches for our speakers? Make sure to include it when you book your ticket and we’ll do our best to answer it.

This session is part of a series of webinars exploring how you can use the PEDRI Good Practice Standards for public engagement in data research.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at contact@pedri.org.uk

Speaker bios

Leila Neshat Mokadem (she/her)

CEO (Equity Lighthouse)

Leila is CEO of Equity Lighthouse, an educational and health equity organisation and doctoral researcher. She has extensive experience as a departmental Equality, Diversity and Inclusion lead, institutional equality champion, global citizenship educator, specialist hospital pharmacist, GP prescribing adviser and community pharmacist.

Her work on international student wellbeing, community based participatory health research, decolonial methodologies and global citizenship have been showcased locally, nationally and internationally. Drawing on her own mixed heritage background and celebrating diversity, her passions lie in co-creating impact for, and with, marginalised people.

Amy Hodgkinson (she/her)

Learning & Development Lead (PEDRI)

Amy is the Strategic and Operational Lead for PEDRI’s Learning and Development workstream. At Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) she is Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Manager.

Previously, Amy has worked in community mental health services supporting people with their wellbeing, including through trauma-informed approaches. She uses her experiences in her current role in PEDRI and HDR UK when supporting data researchers to involve the public in their work.

About the Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI)
PEDRI unites different UK organisations working with data and statistics to improve how we all work with the public. We know success is built on good practice, which is why we co-created the Good Practice Standards for public involvement and engagement in data research. Our webinars and resources help you to apply these Standards in your own work.

Leading with empathy