Bex Walker, Stick-n-Step PHD research collaboration
Hi Bex! Can you introduce yourself and how you started volunteering?
Hi, my name is Bex Walker and I’m in the second year of a full time PhD in Clinical Biomechanics funded by LJMU and in collaboration with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. My PhD investigates how and why children with cerebral palsy fall in day-to-day life. As part of this there’s a big qualitative element working with children and parents. In our original proposal we were going to carry out PPIE with children and their families at Alder Hey, but Covid restrictions complicated this. I reached out to local charities, and I was lucky enough to get involved with Stick n Step who provide support to children and young people with cerebral palsy. I was welcomed with open arms and haven’t looked back since.
How does volunteering connect to your research?
At the beginning, volunteering allowed me to get involved with the charity and understand their conductive education methods. I sat in on group sessions, at first just chatting and observing, then slowly beginning to help children 1-1 during the different conductive education tasks (for example, standing balance tasks). Stick n Step additionally helped me to recruit children and parents/guardians for engagement with our co-produced study. It has also opened further opportunities to partner with Stick n Step for other related projects in future. My supervisor has been supportive and it’s an excellent link for the department.
Volunteering also informed my practice as a researcher – particularly with communication. I like to think I’ve built good relationships with everyone. It also developed the study in new directions. You can only learn so much from papers, getting hands-on advances your knowledge in different ways. But I got involved for more than just research, I enjoy going back week after week.
What are the considerations for a researcher working with a charity?
Throw yourself into it. Enjoy it, enjoy meeting new people, and commit to it. I never wanted to do one session, get some contacts, and leave. Make a long-term commitment. They’re a charity and they’re grateful to have volunteers, but it’s important not to abuse that or take it for granted.
I think back to a quote I heard in a course on coproduction: “You can’t do research about children’s lives without them being involved in the process.” Don’t turn away opportunities like that.
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