Update from the Co-Directors

It has been 10 months since we commenced running the FiMT Research Centre and over that time a lot has happened!  We wanted to share a brief update on what we have been up to.

Building our team during this time has been crucial to enable us to deliver all that we have so far; you can learn about the team here.

Centre Vision

Research evidence is at the centre of policy and practice decision making to enable all ex-Service personnel and their families to make a successful and sustainable transition to civilian life.

Work to date to deliver on our vision

  • Providing an accessible and authoritative evidence base about Serving and ex-Service personnel, and Service-connected families, across our nine thematic areas through a multipronged approach:
    • The online evidence repository holds over 3000 articles, including peer-reviewed papers, commentaries, policy reports, and other grey literature [1]. Having implemented a robust method for monthly updates, the repository is now comprehensive from May 2022 to June 2023. Over the next year, we will be updating the repository to become comprehensive from 1st January 2001.
    • Research and policy summaries will be produced for each of the nine thematic areas[2] and routinely updated. The summaries will provide a credible synopsis of research evidence and policy and practice information that is easy to digest and can be used to inform policy and practice decision-making and guide future research priorities. The first summaries will be released in Autumn and will focus on veterans in the Justice System.
    • The annual conference brings together researchers, service providers and policy makers where new evidence is shared and opportunities for networking and discussion are provided. Last year’s conference was sold out with over 200 delegates from research, policy, and practice participating. 
    • The Research Community and Ongoing Research website pages provide comprehensive directories of current research being undertaken and of researchers across the UK who are conducting research in the sector.
  • Getting connected – a key part of our work is being connected across the sector with government, service providers and researchers. We therefore regularly meet with relevant stakeholders.
  • Becoming a trusted source – through the provision of accessible evidence and our connections, we are building our reputation as a credible and trusted source.

Looking forward

  • Research resources are being developed and will be added to our website later this year. These resources will provide introductory as well as more detailed information about what research is, research processes, different methods, how to critically appraise research, and how to use evidence to inform decision-making. We will be collaborating with experts in the sector to develop these resources.  

ACTION! Get in touch if you would like to work with us on a research resource that you believe would benefit the sector.

  • Annual Conference 2024 - will be held on 13th May at King’s College London. This year, the format will include abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations with a theme of “Research with real impact for veterans and their families”.  

ACTION! Look out for abstract submissions and registration openings.

  • Connecting more - We are continuously looking to widen and build our connections.

ACTION! If we have not connected with you yet, get in touch.

  • Building sustainability – we are currently funded by FiMT until August 2027. A key component of our work is to continue FiMT’s legacy by becoming self-funded by 2027. Over the next year, we will be exploring different avenues of funding and considering who could be investing in the centre so we can continue to deliver on our vision.

If you would like to share your information, get connected, or learn more about how you can use our resources, please contact the team at [email protected].

Nicola and Ruth

Co-Directors

Forces in Mind Trust Research Centre. 

 

 

[1] Grey literature is information produced on all levels of government, academia, business and industry in electronic and print formats that are not controlled by commercial publishing.

[2] Education and training; Employment; Family and relationships; Finance; Housing; Justice system; Mental health; Physical health; Well-being.