NIHR First Steps into Research Programme – the mentoring role

The Programme

This programme is open to non-medical clinical or social care staff who work in the Yorkshire and Humber region of Health Education England (including AHPs, Nurses, Social Care Staff, Public Health, and Pharmacists).

The aim of this programme is to ignite participants passion and interest in research and give them the motivation, skills and knowledge (about research) so that they can be a champion for research in their clinical setting and provide a springboard for further research opportunities.

The mentoring role

Mentors support and guide participants through the 4-month programme. Mentors are research active staff employed in regional NHS providers and are matched to a mentee. They do not need to be from the same geographical location or clinical area, but often are from the same professional background. The mentor’s role is to help the mentee develop effectively, build confidence and help them work towards individual objectives.

Experience of the mentor role

Claire Paul
This was my first experience of being a mentor on this programme. The role appealed to me as it fitted with my passion for research and it was a different way to build AHP research capacity. Initially I was a little unsure, as I was matched to an OT working as a specialist hand therapist in Sheffield. However, our meetings (online) were very much led by the mentee and what they wanted to achieve. I was able to use my experience of and contacts in research locally to help problem solve and provide opportunities for my mentee to progress. A really positive outcome of the programme was a significant improvement in the culture and attitude towards research in their workplace:

“…(Claire) was able to mentor in a way that just didn’t get me to reflect on research… it gave me opportunity to reflect on the bigger picture including the culture of my workplace.” – Mentee

I really enjoyed the role of mentor and would encourage any AHP who is research active to consider it – I found it rewarding and inspiring to see the enthusiasm and achievements of all the programme participants.

Hilary Lewis
This was my second year offering mentorship on the First Steps programme, and again I was matched with an occupational therapist, this time a therapist working within neurology in Leeds. We were able to meet up in person and spend time exploring what she wanted to gain from the programme but also more broadly in her career. We found ways for her to approach researchers, alongside introducing her to my own academic contacts, enabling her to learn about research methods and processes. Having space and time to reflect on her interests around health inequalities led to increased awareness of wider opportunities available to her. As a result of the programme, she felt empowered to apply for an Improving Population Health Fellowship, and she will start a Health Equity Fellowship with the scheme in April. We have both enjoyed the process of investigating new opportunities together and will continue our mentorship relationship into the future.

Claire and Hilary are happy to be contacted to discuss the programme and/or the mentor role – claire.paul@nhs.net
Hilarylewis1@nhs.net

Page last updated: 20th May 2025 4:46pm