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Contributing to public benefit: my experience as a member of the UK LLC Citizen Panel

21st Feb 2025

In this blog, Jonathan shares his experience as a member of the Citizen Panel at UK LLC. Please also read our other blogs in this mini-series from Sarah, Farheen, Alan, Salma and Dr Lidis Garbovan, Research Fellow and Citizen Panel Lead.

My ambitions

As someone ambitious about becoming a social scientist and researcher, I quickly jumped at the opportunity to apply for the UK LLC Citizen Panel. The aims, values, and purposes of UK LLC align with my aspirations for improving public health and wellbeing. I was comfortable being part of an organization that is University-based and for the public good while striving for transparent and independent research. It was a no-brainer.

Interview

When I was interviewed, I was welcomed by two lovely researchers who offered exciting opportunities by being a part of the Citizen Panel and being part of a positive contribution to social change. I was accepted, and excited to join.

My anxieties

However, I would be lying if I didn’t mention that the subject of longitudinal population studies (LPS) and its process was a tad bit intimidating to me, and I’m sure I won’t be the first member of the panel who thought this as well. It was complex stuff, and I had little knowledge about sociology and the process of conducting appropriate and sound research.

Starting to enjoy

But those anxieties eased, and I soon found myself being comfortable with the material. And this was all due to the amazing work that the UK LLC team offered. There was a large amount of material available to us, including videos, slides, posters, and web links. I was starting to get to grips with the material and stuff that I would’ve learned as a PhD student all became easy for me.

Keeping me intellectually sharp

That’s not to say that being a member of the Citizen’s Panel has not kept me intellectually sharp; I found myself revisiting the material and asking questions in the meeting, which the researchers were more than helpful in answering. In each meeting, we were introduced to a different subject on LPS, each with different key speakers and experts on the subject. The meeting had a healthy mixture of learning the subject and the material and reflect on it by discussing it with our fellow members.

The amazing people at UK LLC and the panel

It is the people who have made the experience all the more enjoyable, from the researchers and coordinators to my fellow members who are also on the panel. The researchers were incredibly friendly and empathetic towards us when coming to terms with the information provided and offered different vistas of understanding the material. The other members of the panel are equally incredible; to be in an e-room full of like-minded people, spanning different backgrounds, environments and disciplines, and being vocal in every meeting, I felt proud to be a member of the panel.

The in-person meeting in Birmingham

And it felt all the more real when the first in-person meeting was, recently, held in Birmingham. It was a chance for all of us to introduce ourselves properly and learn more about each other. It was a great chance for all of us to recap what had been discussed in the meetings, along with what can be improved with the delivery of the Citizen Panel.

What I have learned

Two things that I have taken home with me are: (1) how public benefit can be measured during the application process, particularly distinguishing what is considered a public benefit and a public good; and (2) what can be changed in the Expression of Interest and application forms, especially how can these forms align more with Equality Diversity and Inclusion principles at UK LLC. All of us have given so many different responses that we could have easily had another hour or two expanding our ideas. Think another in-person meeting is needed!

Final thoughts

I want to conclude by acknowledging all of the people at UK LLC involved in making the Citizen Panel possible. I think I speak for all of the panel that we are so fortunate to be part of something amazing and contribute to positive social change. I look forward to further meetings and opportunities with the Citizen Panel and UK LLC as a whole.