Consumer Involvement in Research Program

Through the Cancer Voices NSW CIR Program, trained and willing consumers are matched with researchers to enable the essential consumer perspective to influence and inform the research.

Most cancer research funders now require evidence in grant applications that the researcher has engaged with a consumer in the development of their study and how they intend to maintain this collaboration throughout the project.

Cancer Voices NSW provides guides for consumers and researchers on how to make the most from the partnership.

Information provided in the Guides is intended to help you make the most of this experience. It covers:

  • the reasons for including consumer input in research
  • how consumers can be involved at various stages of the research cycle
  • the expected roles of both consumer and researcher, and
  • how Cancer Voices NSW can support you.
Consumer Involvement in Research (CIR) Guides

Cancer Voices first developed these guides in 2014 to assist researchers and consumer representatives to work together. They have been updated regularly, most recently in 2021. We suggest that you read both guides as they will provide you with a greater understanding of what to expect.

Guide for Consumers

Guide for Researchers

Consumer and Researcher Fact Sheets

Cancer Voices has also developed some fact sheets to further assist researchers and consumer representatives to work together:

Consumer Researcher Profiles

Meet some of our consumers and their researcher partners and read what they have to say about these partnerships, what motivates them and how they work together to support cancer research, link to Consumer Researcher Profiles

Additional Resources

Publications – Reports and Posters

Celebrating Fifteen Years of Consumer Involvement in Research
Cancer Voices produced a poster to celebrate 15 years of our CIR program, 2005-2020. Consumers shaping research – ‘Nothing about us without us’ is a summary of its history, process and achievements. It was part of Cancer Voices NSW’s celebration of twenty years of providing the voice of people affected by cancer.

Consumer in Research (CIR) Evaluation Report 2016
Cancer Voices evaluated the effectiveness of the Consumer Involvement in Research Program after ten years of its implementation. To view the findings, see CIR Evaluation Report 2016.

To view the poster which summarises the CIR Evaluation Report 2016, click here

Celebrating Ten Years of Consumer Involvement in Research
Cancer Voices documented the CIR Program 2005-2015. For a summary of its history, process and achievements, see Cancer Consumer Involvement in Research – Celebrating Ten Years.

To view the poster of CIR – Celebrating Ten Years, click here.

Consumers influencing research – ‘Nothing about us without us, please’ – 2010

This overview of the Consumer Involvement in Research program after six years in operation, discussed processes through which researchers can most benefit from consumer engagement. It was part of Cancer Voices NSW’s celebration of ten years of providing the voice of people affected by cancer, see CIR Overview