In this blog series, we will be featuring projects that have received funding from the Faculty’s Social Responsibility Funding Call. The fund supports projects and initiatives aligned with the Faculty’s five Social Responsibility (SR) and Civic Engagement priorities: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), Local and Global Health Challenges (GH), Partner-Enabled Learning (PEL) and Environmental Sustainability (ES).

Our latest blog in this series features a PPIE project aimed at strengthening the role of the Community Liaison Group (CLG) within the Clinical Psychology Doctorate (ClinPsyD) programme. The project was led by Dr Sarah Tully, CLG Programme Lead and a Clinical Lecturer in the Division of Psychology and Mental Health.

The Community Liaison Group (CLG) plays a central role within the University’s Clinical Psychology Doctorate (ClinPsyD) programme. Bringing together users of mental health services, carers and community members, the CLG creates a vital space for lived experience to inform training, research and programme development. Through this work, the CLG helps ensure that clinical psychology education reflects real-world experiences and needs, effectively bringing ‘real life’ into the classroom.

CLG members have contributed to shaping the ClinPsyD programme through various activities, including participation in curriculum meetings, assessing the quality of lectures, and supporting the delivery of research projects.

Last year, Dr Sarah Tully set out to deepen CLG involvement in teaching itself, enabling members to play a more active role across the programme.

Following a successful application for the SR Funding Call, the project went ahead with several key developments:

• Meetings between CLG members and teaching staff: By meeting both before and after teaching sessions, CLG members became more involved in planning and reviewing teaching materials. This ensured their engagement was meaningful and collaborative rather than superficial.
• ClinPsyD away day: Five CLG members attended a half-day academic workshop, where they contributed to reviewing all aspects of the academic programme.
• Live observation exams: Nine CLG members were involved in marking trainee live observation exams, reflecting a deeper level of engagement in both teaching and assessment processes.

As a result, there has been a steady increase in CLG-led teaching sessions, reflecting a ClinPsyD programme in which CLG contributions are more deeply embedded than ever. In the upcoming 2026/27 academic year, some CLG-led sessions have even been moved into the induction block for new trainees, highlighting the importance of lived-experience input from the very start of the programme.

This project has received positive feedback from both ends: trainees value the insight that CLG members bring to their learning, and CLG members in turn welcome the opportunity to contribute directly to the development of future clinical psychologists.

Building on this success, the team is now developing digital resources for both staff and trainees on the ClinPsyD programme. These resources aim to raise awareness of the CLG’s role and foster a stronger connection and familiarity with individual CLG members.

Moreover, there are plans for a more formal evaluation of the CLG’s work in teaching and assessment. This will help evidence the impact of their involvement and celebrate the integral role of lived experiences, ensuring they continue to be recognised and valued across the programme.

Additional information

• The CLG was a winner in the ‘Outstanding public engagement initiative: public contribution’ category at the 2025 Making a Difference Awards.
• This project aligns with guidelines set out in the BPS Standards for the Accreditation of Doctoral Programmes in Clinical Psychology, which recommends the involvement of experts by experience across teaching and assessment.

To find out more about PPIE: watch our short film, sign up to the monthly Public Engagement Digest, visit the PPIE blog, or contact srbmh@manchester.ac.uk.

You can read more about other SR funded projects on our blog.

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