About Us
Background and Vision
People living with dementia and their family carers face a range of social, economic and systemic inequalities that impact their full and fair participation in the workforce.
The Working With Dementia Network Plus has been established to support people living with dementia and their family carers to be able to make informed decisions about their work through more inclusive, supportive workplaces and a society that recognises and values their contributions.
Our collaborative and transdisciplinary research network is bringing together those with lived experience of dementia, carers, health and social care providers, researchers, policymakers and employers to explore and co-develop innovative and impactful solutions to drive meaningful change for individuals affected by dementia in employment. Please scroll down to find out more about our network staff team and our three governance groups:
Our Network Staff Team:
Rachel Carrigan
Research Project ManagerUniversity of the West of Scotland
Our Governance Groups:
Our Network also has three governance groups. Each meets approximately once every three months. Together, they are responsible for guiding research priorities, supporting funding allocation decisions and knowledge exchange. You can find out more about each group below. If you are interested in joining a group, we would love to hear from you. Please email wwdnetworkplus@uws.ac.uk.
Lived Experience Panel
Our Lived Experience Panel is chaired by Caroline Swarbrick. Members of the group are those with a dementia diagnosis or experience of caring for a loved one with a diagnosis.
Stakeholder Advisory Group
Our Stakeholder Advisory Group has about 30 members and is chaired by Valerie Egdell. The SAG provides a forum for stakeholders to share their expertise and support the co-production, development and impact of the Working with Dementia Network Plus.
Members come from a wide range of organisations, including employers, health and social care professionals, government and policy representatives, regulatory bodies, and organisations from the public and third sectors. Together, they bring a wealth of experience and expertise across dementia, employment, policy and research to address the social and financial inequalities for those affected by dementia in employment.
Early Career Researcher Forum
Our Early Career Researcher Forum supports those with an interest in dementia and employment research who are at an early stage in their careers. The group defines ‘early’ flexibly and includes students and those employed in academia and research roles. The group is chaired by Laura Lebec.