Would you like to be part of a small group of study members who help us make future decisions about BCS70?
We’re looking for small number of study members to join our new Study Member Advisory Panel. The Panel will meet twice a year (once online and once in person) to discuss ideas for the study with our staff team and some of the researchers who use the information you give us.
One of the Panel’s first jobs will be to look at the questions we’re planning to include in the next survey, at age 56. But there will be other things we need your feedback on too.
We’re looking for study members from all different backgrounds, so that we can hear a mix of perspectives. All current study members living in Great Britain are welcome to apply.
You don’t need any specific education, professional experience or formal qualifications to join the Panel. The most important thing is to be comfortable taking part in discussions and sharing your opinions with others in a small group setting.
You’ll also need an email address, and access to a phone, tablet or computer with an internet connection to take part in the online meetings via video calls.
We really want to hear from everyone and anyone who has an interest in being part of the Panel – study members from all walks of life. We hope to hear from people with different levels of education, different ethnic and social backgrounds, different identities, as well as those who have taken part in lots of BCS70 surveys and those who may have missed some.
Panellists will be appointed for a two-year period (four meetings in total). We’ll pay a small fee for time spent preparing for and attending the meetings. We’ll also cover expenses for taking part in the in-person meetings.
To apply to join the Panel, please complete our short form by midnight on Sunday 8 June 2025.
Complete the online form to apply
You’ll need your BCS70 personal reference to hand. This was included in the email you should have received from us recently.
As part of this, you should tell us why you’d like to be on the Panel. There’s no right answer to this, and please don’t worry about how well you think you can write or about your grammar and spelling. We’d just like to know a little bit about what interests you about the role. You’ll also be asked a few short questions about what you think we should ask in the Age 56 Survey.
To find out more about the role of the Panel and how we’ll select panellists, please take a look at our Q&A below.
We’re planning to get the Panel’s input on a variety of different things. This might include:
Firstly, this is a great opportunity for you to help guide the future of the study. It will be a chance to meet other study members, the staff team, and learn more about BCS70. For us, we think BCS70 will be a better, more successful study with your input. You are the experts on your own lives!
There will be two Panel meetings per year:
In your first year, there will also be an online introduction session in addition to the two meetings above. For each meeting, there will be some short reading or thinking to do in advance.
Yes, you will be paid for time spent preparing for and attending Panel meetings. We will also cover reasonable expenses.
Panellists will be appointed for a two-year term. We don’t plan to extend the term beyond this or ask study members to serve two consecutive terms. This is because we’re keen for other study members to have the opportunity to join the Panel in future.
Panellists can resign from the Panel during their two-year term if they change their mind or are no longer able to take part.
We want to make this Panel as inclusive as possible. There is a question on the form asking if you have any disabilities or other circumstances that might make it harder for you to take part. We will not look at this question when selecting Panel members, but if you are selected, a member of the BCS70 team will be in touch so we can discuss your specific needs and ensure they’re met.
No, unfortunately at this time the Panel is only open to study members living in Great Britain.
The BCS70 team will read your answer to why you’d like to be a part of the Panel, and will choose a group that will bring a range of different perspectives and walks of life. We hope to have a balance of men and women, and of people living in different parts of Great Britain.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 8 June, and you can expect to hear from us about your application by the end of July.
If you’re not selected this time, we’ll hold your application on file, so that we can come back to you in the future when we’re looking for new panellists.
