New Podcast Series Launches to ‘Bridge the Gap’ Between Research and Young People
A new podcast series created by young people in Greater Manchester is aiming to make health and care research more relevant and accessible to people their age.
The ‘Bridge the Gap’ podcasts have been developed by the Young Peoples’ Working Group (YPWG) in collaboration with researchers from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (NIHR ARC-GM).
Young adults aged 18 to 25, some with previous experience of contributing to research, worked together to create the series and its supporting resources. Designed with and for young people, the podcasts aim to make research more accessible by breaking down complex ideas and showing why getting involved matters. Through relatable conversations and practical tools, the podcasts encourage young people to see how they can play an active role in shaping research that affects their lives.
Despite many research studies focusing on issues that affect young people, they are often underrepresented in shaping how this research is carried out. When young people are involved, it’s often only at the start of a project, rather than throughout.
The Bridge the Gap podcast series was designed to change that. The YPWG wanted to create something practical, engaging and youth-friendly. The podcasts cover research methods, key terms, and different ways of being involved – but they also explore real-life experiences and explain why researchers needs to work with young people, rather than just carrying out research projects about them.
Episodes cover what involvement in research means and why it matters, the intricacies of different research concepts and methods, how to recognise and overcome jargon, the different ways young people can contribute to research, and the value of lived experience in shaping more meaningful and inclusive studies.
The group took part in a series of 20 workshops to develop their understanding of research, create the content, and build practical skills in scripting, recording, editing and communicating their ideas.
The project was also supported by the ARC-GM Young Peoples’ Advisory Group (YPAG)
More episodes and resources are available on the ARC-GM website, and the series can also be found on Spotify and YouTube:
- https://arc-gm.nihr.ac.uk/bridge-the-gap-podcast
- https://www.youtube.com/@BridgeTheGapNIHR
- https://linktr.ee/bridgethegapnihr?utm_source=linktree_profile_share
Whether you are a young person curious about how research works, or someone working in research wanting to better include young voices, ‘Bridge the Gap’ offers a fresh and accessible way to start the conversation.
Published 19/09/2025