At Kaleidoscope, research and innovation are about learning what really helps people – and using that learning to improve services, influence systems, and reduce harm. All our research projects will involve our co-production team.

Our approach is grounded in co‑production, harm reduction, and evidence‑based practice. That means we work alongside people with lived experience at every possible stage of our work, from shaping questions to interpreting findings. We focus on practical, real‑world learning that reflects the complexity of people’s lives.

We are interested in research that:

• Improves access and choice for people who use substances
• Responds to emerging trends and unmet need
• Challenges stigma and punitive approaches
• Supports services to be more effective and inclusive

We recognise that evidence takes many forms. Alongside academic research, we value practice‑based evidence, qualitative insight, and reflective learning from frontline work. All of our research activity is underpinned by a commitment to doing work with people, not on them.

In April 2024, the National Institute for Health Research gave some great advice about co-production in research –
NIHR Guidance on co-producing a research project

• Start together from the beginning
  Co‑production isn’t something you add on later. People with lived experience should be involved from the very start — shaping the questions, not just reacting to them.
• Share power, not just tasks
  Aim for shared decision‑making throughout the project. This means being honest about where decisions sit, and actively working to reduce power imbalances.
• Value different types of knowledge equally
  Lived experience, professional practice, and academic knowledge all matter. Treat them as different but equally important, not as a hierarchy.
• Be clear about roles, expectations, and boundaries
  Agree early on what everyone’s role is, what influence they have, and what support is available. This clarity helps avoid frustration later.
• Build relationships, not just projects
  Trust takes time. Invest in relationships, allow space for reflection, and recognise that strong partnerships are central to good co‑production.
• Make involvement meaningful and accessible
  Create ways for people to contribute that genuinely work for them – in terms of time, language, confidence, access needs, and life circumstances.
• Ensure reciprocity – everyone should gain something
  Co‑production should benefit everyone involved. This could be payment, skills, confidence, learning, or feeling heard and valued.
• Be flexible and willing to adapt
  Co‑produced research is rarely linear. Be open to changing plans, methods, or priorities as learning emerges.
• Create space for ongoing dialogue and reflection
  Regular conversations about how the team is working together help surface issues early and strengthen collaboration over time.
• Value and evaluate the impact of co‑production
  Don’t just measure research outcomes – reflect on how co‑production changed the project, the people involved, and the knowledge produced.

Our Research, Development & Innovation Foundation supports a broad portfolio of research that covers a wide range of addiction research and service improvement project. We want this research to serve as a foundation for the translation of discoveries into new and improved ways to treat and reduce the harms of addiction.

The committee has a broad remit supporting, part funding and fully funding research that spans different levels of innovation. We work on multidisciplinary research that aims to create or apply novel technologies and methodologies.

We also welcome investigations into all types of substance addiction and are particularly interested in proposals addressing areas of unmet need.

• Academic studies
• Student placements
• Partner organisations
• Grant projects
• And more!

1. Service User Involvement
   All research projects undertaken by Kaleidoscope will actively involve people who access our services. This may include design and planning through to implementation and dissemination. Their lived experience is essential to ensuring that research is relevant, respectful, and impactful. 
2. Ethical Review Requirement
   Every research project must include an ethics review prior to commencement. This review will include a consideration of legal and regulatory standards, data protection requirements, and principles of fairness and integrity. No project will proceed without documented ethical approval.