Implementation and Process Evaluation of upReach: Information sheet
About the study
The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has been commissioned by upReach to carry out an independent evaluation of their work, which will help to inform how support is delivered to people in the future. To understand what works well and less well about upReach, we want to hear from people who have directly received upReach support and graduated in 2024 or are due to graduate in 2025.
What is the research?
The evaluation will explore how upReach works, whether and how it has made a difference for Associates, and any suggestions for improvement. This important research will help upReach to ensure the support and activities they produce are as useful as possible for future Associates.
Why are you contacting me?
As somebody in upReach’s 2024 or 2025 graduating cohorts, we would like to hear your views and experiences of the programme, including its impacts and any limitations you might identify. It’s really important that we speak to people who have taken part as Associates in the upReach programme so that the research builds a rounded understanding and learns as much as possible for the future.
What would taking part involve?
We’re inviting you to join a small group discussion with up to seven other people from around the UK, all of whom have participated in upReach in the same graduating cohort as you. The focus group will take place in April – we are scheduling daytime and early evening discussions, according to people’s availability and preference.
The group discussion will take place online via Zoom and will last up to 90 minutes. Two NatCen researchers will be there to guide the discussion and hear everyone’s views and experiences of upReach activities. The kinds of things we’d like to talk to you about are:
- A bit about you, including the upReach activities you’ve taken part in.
- Your reflections on upReach activities – including what worked well or less well.
- Any differences upReach has made for you.
- Any suggestions or recommendations you might have to improve the programme in future.
There are no right or wrong answers: we’re just interested in hearing what you think.
We would like to audio record the discussion so that we have an accurate record of what everyone says. Only the research team and our transcription company (McGowan Transcriptions) will have access to the recordings.
Everybody who takes part will receive a £25 Love2Shop voucher as a thank you for their time.
If you would be interested in taking part, please get in touch. Please note that it may not be possible for everyone who expresses interest.
Do I have to take part?
No – it’s entirely up to you. If you do choose to take part in the focus group, you can choose which questions you are comfortable answering, and how much or little you want to say. You are free to skip any questions you’d prefer not to answer and can leave the discussion at any time.
If you change your mind about being involved, you can contact us beforehand or let us know on the day. You can change your mind about taking part in the group at any point before the conversation starts, and don’t need to give us a reason if you decide not to go ahead.
Will anyone else find out what I have told you?
The research team will treat everything said in the focus groups as confidential and anonymous and will ask everyone who takes part not to disclose details of the discussion beyond the group. The only time we may have to tell someone else what you have shared is if you tell us that you or someone else are being harmed or may be at risk of serious harm. If this were to happen, the researchers may have to tell someone else, such as the local authority or the police. We would aim to discuss this with you first.
Identifiable details about participants (such as their names or other personal information) will not be shared beyond the research team. Only the research team will know exactly what has been discussed and by whom, as findings will be reported thematically. There is a possibility, however, that somebody who knows you and your views well may be able to recognise something you have said if this is quoted in the report. This includes the upReach team, who identified eligible individuals to be invited to participate in the research.
What happens to the data collected for this project?
NatCen will write a report for upReach, which may be published, based on the views of everyone we speak to for our research.
When we talk about the research and write the report, we may include some words you have said, but we will not use your name or include any details that could identify you in any way. Please see the privacy notice for more information on how your data will be stored, used and deleted.
What happens next?
If you would like to take part in the research, or have any questions before you decide, please contact the NatCen research team:
Email: upreachevaluation@natcen.ac.uk
Phone: 0207 549 7112
Thank you for your help!