EMWPREP News January 2019 // Issue 11

Team

Team Update

Happy New Year to all our readers and what a busy start of the year its been for the EMWPREP team, with NCOP Q8 reporting, preparing from HEI interim reports and working closely with our developer to improve the database for our users.

Alongside which a number of HEI specific evaluations are now underway. This year the evalutions are taking a number of different forms, using multiple evaluation techniques, which hopefully we can share with you in the coming months.

Database

Database Development
We have been working closely with our developer on the Phase 2 developments. We will be looking at implementing new reporting features, providing greater access to superusers and creating a secure online data collection form for participants. It’s an exciting time for the database and as mentioned in the last newsletter, we are keen for your voice to be counted in this process and to steer the database forward; ensuring we capture all the reporting needs of all our partners. It’s not too late to join the operations group.

Join the operations group
Inputting

When entering a new participant onto the system can users please ensure they only press the save button once, as pressing multiple time may result in duplicates being added to the system. We are working with our developer on coding to prevent this happening going forward.

Database Access

 

EMWPREP will no longer be able to set up accounts using anything other than an institutional emails address. We are in the process of contacting partners to ensure that any accounts originally set up using hotmail, gmail etc. are updated. Failure to update could result in users accounts being suspended.

Database Users
Since the implementation of GDPR we must ensure that access to the database is limited to those which require it. It is the responsibility of superusers to inform EMWPREP of any updates, failure to do so could lead to a breach of the data compliance agreement. Click for an updated institutional user list.
Reports
NCOP
NCOP partners have now received the final versions of their end of year monitoring reports, they contain details of analysis of participation at target ward level. EMWPREP provided NCOPs with various options of the sustained and progressive definition, so they could choose in-house which to include in the return to OfS.Individual full reports are now being worked on and will be disseminated w/c 4th February
HEI
The database will close at 5pm on Friday 1st February to enable the team to pull off and cleanse the data for interim reports. Partners will receive a final data check on Monday 4th February and are required to check an make any final amendments by 5pm, failure to do so could affect your interim reports.An email will go out to all user once the database is open again and partners can expect to receive their Interim reports on Thursday 28th February.
Feature

CFE NCOP Survey Linking

Working with the national NCOP evaluator, CFE, we have completed a task to link participants of NCOP activity to the baseline and follow-up surveys. The aim of this work is to provide a detailed picture of distance travelled for participants against the backdrop of volume, intensity and types of activities they have taken part in.  Analysis of the outcomes will be included in CFE’s upcoming report to OfS.

Joint Coverage Mapping Project

EMWPREP worked closely alongside HEAT and AHWM on a ‘Gaps Mapping’ exercise. It is hoped that the collaboration will provide a national picture of WP and help identify any cold spots. Work has been undertaken at school level and the initial output will be a series of gradient maps at local authority level, showing the proportion of schools that have received outreach activities across two academic years. The maps are currently being finalised by HEAT and will be shared with tracking, steering and management groups for sign off prior to public release.

Sign up to be notified of the release of the maps
News
Today is young carers day. The purpose of the day is to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young carers and their needs.

A professor at one of our partner institutions has written a new book, which aims to raise awareness of the issues experienced by young carers.

https://www.lboro.ac.uk/internal/news/2019/january/new-book-aims-to-raise-awareness-of-the-issues-experienced-by-young-carers.html

External Training and Conferences

1st February (London) 
Next steps for transgender equality – inclusion, rights and services

12th February (London)
Getting In and Getting On: Widening Participation in Higher Education

14th February (Suffolk)
Advancing Access teacher and advisor CPD event

28th February (Milton Keynes)
Evaluating WP initiatives: overcoming the Challenges 

12th March (London)
Next steps for widening participation in higher education – developing collaboration between schools and universities, supporting disadvantaged groups and key priorities following the OfS review

26th March (London)
Next steps for Post-18 education – tuition fees, value for money, broadening student choice and meeting the skills gap,

27th March (Milton Keynes)
Assessment: impacts on widening access and success

AND FINALLY….

Following on from the recent OfS Consultation: A new approach to regulating access and participation, the regulator has announced plans for a functional review and scoping of effective tracking services to promote equal opportunities.

Acknowledging that tracking services and use of data should play a central role in improving the impact of providers’ access and participation activity, OfS are commissioning further research and analysis to inform their long-term strategic decision making. The project thus includes:

  • a review of current tracking services and the data landscape, including a value for money assessment
  • identification of effective practice at provider level in the use of tracking services for targeting and evaluating activities
  • an appraisal of opportunities and challenges for building sector-wide infrastructure and capability
  • an assessment of the potential role for longitudinal tracking in supporting OfS strategic objectives

You can find more information here or by contacting Beth Isaac.