BBO WRAP (2019-2022)

Extension of existing project that seeks to utilise prior academic knowledge in relation to employment, employability and unemployment, as well as the University’s Social Impact Matrix, to develop a valid, robust and holistic evaluation framework for the employment intervention delivered by Goodwill Solutions and its partners. In doing so it seeks to answer the following specific research aims and questions:

Research Aim 1: To explore and understand the factors that contributes to unemployment in Northamptonshire. Specifically:
•The demographic factors that may increase the risk of unemployment, such as gender, socio-economic status, disability, ethnicity, religious background, geography, educational level, prior work experience and family/social situation (e.g. carers).
•To assess what needs unemployed beneficiaries have and whether these are met by the project? Where these needs are not met the research can inform the delivery partners.

Research Aim 2: To assess the efficacy of the employment programme delivered to include:
•Output performance: Assessing the numbers of people engaged and or supported into employment, education or training. To include the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as agreed between the delivery and funding partners/organisations.
•Outcome performance: Measuring the outcomes delivered to individuals longitudinally through their engagement with the programme (i.e. effects on self-efficacy and well-being).
•Impact: Reporting the impact that this will deliver for Northamptonshire and society as whole. This may be fiscal benefits such as increased tax revenue and/or decreased welfare payments, or non-financial benefits such as reduced crime levels (or both).

Research Aim 3: To understand the ‘theory of change’ developed by the delivery partners and to assess whether this is being delivered. Specifically:
•Does the theory of change correspond to realities on the ground?
•What elements of the programme deliver the greatest benefits to individuals?