1. Identifying and engaging our ‘hard to reach’ groups
Fiona Cobb
AGCAS ON Course Data Working Group Chair

2. Workshop plan Introducing AGCAS Data Insights
Aims of the On Course data working group
Defining ‘hard to reach’ groups
Identifying our hard to reach groups (group activity)
Accessing our hard to reach groups (group activity)
What next?

3. Data Insights Strategy Group
The Data Insights Strategy Group has been established to respond to a growing need within our membership and the wider sector for more support, advocacy, information and high-quality input around the collection and interpretation of student and graduate data. 

4. Data Insights [On Course Data] Group
The purpose of the Data Insights [On-course Data] Group is to support and share best practice in the processing and interpretation of student data. Data-Group

5. AGCAS Data Insights Overview
Operational
Strategic
Government links
Policy information
Strategic direction
Aims:
Generate information for dissemination to members, head of service and wider press
Work with operational groups to set direction of travel
Advocate on data insight issues on behalf of AGCAS
Post-graduation data
On course data
Outcomes and publications
Aims:
Generate information, best practice, and publications for dissemination to AGCAS members
Develop resources to better equip members to respond to agenda’s within their institutions
Explain why the grup was set up, and who we ned to engage with

6. AGCAS On Course Data Working Group
Nine members
Variety of data and technology related roles
Mixed regional representation
9 members representing a range of types of institutions and regions
Sadly no representation from the North of England at present – however Wide Data insights strategic group is well geographically represented so opportunity for input at strategic level

7. Group Members
Institution
Role
Fiona Cobb (Chair)
The Careers Group, University of London
Research Coordinator
Brenda Welch
City, University of London
Information Manager
Megan Jenkins
Cardiff university
Deputy Head of Careers and Employability
Peter Tribe
Bath Spa University
Careers and Enterprise Administration and Project Manager
Jean Keay
University of Strathclyde
Senior Careers & Employability Analyst
Caitriona Carey
Aston University
Operations and Data Project Manager
Deborah Fish
University of Leicester
Student Retention Data Adviser
Katie Hill
University of Bristol
Management Information Manager
Victoria Crowe
The Open University
Careers Information and Technology Manager

8. Principle aims of the working group
Consider and explore the following areas, and feedback to the membership:
Define student characteristics
Explore impact measures
Careers Registration: entry data
PGR Data

9. Group priorities Identifying and accessing ‘hard to reach’ groups
Low tariff/non traditional routes into Higher Education
Commuter students – regional differences (OfS interest)
Impact of interventions
Student (career) motivations
Discuss a bit about wider context – TEF, Graduate Outcomes, Careers strategy, wider reach, accessing those that really need support but are unlikely to come to (a) careers service
Why?

10. Identifying and accessing ‘hard to reach’ groups
Questions to explore
Why are we trying to reach them?
How do we define ‘hard to reach’ groups?
Who are our hard to reach groups?
How can we interact with our hard to reach groups?
Does interaction lead to action?
primary and secondary research
based on datasets within the group, trend analysis and pattern identification

11. Defining ‘hard to reach’ groups
Systematic literature review of ‘Hard to Reach’ Students and methods of inclusive engagement Shaw, C., Humphrey, O., Avtars, T., and Sims, S (2017) react, hefce te/images/Systematic-Literature-Review.pdf
Lack of clarity around definitions of ‘hard to reach’ in HE contexts
The term is used most commonly around students from low socio-economic classes, and Black and minority ethnic students (BAME) (21 cases in literature)
Most frequently occurred in literature with no definition of what the term was referring to
‘Assumed’ understanding of what ‘hard to reach’ means
Not synonymous with widening participation
No specific focus on careers and employability engagement
This report also explores methods that have been used to explicitly engage those who are ‘hard to reach’, thereby developing a resource for practitioners who are working to increase inclusivity or better engage their students.

12. Careers focus 1: Who are your hard to reach groups?
What sources do you use to identify your ‘hard to reach’ groups?

13. Time to share

14. Hard to reach in HE: what does the literature tell us?
Young+ refers to people that could be considered to have multiple and intersecting disadvantages

15. Engaging ‘hard to reach’ groups
“most pieces that talked about engaging ‘hard to reach’ students did not suggest any clear method as to how they could be engaged” [P10]

16. Methods for engaging hard to reach groups
MOOCs (De Freitas, Morgan and Gibson, 2015) Enhance Your Career and Employability Skills (Coursera) Brammar, and Winter
Brammar, L., & Winter, D. (2015). 'I've been astounded by some of the insights gleaned from this course': lessons learnt from the world's first careers and employability MOOC by both instructors and participants. Journal of the National Institute for Career Education and Counselling, 34(1),
Online learning, digital platforms
Peer support
Effective use of data

17. Careers focus 2
Choose a hard to reach group from our previous activity
What potential solutions could you use to engage with this group?
What are the positives and pitfalls of the solutions?

18. Time to share

19. How will the working group take this forward?
Each group member using datasets to identify ‘hard to reach’ groups
Discuss workshop outputs at next meeting 13th September to feed into our work
Develop typology of ‘hard to reach groups’
Suggest tools for identifying and engaging these groups to share with AGCAS community

20. Thank you! Slides will be shared via website in due course
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