European Social Fund in England

Cohort Survey

The 2007-2013 England and Gibraltar European Social Fund (ESF) programme is currently being evaluated through a cohort survey of participants. The study is for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and is being carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), an independent research organisation.

The main objective of the study is to evaluate programmes financed by ESF, although participants of other programmes funded by DWP and the Skills Funding Agency (previously the Learning and Skills Council - LSC) will also be included in the research. The results of the survey will help the Government and the European Commission to plan future ESF employment and training programmes and to improve the services they provide.

Below, we provide some more information about the study.

How were people selected to participate in the study?

Survey participants were randomly selected from databases held by DWP and LSC, using random selection procedures. Participants previously signed a declaration permitting their information to be used in studies such as this when they registered for the scheme (e.g. ESF10).

Were people able to opt out of the survey?

Those selected to participate in the study were given the opportunity to opt out at any stage. Opting out of the survey had no effect on any benefits they were entitled to receive.

How were people contacted?

The selected participants were sent an advance letter explaining the scope and purpose of the study. They were then asked to participate in two telephone interviews, which lasted a maximum of 25 minutes each. The first interview took place when they were still participating in work-relating training or had only recently left (between April and August 2009). The second interview took place six months later, between January and March 2010, when most participants had completed the training.

Some participants were able to opt for face-to-face, rather than telephone interviews. This provision was made available to people with a disability or people who found it difficult to communicate over the phone.

What sort of issues did the survey look at?

The main aim of the survey was to look at the impact of provision on the skills and employment levels of participants.

The first interview reviewed the skills levels and employment status of participants before they took part in the programme. They also explored participants’ experiences of the training and support they received, and captured some of their background characteristics, such as language spoken at home, age and ethnicity, to help us with our analysis.

The second interview looked at changes in participants’ skills levels and employment status as a result of the programme. We also reviewed qualifications obtained through the training, as well as any work-related and other skills gained such as increased confidence and motivation.

When did the survey take place?

The first round of interviews took place between April and August 2009, with the follow-up interviews taking place between January and March 2010. A small pilot study took place in February 2009, to test the questionnaire and the data collection methods.

Findings from the first wave of the cohort study were published in July 2010, and the second wave of the study will be published in October 2010.

What will happen to people’s data?

Data collected in the survey was anonymised. No identifying information was passed outside NatCen without the respondent’s permission.

We would like to be able to review participants’ job outcomes in the future, after they have taken part in the second interview. To be able to do this, NatCen will ask survey participants for permission to pass their name, gender, date of birth and address to the Department for Work and Pensions. Information about any other answers they have given in the survey will not be passed on to anyone else.

All participants will be able to refuse this request. Where they agree to it, and later change their minds, they will be able to withdraw consent at any stage.

Where can I find more information?

Information about NatCen can be found here: www.natcen.ac.uk