Outreach work
I want to make our outreach as effective as possible. Is there any advice/best practice on this?
HEFCE’s publication Higher education outreach: targeting disadvantaged learners gives guidance on effective ways to target outreach activities at people from communities under-represented in HE. It also includes a three-stage methodology to make targeting more effective. HEFCE plans to review its targeting guidance in 2014 to ensure that it is aligned with the priorities set out in the national strategy.
Action on Access’s Higher Education Progression Framework Guide (2008) sets out a model approach to prepare disadvantaged learners for higher education, engaging directly with schools in a sustained way. It aims to help institutions move beyond one-off WP interventions to a sustained, planned programme integrated with the activities of schools and colleges.
The Action on Access publications Social mobility through higher education topic briefing: the role of targeting and Aimhigher and engagement with the primary sector may also be useful to you.
The Higher Education Academy has published a toolkit on targeting outreach schemes which offers practical advice for practitioners.
There is specific advice on outreach for medical schools in A journey to medicine: outreach guidance (published by the Medical Schools Council with OFFA’s support).