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OUR âMISSIONâ âȘâȘâȘ
âą Founded in 1999, Insight Social Research Ltd is a specialist independent
consultancy, working alongside (and advising) a variety of public, private and
community organisations.
âą Conducting both qualitative and quantitative social policy research, Insight aims to
inform and assist clients to develop creative strategies and action plans in
response to peopleâs needs⊠leading to imaginative, yet practical solutions.
âą As a people-focused organisation, Insight believes that the most sustainable
outcomes are best delivered through capturing and acknowledging the âadded
valueâ that local people offer.
âą Experience and knowledge in the context of community development is notable, and
Insight proactively encourages social inclusion and adopts innovative research
methods which harness community strengths brought about through diversity.
âą Undertaking sensitive research is fundamental to the work of Insight, and through
working with clients and within communities, Insight endeavours to gain a
deeper understanding of social challenges, needs and opportunities.
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KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE âȘâȘâȘ
âą We are an equal opportunities employer â our whole ethos is built around
inclusion and empowerment... our recruitment policies and operational frameworks
for research and consultancy reflect this.
âą Our company has worked throughout Britain, Ireland (and increasingly) the EU and
many contracts have been undertaken both across rural and urban regions of
Wales on issues surrounding âquality of lifeâ and local aspirations.
âą We have completed much work relating to âpeople developmentâ, most notably
for Communities First, New Sandfields Partnership, Powys Equals Partnership, Next
Steps (and more).
âą Having worked with vulnerable âgroupsâ, we have interesting experience of
âinformalâ learning processes relating to the skills and know-how of people
with a âlived experienceâ â not always recognised within âformalâ learning processes.
âą We have regularly demonstrated our competence in developing and utilising
training materials relevant to community agendas â some of the work of the
company has been published and Malcolm Fisk is widely published.
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Communities First (1) âȘâȘâȘ
For Communities First (Bro Dyfi, Flintshire, Holywell
Neighbourhoods), we undertook a âparticipatory appraisalâ
involving training local people (volunteers) to conduct
research and identify needs locallyâŠ
Information was fed into the boroughâs [10 year] âaction
planâ and shared with the community using drama and
creativity as a medium, involving hundreds of school
children living in âdeprivedâ areas.
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Powys Equals Partnership (2) âȘâȘâȘ
The Powys Equals Partnership contests traditional ideas of
knowledge based on theory (and teaching), attributing a
greater value to peopleâs know-how developed through a
âlived experienceââŠ
With the input of people with a âlived experienceâ
(volunteers), our work underpinned a framework within
which the project could positively progress and focused
around the value that the âlived experienceâ afforded the
local economy.
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Next Steps (3) âȘâȘâȘ
In North Wales we consulted with Next Steps participants
(volunteers) to understand the issues of people with mental
health challenges seeking a âmeaningful occupationâ,
phases of which were guided by âservice usersââŠ
Innovative thoughts and ideas brought together the public,
private and third sectors in order to secure the future of
Next Steps in assisting participants achieve personal
aspirations.
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Abbeyfield Society (4) âȘâȘâȘ
For the Abbeyfield Society we worked with local societies
to review the provision of housing support to âvulnerableâ
older peopleâŠ
The outcomes pointed towards a need for a change in
delivery approach and the development of a âprogressive
planâ in adopting a forward-thinking attitude in guiding the
Society and supporting the people it serves.
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Merchant Navy Welfare Board (5) âȘâȘâȘ
Befriending, mentoring and buddying [for example] are
increasingly considered to be positive methods of reaching
people with specific support needsâŠ
We are acutely aware of the extent to which partnerships
and holistic working practices between statutory (and other)
bodies is necessary, and our management and evaluation
of the âhealth outreach serviceâ for older seafarers
(commissioned by the Nautilus Welfare Fund) is ongoing.
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QUESTIONS & THOUGHTS âȘâȘâȘ
âą Who are the volunteers in social care?
âą What are the boundaries of social care?
âą To what extent are family carers volunteers?
âą How do we see the role of volunteers working alongside others?
âą How are the âskills and capacitiesâ of volunteers recognised?
âą How can we make volunteering [more] desirable to the younger generation?
âą What value can we place upon the sustainability of volunteering?
âą What will the future hold for the volunteering sector?
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SEEKING SOLUTIONS, AND ADDRESSING⊠âȘâȘâȘ
âą [1] the extent to which the project will succeed in
understanding the challenges of the â3Rsâ in being able
to address the social, health and economical benefits of
volunteering, and
âą [2] the extent to which this understanding will assist
policy development to ensure the sustainability of the
â3Rsâ and assist in the development of good practice in
volunteering sector.