Engagement with the Olympics
ETHNOS was commissioned to explore Newham residents':
- views of the Olympics and of their anticipated impact on Newham
- engagement with opportunities related to the Olympics
- motivation to take advantage of the legacy benefits of the Olympics
- needs in order to maximise the legacy benefits of the Olympics in their lives
- aspirations in relation to improvements to quality of life linked to the Olympics in Newham
The research combined 24 focus groups, 4 family interviews and some 1400 word associations with a carefully selected sample of Newham's diverse population. The study explored what Newham residents think about the Olympics and their expected impact on Newham in relation to such issues as the economy, housing, transport, health, the environment, community cohesion, and arts and culture. It also investigated people's awareness, perceptions and uptake of various initiatives set up by the Council to help residents access opportunities, and the additional support required to enable them to access opportunities. The report systematically explored differences between residents as a function of ethnicity, age, gender, social class and area of residence in the borough. The study was used to devise "lay performance indicators" in terms of which the London Borough of Newham will assess the success or otherwise of the Olympics for the area.
Evaluation of Neighbourhood Renewal Fund employment-related projects (NRF)
This evaluation looked at four from a total of 17 NRF-funded employment schemes in Newham. Using a qualitative methodology, it compared the experiences and outcomes of a control group of workless respondents with those of a group of respondents participating in one of four different NRF schemes (Kennedy Scott, Groundwork, First Call and ELITE). Respondents were interviewed in three different waves during 2007 and 2008. The study identified the main reasons for worklessness among participants, their motivation for joining the schemes, the difficulties they encountered in joining the schemes, their overall satisfaction with the schemes, and the unmet needs they still had on completion of the scheme. The evaluation examined the expectations and the outcomes of the schemes for beneficiaries, using a number of indicators, such as the number of participants in employment at the end of wave 3, and performance on indices of mental health and social capital.
Understanding decision-making in Newham's diverse communities
The London Borough of Newham wished to understand how people from diverse communities within the Borough make key decisions in their lives, whose advice they seek and who influences them. Through focus groups and individual interviews with people from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds, ETHNOS identified the main considerations and sources of influence shaping decision-making in relation to such issues as selecting schools, finding employment, choosing health services, selecting places to live, assessing environmental issues, and managing criminal incidents. The research also identified local people's concerns with their areas, their views about the Mayor and the Council, as well as their local networks and social capital.
