Multi-intervention outreach programmes combine two or more activities into an ongoing programme of support for students at different stages of their education, with a focus on widening participation (WP) to higher education (HE).

An evidence review commissioned by TASO shows that multi-intervention outreach programmes are associated with positive aspirations and attitudes towards HE, and more recent evidence demonstrates a positive association with enrolment in HE. However, we are lacking evidence which shows a causal relationship between attendance at these programmes and desired outcomes as well as evidence on the impact of specific elements within these programmes.

What have we done?

To address the gaps in the evidence, TASO commissioned and oversaw a series of evaluations, partnering with three HE providers to explore the different ways in which multi-intervention outreach and mentoring programmes can be evaluated.

We have now published the interim findings of this evaluation, including:

The main project report which provides a summary of the key methodology, findings and recommendations.

Local evaluation reports for our three partner HE providers:

Generating evidence on the impact of mentoring can be especially difficult as programmes can differ so greatly in terms of mode of delivery, type of mentor and desired outcomes. We therefore chose to place a specific focus on mentoring delivered by two of our project partners. Download the mentoring report.

A further key outcome of the project was the development of a tool that can be used across the sector to plan and evaluate programmes and build the evidence on their effectiveness. Find out more about our Mapping Outcomes and Activities Tool (MOAT).

What’s next?

The above reports are based on interim findings such as survey outcomes and applications to HE. The primary outcome for this project is whether students enrol in HE, however, this data is not yet available. We will be publishing the final report to include this final outcome data in 2024.

Research protocol

If you would like to find out more or have any questions around this project, please get in touch with us at research@taso.org.uk.