ABSTRACT
This project had two phases. In phase one, we reviewed quantitative literature on educational participation and explored the characteristics of ‘non-participants’ through secondary analysis of Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Youth Cohort Study (YCS) data. We also conducted thirty-two interviews with key informants from the local, regional and national widening participation arena. Phase one provided a broader context for the subsequent qualitative fieldwork. Secondary analysis of LFS data allowed us to explore the characteristics of the level 3 population nationally and enabled us to compare our sample with the national picture. Analysis of YCS data focused on the little used HE module and enabled us to compare non-participation amongst ‘standard age’ potential recruits with nonparticipation amongst our older target group. The key informant interviews provided useful insights into the local, regional and national policy context.
