social research

needs assessment

evaluations

questionnaires

focus groups

community involvement

Tandem can help you:

• define the research you need
• assess what is feasible within a given budget or period of time
• identify the best ways of gathering information
• ensure key stakeholders are involved
• deliver conclusions and recommendations that help carry work forward

We are experienced in working in a multi-agency context, and with people of different languages, cultures and countries of origin. We are committed to the principles of community involvement, and can train community representatives in research skills. We make sure that the process of research is informative and helpful to everyone involved and that final reports are:

• useful
• clear
• accurate
• well-designed
• targeted at the audiences you want to reach

We can also help you organise effective launches, distribution and follow-through.

“My experience of commissioning Ruth to undertake an evaluation was most positive. I was impressed with her personal qualities and her ability to facilitate discussion whilst maintaining total integrity about her work. Ruth's thoughtful analysis presented significant guidance for future policy and practice.”
Drugs Policy Adviser

Publications include:

Involve
Tandem worked for Volunteering England to co-ordinate the England component of a seven-country research and networking project exploring the involvement of non EU nationals in volunteering in the EU. Ruth Wilson researched and wrote the England report, attended the management meetings in Brussels, set up the England seminar, and attended other events in partner countries. Find out more. In April 2008 she spoke in at the European Commission Technical Seminar on Awareness-raising and Migrant Empowerment about the project.

A Part of Society: Refugees and asylum seekers volunteering in the UK
A report based on case studies of ten organisations across the UK that are all outside the refugee sector, and that are all successfully involving refugees and asylum seekers as volunteers. Written by Ruth Wilson and Hannah Lewis, and published by tandem with support from the Home Office.

Find out more about A Part of Society

Asylum Seekers and Refugees Sexual Health Project
Tandem worked with the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health, to recruit and train community researchers, leading to the publication of a report on attitudes to and experiences of sexual health among refugees and asylum seekers in Yorkshire. Find out more.

Improving the Health of Asylum Seekers: an overview
Occasional Paper No. 05
June 2002

A summary of health concerns raised by professionals and asylum seekers in Yorkshire and the North East, with recommendations. Commissioned by the Northern and Yorkshire Public Health Observatory.

Dispersed
A report looking at the dispersal of asylum seekers to West Yorkshire, identifying the impact on and reaction of local services, and making recommendations. This report gained national media coverage, (read the Guardian editorial) and led to a meeting with Home Office Minister Jeff Rooker. Ruth Wilson has taken on a range of speaking engagements as part of the follow-up. A free summary of the report is available on the Trust's website, www.jrct.org.uk

“The Committee was keen to say again, how much we appreciate your work. We all feel very grateful that we found you!”
Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust

Involvement in practice
An account of three GP-based patient involvement projects in Bradford, commissioned by Bradford Health Authority and Bradford Community Health Council. Ruth Wilson worked with patients and staff to enable them to identify and start on their own involvement projects. She provided support and facilitation, and worked with the participants to document, evaluate and write up their experiences.

“Life rushes on and you don’t stop and look at things. That’s the benefit of doing something like this. You realise you can’t assume things, and you need to talk things through with other people.”
Practice nurse

“I found it great taking part in this action research. A liberating experience.”
Practice Nurse

Home Office evaluations
In 2003 Ruth worked with Martin Bell Associates, carrying out evaluations of two European and Home Office-funded refugee integration projects as part of a wide research programme.

Committing to equality
An audit of how Community Health Councils in the Northern and Yorkshire NHS Region work with black, refugee and minority ethnic communities. To carry out this wide-ranging research, Ruth Wilson led a team with Sharanjit Boughan and Shirley Tate.

An evaluation of a three year drug and alcohol training project, 1996 – 1999
Ruth Wilson was commissioned by Bradford Social Services and the West Yorkshire Drugs Prevention Initiative to carry out this evaluation of two distinctive models of training.

Health in exile
This 1998 report looks at the experiences of refugees and evacuees in Leeds with regard to health services. Carried out for Refugee Action, it involved interviews with all the refugee communities in Leeds at the time, and came up with a number of recommendations.

Vietnamese Health Project
In 2001 Ruth Wilson completed an evaluation of the Leeds-based Vietnamese Health Project, which is managed by the Multi-Ethnic Health Development Team.

Fostering report
Work commissioned by Bradford Social Services’ Adoption and Fostering Unit in 2001, looking into difficulties in the marketing and recruitment process for new foster carers (research assistant: Alison Forrest).

Sure Start Plus
Gathering base line data for the measurement of need for, and up-take and provision of, services for teenage parents in the Bradford District (research assistant: Alison Forrest).(2001)

Child Protection
An analysis of Bradford Social Services Directorate Children’s Division case conference records, looking at the incidence of substance misuse (research assistant: Alison Forrest).(2001)

Teenage Conception and Birth in the Bradford District: statistical data and service mapping report
Ruth Wilson worked with Sharanjit Boughan to prepare this report, which was submitted to the Teenage Pregnancy Unit by Bradford District Young People’s Sexual Health Strategy Group.(2000)

Community involvement infrastructure in the Bradford District
Soundings taken with 16 local organisations in April 1999, to help the Bradford Health Action Zone develop community participation.

Drug services in Bradford
An assessment of drug services in the Bradford District, commissioned by the Bradford Community Health Council and based on interviews with service providers, policy makers and drug users.(1998)

Speaking out: community health concerns in West Bowling, Bradford
A participative health needs assessment carried out with the West Bowling Community Health Action Project. The project including training local people to take part in developing, carrying out and drawing up the research.(1998)

photo caption:
Volunteer with child on holiday, Activenture.

“I came here to save my life. So now I want to help the people of this country.”
Volunteer