Widening Access Demonstrators programme

The Widening Access Demonstrator pilot programme is designed to support individuals who are traditionally underrepresented in employment, particularly those from deprived communities across the country. The programme offers access to pre-employment opportunities and long-term career pathways, aiming to help economically inactive individuals move into training or employment and reach their full potential. 

As part of this pilot, we will collect participant data - including target group, locality or postcode area, ethnicity, gender, age, and progression into training or employment, where individuals have consented. This information helps us to: 

• understand whether the programme is reaching the intended target groups and geographic areas 
• ensure participants reflect the diversity of the communities served, in terms of ethnicity, gender, and age 
• analyse outcomes, including progression into training or employment, to identify trends and areas for improvement 
• inform future policymaking and the development of similar programmes, based on evidence and insight

All data is handled in line with data protection legislation and used solely for evaluation and programme development purposes. 

Participant data is collected directly by the integrated care board (ICB) delivery partners involved in the Widening Access Demonstrator site pilot programme. The data is securely recorded on a protected excel spreadsheet, which is used to store, manage, and monitor information for evaluation and monitoring purposes. Data is used to assess the reach, impact, and effectiveness of the programme, inform future policy, and support the development of similar initiatives. 

Information about you will be stored in line with NHS England’s retention schedule.

As part of the pilot programme, we will process the following information about participants: 

Target group status – for example, whether the participant is economically inactive, long term unemployed, unpaid carers. 

Source of referral – how the participant was identified or referred to the programme, such as via a careers event, Job Centre plus. 

Area code and locality – the first 3 or 4 digits of the participant’s postcode and their general locality, to understand geographic reach.

Ethnicity.

Gender. 

Age.

Sexual orientation.

Care leaver status.

Pre-employability programme and status – including the type of programme and whether the participant has started, currently enrolled, has left early or has completed it. 

Positive destination – the participants next step after completing the pre-employability programme (for example, training, employment, apprenticeship), including whether this was in health or social care.

The ICB delivering the programme.

NHS England.

Where we process personal data about you, we use Article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR: '…exercise of official authority…'.

Where we process special categories of personal data about you, we use Article 9(2)(h) of the UK GDPR: '…processing is necessary for the … management of health or social care systems…'.