Multi-intervention outreach across Law, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences: Reflections from online delivery

Abstract

Multi-intervention outreach is defined as combining two or more activities into an ongoing programme of support for students at different stages of their education. This paper details three multiintervention outreach programmes in the disciplines of Law, Social Sciences, and Health Sciences. The Preparing for Law programme was designed as an in-person multi-intervention outreach programme; the Preparing for Social Sciences programme transitioned from face-to-face to online delivery, and the Preparing for Health Sciences programme was planned solely online due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The discussion draws on the experiences and reflections from three academic leads who designed and implemented the programmes. The focus of these reflections centre on programme design, resourcing and engagement, entwined with their learnings from design changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is imperative for future programme leads to consider the timing in designing a multi-intervention outreach programme, along with factors affecting participant motivation to enhance programme engagement. Additional consideration should be given to the cost-effectiveness of online/hybrid programmes.