The Lines Between

📢 Report Published: Evaluating Negotiated Stopping for Roadside Camps in Scotland 📢 We are pleased to share our latest published report on the Negotiated Stopping model. This report, commissioned by COSLA and Public Health Scotland, evaluated the 2019-2022 pilot of the negotiated stopping approach, seeking to improve conditions for Gypsy/Traveller communities, while also improving relationships with settled communities.    The report explores key challenges and makes recommendations on the importance of accessible land, facilities, and services to improve the lives of these communities.   Next week, Lorraine Simpson and Ian Christie look forward to presenting findings from the evaluation to the Gypsy Traveller Officer Group, which brings together staff from Scotland's 32 local authorities. Check out the full report📄here:

On Monday, our new Research Officer Laura Mallis attended online training run by Snap Surveys. The interesting and insightful course covered questionnaire design, with helpful guidance on: ·      creating engaging surveys ☑️ ·      setting different question and response types ☑️ ·      survey routing ☑️ We regularly use Snap - recent examples include our survey of stakeholders as part of scoping work to develop a mental health patient experience survey for The Scottish Government, a questionnaire in the final stages of our application of the Delphi methodology exploring substance use harm prevention for Public Health Scotland, and a survey of further and higher education institutes who have adopted the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers Quality Assurance Mark. We're looking forward to applying learning from the course in our surveys throughout 2025 and beyond! 

🚨 Report Published 🚨 We are proud to share our latest consultation analysis report on 'Determining the Principles of a Scottish Equivalent to the Passivhaus Standard', delivered by Alastair Graham, Carole Kelly, and Rachel Mair. The Passivhaus standard aims to create ultra-energy-efficient, sustainable buildings that also provide a high level of occupant comfort. The Lines Between was commissioned by The Scottish Government to analyse the 350 responses to this consultation, on the possible form and approach of a Scottish equivalent to this standard. The report highlights a range of views from industry individuals and organisations on how changes could be made within Scottish building regulations.    🔗 Read the full report below: #ConsultationAnalysis #ScottishGovernment #Sustainability #Passivhaus

🌟 10 Things We Have Learned in 10 Years 🌟 As we celebrate our 10th Birthday at The Lines Between, we are reflecting on the lessons that have shaped our journey. From refining our approach to research, to building strong relationships, here are 10 things that our team members have learned in 10 years: 🚀 1. The Power of Collaboration – There is so much joy in seeing reports come to life through true collaboration—working with colleagues, clients, and listening closely to the experiences of the people we speak with. 2. Remote Teams Can Thrive – A remote team can work perfectly when consideration is given to collaborative methods, communication, and replicating office advantages like learning by osmosis and socializing. 3. Don’t Hesitate to Ask for Help – Collaboration is the key to success. Never hesitate to reach out if you’re stuck. 4. Investing in People – Providing comprehensive induction and training for new staff makes them feel supported, valued, and equipped for success. 5. Engaging Seldom-Heard Voices – New approaches to engaging seldom-heard people and communities have proven invaluable, bringing important insights to research and evaluation. 6. Thorough Data is Crucial – Recording all interviews and fully transcribing them leads to incredibly thorough data sets, enhancing the quality of our work. 7. Just Start Writing – A powerful report begins with an early first draft, which gives enough time for re-reading and refining with fresh eyes. 8. Efficiency is Everything – There’s always a more efficient way to do something. The combination of an experienced team and a growing organisation makes it a lot easier to find that solution. 9. Preparation is Key – Public speaking has always been challenging, but thorough preparation and rehearsals as a team can ease the nerves and even make it enjoyable! 10. Listen to What is Not Being Said – A good researcher listens not just to what is being said, but also to what is not. It can take time to build rapport to help draw out real thoughts and opinions. Yesterday we had a wonderful Christmas lunch at The Voyage of Buck to celebrate our 10th Birthday. Thank you to everyone who has worked with us this past year - our clients, partners, and research participants. Have a lovely Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all in 2025!

🎉 Celebrating 10 Years of The Lines Between! 🎉 Today marks an exciting milestone for The Lines Between Ltd - our 10th birthday!! 🎉🎈🌟 From baby steps in 2014, we have grown in size and strength to a team of ten and built trusting relationships with a broad base of amazing public and third-sector clients. Our research, evaluation and analysis has informed funding, policies, programmes, and services across Scotland and further afield. We reached this point because of our fantastic, talented team who are committed to delivering accessible and inclusive social research. This video highlights The Lines Between’s journey so far, with some of our most memorable moments and achievements. Here’s to the next 10 years! 🚀

🌟 AI in Qualitative Research: Training 🌟 Last week Consultation Analyst Carole Kelly attended The Social Research Association's training course on 'AI Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis'. 💻 It was truly fascinating to see how AI is being integrated into research projects, especially through the lens of someone deeply immersed in the field. It was also fantastic to gain hands-on experience with MAXQDA, a software specialising in qualitative analysis with built-in AI functionality. A key takeaway was the importance of transparency about when and why AI is being used in research. Researchers should consider how AI can complement - rather than replace - human expertise. AI is changing research and we need to keep up to date with its evolution. We're excited to consider its potential for our work, to develop our understanding of the ethical considerations, learn about tools and approaches, and explore AI's ability to enhance our analytical and data interpretation capacity 🚀

👏 👏 👏 Fantastic work by my colleagues Alastair Graham, Carole Kelly, Molly Rosenbaum, PhD, Ian Christie, and Katie Allan on the analysis of responses to the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.

🚨 Report Published🚨 We are pleased to share that The Scottish Government has published our latest consultation analysis report on the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment (ADP), delivered by Alastair Graham, Carole Kelly, Molly Rosenbaum, PhD, Ian Christie, and Katie Allan.    The Lines Between was commissioned to analyse the responses to the public consultation and call for evidence, with the purpose of understanding experiences with the Adult Disability Payment in its first year of delivery. Many respondents gave positive feedback, but also suggested changes that they felt would make ADP more effective, accessible, and inclusive for those who need it.    🔗 Read the full report below #ConsultationAnalysis #ScottishGovernment #DisabilitySupport #PublicConsultation #AdultDisabilityPayment #Report

👋 New colleagues! 👋 We are thrilled to introduce THREE brilliant new colleagues to our team at The Lines Between!   Rachel Mair - Research Analyst Rachel has recently moved to the UK from New Zealand and brings a wealth of experience in research and evaluation, including for the New Zealand Government, the Ministry of Social Development, the Tertiary Education Commission, and at the University of Otago, where she published an article on Why Staff Love Working in Acute Mental Health.   Polly Baxter – Research Officer Polly joins us from a previous career in the classical music industry, where she gained project management and communication skills over a range of roles, including managing international opera singers! She worked previously as a Research Assistant, has a COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills, and is currently completing her Masters in Psychology.   Laura Mallis – Research Officer Laura joins us with a range of experience in the public and third sectors, most recently working with Citizens Advice Scotland in project management and engagement, managing services on gambling harm and access to welfare. She also has an Applied Masters in Social Research and has previously volunteered as a prison inspector.   It’s an exciting time for us as we continue our ongoing growth and expansion 🚀 You can read more about our new colleagues and the rest of our fantastic team here: https://lnkd.in/dcRtkpug

We have regular social events The Lines Between to support our teamwork and build in opportunities for fun. Last night Lorraine and Alastair had the pleasure of attending a sushi-making class hosted at one of our favourite dinner spots in Edinburgh, Maki & Ramen. Our Sensei, Maki & Ramen's head chef and CEO, Teddy Lee lead a fun class with demonstrations and inspections. Alastair proved to be a natural at sushi-craft; Lorraine, on the other hand, is far better at eating sushi than making it. A huge thank you to the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce for organising such a creative and fun event! #networking #newskills