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APPENDIX B: TOPIC GUIDES
FINAL Topic Guide for RAS Service Users - Students and Those Seeking Employment
45103386
August 2005
Evaluation of the Relocation Advisory Service ( RAS)
Topic Guide for Telephone In-Depth Interviews with Service Users
Aim: To explore the accounts, needs and experiences of individuals who have used the Scottish Executive's Relocation Advisory Service
Objectives
1) To explore fully the extent to which RAS:
- attracts and supports skilled people to relocate to Scotland
- delivers its services efficiently, effectively and fairly
- works effectively with partners to deliver seamless services
from the point of view of RAS service users
2) To investigate the context within which service users contact RAS
1 Background
- About BMRB, independent research agency
- About the project
- To explore views on RAS and the services, support and advice that it offers
- Commissioned by the Scottish Executive
- This is one of a number of interviews being conducted with people who have contacted RAS, and part of a larger evaluation project
- Duration of interview - around 45 minutes to one hour
- Confidentiality and tape recording
2 Background of the respondent
- Collect or check demographic/ socioeconomic information as follows:
- country of origin
- current place of residence (eg city and country)
- marital status
- number of dependants
- Brief background to and overview of their attempts to relocate/ stay in Scotland
- In the case of students already in Scotland, ask about their studies and their reasons for studying in Scotland
- Ask respondent to relate their considerations and experiences from first thoughts on relocating, through to their contact with the RAS to present day.
Then use following sections to probe in detail, following narrative account and checking timescales throughout
3 Period Leading up to First Contact with RAS
Ask respondent to describe his/her experience, views and decisions before contacting RAS. Explore:
- Hopes and expectations. Probe for aspirations re future lifestyle, environment, work, accommodation etc
- Countries considered and why (inc Scotland) ( NB initial response only. Will be explored later.)
- Criteria when choosing a possible destination and ranking by importance
- Process for selecting and researching possible destinations - sources of information, support and advice, including other advisory services, as relevant. ( NB Discern both initial sources and later sources. Elicit process as a narrative account.)
- Destinations selected (ie shortlisted) and why (include Scotland). Probe for general perceptions about life and society in Scotland.
- What were the key factors in choosing to try to come here? (Eg family/friends/employment/way of life/networks)
- Have they visited Scotland previously? What impact did previous visit(s) have?
- Does the respondent have relatives, friends or other contacts already in Scotland or Great Britain? Describe relationships with these people and the role they play/ might play in relocation
- Probe the perceived opportunities/ barriers to relocation in Scotland,
4 Contacting RAS (can include more than one contact)
Ask respondent to describe his/her experiences, views and decisions at the time(s) they contacted RAS. Explore:
- How did they find out about RAS?
- Why did they contact RAS - expectations, needs?
- When did they contact RAs - and why then?
- What questions/ queries did they have?
- How did they contact RAS - media, content of communications, language issues
- How did RAS respond - media, content of communications, ease of understanding, language issues
- To what extent did RAS's response(s) match needs and expectations - why, why not. Probe for usefulness/ relevance/ completeness/ presentation/ timeliness of information
- To what extent did RAS's response help, or not help, respondent progress his/ her enquiry/ quest to relocate. Probe for contact with follow-on services and experiences/usefulness of these. NB If respondent chose not to contact follow-on services, explore why not.
- What impact did RAS have?
- Has the respondent contacted other support bodies like RAS (ie in the UK or abroad)? Which ones? Why? How did they compare with RAS?
- More generally, to summarise, how does Scotland compare with other countries re the assistance provided?
5 After Contacting RAS
Ask respondent to describe his/her experiences, views and decisions after contacting RAS. Explore:
- What happened next?
- What stage is respondent at now?
- Is respondent still considering relocating to/ staying in Scotland? Why/why not? What are the perceived opportunities/ barriers?
- What questions/queries do they have?
- Are they considering/ have they considered other countries/ ways to address their situation?
- How have their considerations/ expectations of relocating changed over time? Since contacting RAS?
- Do they need further information/ advice/ support? What? How might they get this?
- Would they contact RAS again? Why/ why not?
- Have they contacted other support bodies like RAS? Which ones? Why? How did they compare with RAS?
- What would encourage respondent/others to relocate to/ stay in Scotland? What more could Scotland do to attract/ retain people?
- To summarise, what would improve RAS services?
THANK AND CLOSE
FINAL Topic Guide for RAS Service Users - Employers
45103386
August 2005
Evaluation of the Relocation Advisory Service ( RAS)
Topic Guide for Telephone In-Depth Interviews with Service Users
Aim: To explore the accounts, needs and experiences of individuals who have used the Scottish Executive's Relocation Advisory Service
Objectives
1) To explore fully the extent to which RAS:
- attracts and supports skilled people to relocate to Scotland
- delivers its services efficiently, effectively and fairly
- works effectively with partners to deliver seamless services
from the point of view of RAS service users
2) To investigate the context within which service users contact RAS
1 Background
- About BMRB, independent research agency
- About the project
- To explore views on RAS and the services, support and advice that it offers
- Commissioned by the Scottish Executive
- This is one of a number of interviews being conducted with people who have contacted RAS, and part of a larger evaluation project
- Duration of interview - around 45 minutes to one hour
- Confidentiality and tape recording
2 Background of the respondent
- Collect or check demographic/ socioeconomic information as follows:
- type of business, business sector and location
- number of employees
- approx turnover
- recruitment needs (eg skills shortages)
- Brief background to, and overview of, their reasons for considering employing in migrants
3 Understanding of RAS
Check familiarity with RAS, and specifically awareness of RAS' objectives
Then use following sections to probe in detail, following narrative account and checking timescales throughout
4 Period Leading up to First Contact with RAS
Ask respondent to describe his/her experience, views and decisions before first contacting RAS. Explore:
- Previous history and experiences of recruiting from abroad
- Reasons for considering employing in migrants.
- Recruitment needs, hopes and expectations. Probe for aspirations re staff recruitment.
- Criteria for recruitment. (eg job spec, skill set)
- Process for selecting and researching recruitment opportunities- sources of information, support and advice, including other advisory services, as relevant. ( NB Discern both initial sources and later sources. Elicit process as a narrative account.)
- Needs, hopes and expectations re service providers (ie organisations assisting employers to recruit from abroad).
- Probe the perceived opportunities/ barriers to recruiting in migrants at this initial stage
5 Contacting RAS (can include more than one contact)
Ask respondent to describe his/her experiences, views and decisions at the time(s) they contacted RAS. Explore:
- How did they find out about RAS?
- Why did they contact RAS- expectations, needs?
- When did they contact RAS - and why then?
- What questions/ queries did they have?
- How did they contact RAS - media, content of communications, language issues
- How did RAS respond - media, content of communications, ease of understanding
- To what extent did RAS's response(s) match needs and expectations - why, why not. Probe for usefulness/ relevance/ completeness/ presentation/ timeliness of information.
- Explore views of RAS 'sign posting' approach. EXPLORE FULLY.
- To what extent did RAS's response help, or not help, respondent progress his/ her enquiry/ quest to recruit from abroad. Probe for contact with follow-on services and experiences/usefulness of these. NB If respondent chose not to contact follow-on services, explore why not.
- What impact did RAS have?
- Has the respondent contacted other support bodies like RAS (ie in Scotland or elsewhere)? Which ones? Why? How did they compare with RAS?
6 After Contacting RAS
Ask respondent to describe his/her experiences, views and decisions after contacting RAS. Explore:
- What happened next?
- What stage is respondent at now? Has respondent been 'successful' in meeting his/ her aims? Why/ why not?
- Is respondent still recruiting from abroad? Why/why not? What are the perceived opportunities/ barriers now?
- What questions/queries do they have?
- How have their considerations/ expectations of employing in migrants changed over time? Since contacting RAS?
- Do they need further information/ advice/ support? What? How might they get this?
- Would they contact RAS again? Why/ why not?
- What would help respondent/ other Scottish employers to recruit and retain skilled workers from other countries?
- What kind of service would RAS ideally provide to employers? What would respondent like to see RAS provide? EXPLORE FULLY
- To summarise, what would improve RAS services for employers in Scotland?
THANK AND CLOSE
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