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Blog: 'No two days are the same in research'

New to the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website in 2015, we'll feature a blog post every Friday through the year.

February's theme is research and insight - our Research team of Emma Spring and Francis Leng are based in the Manchester offices of EFDS, and here they outline their roles within the charity.

Emma Spring: Research and Insight Manager

Hi there, I’m Emma and have been at the charity for three years. Before joining EFDS I worked in pharmaceutical market research, testing doctors’ opinions of new drugs coming onto the market. I made the switch to the charitable sector so that I’ll be able to see my research having a tangible effect on the people it’s supposed to help.

My role is to gather evidence around what disabled people want from sport and physical activity. I then present what we find to providers to help them improve what they can offer.

To gather all the evidence, I review research already available to determine what’s useful. 

I work closely with other organisations such as National Disability Sports Organisations (NDSOs), the Sport and Recreation Alliance and sportscoachUK to maximise their research and ensure useful disability data can be captured, interpreted, reported and presented.

NDSOs represent specific impairment groups, and support them to participate in sport and physical activity. They are:

I also conduct and commission new research projects to answer any outstanding questions. 

My role is diverse, and no two days are the same. 

On a Monday I could be in London, speaking with Public Health England about their latest research and how best to capture data on disability. This might then be followed by a meeting with the England Cricket Board at Lord’s, helping them to ensure their research reflects the views of disabled people.   

The next day I might travel to our Loughborough head office, to work with our CEO on our research plans. We have lots in the pipeline in 2015, so I need to ensure we prioritise the workload to make sure that our budget goes as far as it can.

Wednesday could see me back in Manchester, writing the latest research report which is then shared on our website and social media platforms. This takes time, because I have to condense a lot of findings into clear, easy-to-understand headings.

The next day, Thursday, I’ll attend focus groups in a hotel in Leeds. These allow me to have a hands on approach, listening to the views of disabled people directly. This then informs the research we produce as a team.

And then on Friday I can be found producing fact sheets based on the latest Active People Survey, looking beyond national figures to provide disability-specific data. Specific information is vital for the sports sector, who use it to better understand the needs of disabled people.

Our research has helped to position EFDS as the go-to organisation to give guidance on how to improve sport and physical activity for disabled people.

Francis Leng – Research and Insight Advisor

Hello, my name is Francis. I joined EFDS in November – before moving to Manchester I was busy completing a Masters degree in International Marketing at Newcastle University. I combined my studies with conducting research projects for a charity in North Shields.

My role at EFDS is to support NDSOs to conduct research relevant to their needs. I work with the seven organisations to help them enhance their knowledge and understanding of their market.

Many NDSOs work to achieve shared goals in similar environments, and EFDS can help them to collaborate where interests align. However, each of the NDSOs are working with different impairment groups that can face unique needs and challenges when it comes to participating in sport and physical activity. That’s why one of my primary aims is to ensure that they receive useful impairment specific data and insights.

I provide the NDSOs with a range of support across the research process, from developing plans and conducting research right through to writing reports and presenting findings. My role can vary from helping to develop a short questionnaire to commissioning large-scale collaborative research projects which involve multiple organisations.

I work closely with Emma to ensure any work that we do compliments each other. We strive to ensure that at EFDS we continue to expand our knowledge of what disabled people want, and need, from sport and physical activity.

For further information about EFDS and our research, please contact Emma Spring, Research and Insight Manager or Francis Leng, Research and Insight Advisor. Call 0161 200 5441.