The internship’s objectives are to provide policymakers with a better, evidence-based understanding of: the training/professional support CLWs already receive and gaps in this; and the views of CLWs and those who manage and commission CLWs services about their priorities for professional support and development needs. We expect the project approach to be a combination of: desk-based work (e.g. reviewing reports); data collection and analysis (e.g. interviews, focus groups, online survey); which will lead to a report and key messages Powerpoint. There will some scope to shape the project based on your strengths and skills. The project builds on work by the Scottish Community Link Worker Network (SCLWN), including its 2023 ‘Essential Connections’ research and a 2022 training needs assessment.
You will be supervised by a SG Health and Social Care Analysis (HSCA) social researcher and work closely with the Health Inequalities and Mental Health in Primary Care policy team who are responsible for national policy on CLWs, within its wider work on health inequalities, and other policymakers. HSCA comprises statisticians, researchers, economists and operational researchers, and provides evidence and analysis for Ministers and policy teams to inform and shape health and social care policy in line with Scottish Government priorities.