REAP: Researching Equity, Access and Participation.

We are a group of researchers, educational practitioners and community development workers who explore widening access to learning amongst excluded groups of learners of all ages (e.g. minority ethnic, disabled and working-class). Our group consists of people who have a diversity of professional and personal interests and expertise which means that we are able to bring a range of different approaches and knowledge to our research.

We work to explore the factors contributing to exclusion from learning as well as looking at the ways in which barriers to participation can be removed. We are keen to work with a range of groups and we adopt an inclusive approach to the learning opportunities we provide. At the same time as sharing our knowledge and experience, we are open to learning from the experiences and practice of others.

We use our research to develop materials and resources for practitioners in education, parents, carers and families, as well as the individual learners themselves. We work collaboratively and in partnership with individuals and organisations interested in equity, access and participation. We have undertaken the evaluation of a range of projects.

REAP's work is diverse and spans across the interests of the Department of Educational Research based in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. REAP works in conjunction with the Department's newly formed research centres for: Social Justice and Wellbeing in Education; Higher Education Research and Evaluation; and Technology Enhanced Learning. REAP was formerly known as the Community Access Programme (CAP).