Social Security Experience Panels: legacy report - visual summary

Feedback survey

Why people joined the panel

The feedback survey asked panel members what had motivated them to join the Experience Panels. The most common responses were to ‘Design Scotland’s social security system’ and to ‘Share my experience’, with 80 per cent and 79 per cent respectively.

25 per cent of respondents said that they were motivated to join to ‘Meet other people’.

Accessibility of participation

The feedback survey included several questions about accessibility relating to in-person research, phone/video research and surveys.

For interviews, 94 per cent and 93 per cent of in-person and phone/video participants, respectively, reported that they had enough choice about how they took part.

For surveys, 97 per cent of respondents said that they had enough time to complete the survey. 72 per cent said that they were able to access support to complete surveys if they needed it.

Communication with panel members

88 per cent of respondents said that the communications from the Experience Panels team had kept them up to date with the research.

96 per cent said that the reports and newsletters were in a format that was accessible to them. 93 per cent found both the reports and newsletters clear and easy to understand.

Panel members’ impact on decision making

82 per cent of respondents said that it was clear how Experience Panels research was used to inform the design of the new social security system in Scotland.

81 per cent said that they felt being part of the Experience Panels had allowed them to shape the new social security system.

87 per cent said that the Experience Panels were a good way to ensure people with lived experience helped to design the new social security system.

What worked well?

Panel members were asked what was good about the research activities. Respondents thought it was important that they were involved and felt their lived experience was valued.

Sharing experiences was described as cathartic and respondents said that they felt listened to.

Respondents also said that they liked hearing from other people and hearing similar experiences made them feel less alone.

Respondents also spoke positively about the researchers and felt that the organisation of the research worked well overall.

What could have been better?

When panel members were asked what could have been better, the survey responses generally related to accessibility of certain research locations, a desire for more in-person research and improved diversity of the panel.

Some respondents noted that they would have liked to have heard more about what happened to their contributions after the research was complete.

Impact on panel members

The survey asked panel members if they felt that their participation had achieved what they had hoped. Most respondents were very positive and expressed hope that they had helped to create a positive social security system for Scotland.

A few expressed disappointment that particular topics had not been covered, or that their suggestions were not implemented.

Overall experience of being on the panel

The vast majority (91 per cent) of respondents said that they had enjoyed taking part in the Experience Panels research, with more than half (55 per cent) strongly agreeing.

More than four-fifths (81 per cent) of respondents said that they had felt listened to.

93 per cent of respondents said that they would take part in research organised by the Scottish Government again.