The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), an independent social change organisation, wanted to create a research relationship with a community of people who are struggling financially.
As part of their mission to support and speed up the transition to a future that’s more equitable, just and free from poverty, JRF needed to get timely insights on what matters to this group to shape their policy and campaigning work and challenge their own perceptions of the priorities of people experiencing financial hardship.
However, researching sensitive topics like financial hardship requires more than just a data collection tool; it requires a safe, trusted environment where vulnerable adults feel comfortable sharing their daily struggles over a sustained period.
Here is how, over the past three years, the Field Notes platform has been facilitating this connection in their ongoing Grounded Voices programme, which forms part of the JRF Insight infrastructure.
The Method: Technology Designed for Safety and Agency
JRF, working with Humankind Research and Field Notes, established a longitudinal programme involving 5-month waves of research. The methodology relies on self-ethnography via mobile diaries, and the specific configuration of the technology is critical to maintaining trust and engagement.
Empowerment Through Format Choice
Given the sensitive nature of financial hardship, forcing participants to appear on camera can be a barrier. To address this, the platform can be set up to give participants complete control over how they respond.
For every task within the JRF community, participants can choose to reply via video, audio, text, or images. This flexibility allows individuals to engage in the way they feel most comfortable at that specific moment. For instance, if a participant feels vulnerable or prefers not to show their face, they can switch to audio or text without disrupting the flow of research. This autonomy is essential for empowering participants to share deeply personal experiences.
Leveraging Tech to Foster Connections
To ensure the research feels like a relationship, the platform supports two-way visual communication. The JRF team does not just set written questions; they film and upload their own videos introducing themselves and the tasks.
This feature allows participants to see the human beings behind the study, fostering a sense of connection and reducing the distance between the researcher and the respondent.
Furthermore, the in-app chat functionality enables the JRF to provide ongoing guidance, feedback and support – ensuring that the participants feel heard and that their efforts are valued and appreciated.
Safety Protocols and Data Control
Trust is the foundation of longitudinal research. The platform allows participants to maintain control over their own narrative. If a participant uploads content and later changes their mind, they have the specific functionality to hide or delete their entries.
Furthermore, all communications happen within the secure app environment. This creates a “safe enclosed space” for the participants, ensuring the research remains separate from their everyday personal communications.
“If a participant hasn’t completed a task, we can check whether they need support within the app environment, rather than messaging them separately. This maintains the feeling of a safe enclosed space that doesn’t encroach on their world. Small details like that make a big difference.”
Emma Wincup, Qualitative Insights Manager, JRF
The Results: Rich Data And Value For Participants
The research design and optimised platform make people feel comfortable to share deeply personal experiences that, in some cases, they hadn’t shared with anyone, even their partners. At the extremes, some people talked about suicidal thoughts or eating disorders, but mostly they discussed their feeling about day-to-day experiences of struggling to manage and what that means for their lives, families and relationships.
Participants said the diaries were helpful in their lives, enabling them to offload about their struggles. One was even inspired to start journaling independently after the research. As a result, retention is unusually high and dropouts are very rare.
How JRF uses the research
The research has allowed JRF to connect with people struggling to afford what they need, providing them with timely insights grounded in people’s experiences.
It has enabled the team to discover overlooked impacts of financial hardship, such as poor dental health and sleep difficulties, as well as how people are managing to supplement their incomes during the cost-of-living crisis.
It also helped them to get a richer understanding of the context around key policy areas such as credit and debt and housing, and guide questioning on JRF’s cost-of-living survey.
Lastly, the research has allowed them to respond quickly and agilely to external events such as rising energy prices and the outcome of elections.
If you’d like to discuss how to connect with participants from disadvantaged backgrounds, Book a Demo or get in touch with us at hello@fieldnotes.space
