Philosophy Programmes in Prisons Data Transcriber and Analyst – GROW Your Future Micro Internship
Closing Date: 27/01/2025

This micro internship is for 30 hours in total (including 4 hours for training) and is aimed at students who may not have had any professional prior work experience and are looking for an opportunity that supports them to develop their employability skills.

Eligibility

To apply for this micro internship, students must be part of GROW Your Future.

GROW Your Future is an opt-in scheme for UK undergraduates and postgraduate taught students who also meet specific Widening Participation criteria, e.g. students who are:

• first in their family to go to university;
• in receipt of a Lancaster Bursary;
• received free school meals or from a low participation neighbourhood
• over 21 when they start their first undergraduate degree;
• Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic;
• disabled (including learning disabilities, physical or mental health conditions);
• care leavers or have caring responsibilities, or estranged from family
• a refugee or asylum seeker, from a gypsy or Traveller community, or from a military family

For more information and to sign up see the following link GROW Your Future | ASK - Lancaster University

This role is for a detail-oriented and analytical individual to support the evaluation of participant feedback from an educational programme delivering courses of philosophy workshops in prison (delivered for the Philosophy in Prisons charity). The role focuses on transcribing and analysing feedback data from participants (and potentially other stakeholders) to assess the impact, effectiveness, and areas for future growth and improvement of the programmes.

The role is hosted within the PPR (Politics, Philosophy and Religion) department, and will report directly to the programme owner responsible for designing and delivering the educational programme with external partners (Dr. Leonie Smith).

Key Responsibilities:

• Transcribe handwritten survey response data from participants in the philosophy programmes into electronic format, such that it can be searched, analysed and categorised.
• Analyse qualitative feedback to identify patterns and insights.
• Create report inputs summarising key findings, highlighting key successes of the programme, and possible areas for future programme development or adjustment.
• Work with the programme owner to clarify details, discuss findings and produce relevant report information, ensuring that data transcription and analysis are aligned with evaluation goals.
• Maintain confidentiality in handling anonymised survey response data from prison participants who have completed the educational programme and provided feedback.
• Provide updates to the programme owner during the project to an agreed frequency and format.

• Essential: Ability to read and transcribe handwritten survey responses.
• Essential: Ability to categorise and sort through qualitative survey response data to identify patterns, common ideas and themes in the feedback.
• Essential: Basic proficiency in Word and Excel (or similar tools) and willingness and ability to learn new skills in these and other common programmes as needed.
• Essential: An interest in supporting public education beyond the university setting.
• Essential: A commitment to the principle that those who are incarcerated ought not to be prevented from access to education.
• Desirable: familiarity with database tools (e.g., Access or similar).

Please note that it is not essential that the successful applicant has had previous experience of undertaking a similar role.

As this internship is aimed at students who do not have prior professional work experience, you can draw upon examples from extra curricular activities, hobbies, interests, volunteering and part time work in your CV and cover letter. 

Please also outline in your CV and cover letter why you believe this micro internship will benefit you and your career progression.

• Self-motivation
• Teamwork
• Time Management
• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Planning and organising
• Problem solving
• Organisation
• Interpersonal sensitivity
• Knowledge Sharing
• Analysing