Fourteen years of using evidence to inspire action
Fourteen years of using evidence to inspire action
Members of the Bridge Group team reflect on establishing the charity, impact achieved, and the future.
Fourteen years ago, six volunteers resolved to stop discussing social equality, and to do something about it.
The result was the Bridge Group, an organisation dedicated to using independent research as a catalyst for evidence-based social change. With an expanded group of energetic volunteers, the group inspired philanthropic support from Google and others – then started to attract commissions from paying clients such as KMPG. Nik Miller, a founding volunteer, became the first paid employee in 2014 and the Bridge Group registered with the Charity Commission in June 2015. Since its founding, the Bridge Group has supported hundreds of organisations, large and small, with independent expertise, research and practical know-how.
The charity has evolved and grown over time. However, the vision for a more equitable education system and labour market – where outcomes are determined by competence and hard work, and not by socio-economic background – has been steadfast.
Nik Miller, now Chief Executive, says: “Our team’s evidence-led approach has already achieved significant progress against our objectives. But this is not the time to stand still: the factors that motivated the founding of the Bridge Group are more relevant today than they have ever been.”
The foundation and early growth of the Bridge Group
When the founding volunteers first got together in 2009 (on London Bridge, which helped inspire the charity’s name), the initial focus was on equality in higher education. Dr Penelope Griffin, Director of Higher Education and Impact at the Bridge Group, and also one of the founding volunteers, explains: “We were frustrated by the narrow range of evidence that informed Government policy-making in this area, and determined to give a voice to expert practitioners and researchers. Our early events convened these groups to clarify key issues and identify solutions. We wrote policy papers and lobbied for change. All of this was alongside our busy day jobs. One of our early reports was launched by Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister; and Alan Milburn championed our efforts at an early event hosted by Google.”
The agility of the Bridge Group has helped it evolve to focus on undertaking research and providing practical advice for organisations. However, the evidence-driven approach hasn’t changed. Nik comments on this: “Organisational programmes that address diversity risk being ineffective or tokenistic unless they are built on evidence derived from robust data. We quickly understood that robustly diagnosing a problem, before designing realistic solutions, is critical to positive and lasting change.”
Early influence
Dr Helen Wareham, Senior Data Analyst at the Bridge Group, joined as a consultant in 2015, prior to the organisation being commissioned by the Cabinet Office to review the Civil Service Fast Stream; a project which, in Helen’s words, ended up being “a fascinating, influential piece of work.”
The findings revealed how graduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds were less likely to apply to the Civil Service Fast Stream, and less likely to succeed at every stage of the assessment process. The report was the first of its kind for the Civil Service, and triggered action not only within the Civil Service, but amongst a wide range of employers to increase socio-economic diversity. Helen says: “That contract with the Cabinet Office set expectations about how the Bridge Group approaches work, using rigorous research and practical application. Producing that report taught us many things too: how to apply the most robust data analyses, how to present the findings of our analysis accessibly and persuasively – and most importantly how to draw on expertise across the team.
“We listened and made sure we were always informed by evidence, and we were also willing to challenge views that were not substantiated by our findings. We have worked in that way ever since. My ambitions for our future are positively linked with this practical way of working.”
Organisational growth and creating impact
Fast forward to 2024, and Nik, Penelope and Helen are all in permanent roles, alongside a formidable team of research and professional administrative staff. Another founding member, Dr Kenton Lewis MBE, continues to contribute as a Bridge Group Fellow alongside other eminent practitioners and academics.
The Board of Trustees has also been fundamental to challenging, inspiring and supporting the Charity’s growth. Chair of the Board, Hephzibah Adeosun, describes the organisation as having: “resolve, expertise and dedication in creating opportunities and reducing barriers, ensuring a fair chance for all.”
As the team has grown, so too has the list of clients and donors. Our latest impact report, to be published shortly, lists over 130 organisations we have been commissioned by, including: employers; consortia groups such as Access Accountancy and Progress Together; the Sutton Trust, the Social Mobility Foundation and other charities; universities; and a range of other organisations. We have also received charitable grants, for example from the UPP Foundation and Independent Franchise Partners.
Many organisations who worked with the Bridge Group in the founding years, including KPMG, the Fast Stream and the Sutton Trust, continue to commission research and advice from the charity today.
Penelope notes that the Bridge Group is skilled at helping clients evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts to support socio-economic equality and diversity: “No-one wants to spend a lot of money and/or time on initiatives that aren’t making a difference. But we recognise too that impact isn’t always obvious: it is often really helpful to talk to people, to get the stories behind the numbers. And to understand the context.”
What the future holds
Reflecting on the future, Nik highlights that social equality is now one of the most pressing policy matters of our time – across education, business and wider society: “Progressive organisations have very real opportunities to use the insights derived from data to drive diversity and performance, and to contribute to a more equitable society.”
Helen also reminds us that social justice and the inequalities related to it are difficult to change, particularly in the wider national, political and global contexts: “It can be frustrating, especially against the backdrop of widening gaps in educational attainment, increasing child poverty, and increased inequality more generally. However, sometimes in our jobs, we catalyse a sequence of steps that come together and create real change. Then you really feel that things are shifting in the right direction.
Just as he was convinced of the role of the Bridge Group in driving greater social equality fourteen years ago, Nik sees now as being the time for action: “There remains a strong link between socio-economic background and educational and employment outcomes. Every day, the work that we do with our collaborators demonstrates that equality and excellence are mutually reinforcing, rather than in competition. We also need to realise that greater equality requires collective responsibility and collaborative action across sectors.”
Looking to the future, Penelope would like to ensure the Bridge Group continues to deliver the thought leadership that characterised the early days. “There is space for more evidence-informed debate”, she says, “and we need to be part of that.”