Participant pack · 1.1
The Bridgeway pilot
Bridgeway is a fictional community learning centre. Its manager has six proposed projects, but will fund only three. Your group must choose them and agree one six-week plan, within a total budget of £6,000 and 40 staff hours.
The funding decision is the exercise. Compare the six options, choose three together and explain your reasons. Say who may miss out and how you will check progress.
The rules
- Choose exactly three whole projects. Use the listed figures; do not split projects or add money, staff time or donations.
- Keep the total within £6,000 and 40 staff hours. All figures cover the full six-week pilot, including setup, delivery, rooms and equipment.
- Include an Access project: A, C or E. These help with travel, timing or computer-access barriers.
- Include a Follow-up project: B or D. These provide support over more than one contact.
- Do not choose A and C together. They need the same mobile equipment on the same dates. Other combinations are compatible if they meet the limits.
- If a fact is missing, record a question for the manager. Do not invent extra resources to make a plan work.
Background and how to read the figures
In a fictional listening exercise with 20 residents, eight mentioned travel or daytime availability and five mentioned unreliable computer access. Some wanted employer introductions; others wanted help with applications. The categories overlap. This small sample does not represent all residents.
The manager wants practical progress and fair access. No single aim automatically takes priority. Your group must explain its balance.
All facts and figures are fictional. Everyone receives the same brief, with no secret roles. Forecast reach is an estimate per project: people may overlap, so do not add it up as unique people helped or jobs gained.
The six project options
Compare the benefit and the trade-off, as well as the cost. Reach is a forecast per project, with possible overlap.
Only selected project letters are saved on this device.
Your decision sheet
- Record your three project letters, total cost and total staff hours. Check every rule.
- Give two reasons for the plan and name who may still miss out.
- Name the strongest alternative you rejected and explain why.
- Record one risk, a response within the existing resources and one question for the manager.
- Choose a measure of progress at six weeks and say who will collect it.
Use page 4 to record the plan. Then give a two-minute recommendation: your choices, reasons, main trade-off and progress measure. Everyone should be ready to explain the group's reasoning.