In line with UK GDPR, this privacy notice explains the legal basis for data processing for this research, who will have access to your personal data, how your data will be used, stored, processed and deleted, and who you can contact with a query or complaint.
1.1.1 Summary
Legal basis
For this project, the Institute for Employment Studies (“IES”) and Verian Group (“Verian”) are independent Data Controllers and decide why and how personal data is used. The legal basis for processing personal data is Legitimate Interests under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f). Where special category data (e.g., health) is volunteered during open‑ended interviews, the lawful basis is your explicit consent under Article 9(2)(a).
How your data will be used, stored and processed
Your data will be collected only for research interviews and used solely for this study. Participants will not be named in outputs, and any quotes will be anonymised. Data are stored on encrypted IES servers with access restricted to the IES project team. Identifiable data (contact details, recordings, notes/transcripts) will be securely deleted within six months of project completion.
Who will have access to your personal data
Your personal data are stored securely by IES and are not shared outside the research team. Verian will receive analysed, anonymised findings (and anonymised quotes) in reports and related outputs; it will not receive raw personal data from interviews.
IES may disclose personal data only if required by law, for safeguarding purposes, or to protect against harmful activities.
Who can I contact?
For questions about the research, contact:
Becci Newton, Project Director: [email protected]
Astrid Allen, Project Manager: [email protected]
For questions about data protection, contact:
Anthony Lloyd, IES Data Protection Adviser: [email protected] or [email protected].
1.1.2 Introduction
The Youth Futures Foundation (“Youth Futures) have commissioned Verian and IES, two independent research organisations, to conduct a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of the DevelopMentor programme. DevelopMentor is a programme designed by Workwhile (previously known as the London Progression Collaboration) to support line managers of apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds.
1.1.3 What is the legal basis for processing my data?
We will only use your personal data where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR. For this research, Verian and IES are independent Data Controllers.
Our lawful basis for processing your personal data is Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)), because it is necessary to carry out this research while protecting your rights (for example, by limiting what we collect, restricting access, and anonymising outputs).
Because interviews are open‑ended, you may choose to share special category information (such as health). If you do, we will only process that information with your explicit consent (Article 9(2)(a)). You can skip any question or topic, and taking part is voluntary.
1.1.4 What kind of information do we collect?
- Contact and scheduling details including name, email/phone. This is so we can invite and arrange an interviews and surveys with Workwhile staff, line managers taking part in the DevelopMentor programme, and apprentices managed by the line managers. We may also use your details to send you an incentive payment for taking part.
- Contact details will be shared securely with IES based on the information you or your employer provide when you sign up to the DevelopMentor programme. For line managers and apprentices, this will include information about your employer, as well as demographic and personal characteristics.
- Interviews will take up to one hour, and will take place online via MS Teams or via a telephone call. With your permission, we will audio/video record the conversation. If you prefer not to be recorded, we will ask your permission to use software to take a transcript. If you do not give this consent, the researcher will take notes instead.
- All personal data collected will be kept to a minimum and stored securely on IES systems.
Your personal data alongside the answers you provide in your survey or interview with IES will be securely shared with Youth Futures, to be held in a data repository/ archive for the purposes of evaluation and research to help young people. Data will only be shared where it is necessary for the purposes stated in the Youth Futures privacy notice, which you can read here. To fulfil these purposes, the data may also be shared with other organisations who manage the archive, evaluate outcomes, conduct further research or link to data that is associated with Youth Futures’ vision and values. Youth Futures Foundation will be an independent Data Controller of all personal data it receives for their archive and will process your data in accordance with data protection law which includes keeping it secure and only using it where there is a fair and lawful basis to do so. For more information about the Youth Futures data archive, and their Privacy Policy, please see here.
1.1.5 How will my data be treated?
- We will take all reasonable steps to keep your information safe and to prevent unauthorised access, loss or disclosure.
- We will collect only the information needed to arrange the interview and analyse findings.
With your permission, we will:
- make an audio (and/or video) recording of the interview, take a transcript and/or take notes. If you prefer not to be recorded, we will seek your permission for the software to make a transcript. The researcher will otherwise take notes.
- We store your name and contact details separately from your interview information.
- Our interview data is labelled with a participant code (such as “Participant 01”) so it is not directly identifiable.
- Recordings and notes are stored securely (on encrypted IES systems and, where relevant, within MS Teams used to host the interview) and access is restricted to the research team.
- We will report findings in a way that does not identify you, and any quotes used will be anonymised.
- Your identifiable data will be kept no longer than necessary and will be securely deleted within six months of the project finishing (expected to be February 2028).
- If you later decide you do not want us to use what you shared, you can ask us to delete your interview data within the withdrawal period stated in this notice.
- We have procedures in place to manage any suspected data breach and will notify you and the relevant regulator where we are legally required to do so.
1.1.6 Who else has access to your information?
We promise to respect any of your personal data which is under our control and to keep it safe. We aim to be clear when we collect your information about what we will do with it and let you know of any material changes to this notice.
Your personal data will only be held with the IES team and will not be shared with any third party. Verian will not have access to any personal data from interviews, only data that has been analysed, anonymised, or attributed with permission, and is within our reports.
We may disclose personal data if required by law e.g. for safeguarding purposes, or to protect or defend ourselves or others against illegal or harmful activities, or as part of a reorganisation or restructuring of our organisations.
1.1.7 Your legal rights
You have rights under data protection law to make the following requests in relation to the personal data held about you that is being processed for this research, including:
- to request access to this data
- to amend any incorrect or inaccurate information
- to restrict or object to your data being processed
- to destroy this data
- to move, copy or transfer your data
You have the right to withdraw the information you have provided as part of interviews up to 2 weeks after the interview date. After this point the information will have been anonymised and will no longer be treated as personal data.
1.1.8 Who can I contact for more information?
If you have any questions about the research, please contact the Project Director or Project Manager:
Becci Newton, Project Director, [email protected]
Astrid Allen, Project Manager [email protected]