SCAPP (Scotland’s Community of Access and Participation Practitioners) was established as a result of a number of recommendations resulting from the Commission for Wider Access (CoWA) which reported in 2015. One key development was the establishment of the Scottish Framework for Fair Access, launched in May 2019, which seeks to support practitioners and evaluation and research professionals engaged in access activity to identify, plan and evaluate best practice activities for widening access, and to identify those with the highest impact in order to highlight and support best practice at each stage of the learner journey.

The framework has two key dimensions:

• Establishing a Community of Practice for Widening Access practitioners - SCAPP
• Developing a toolkit to provide evidence, and assess the effectiveness, of existing interventions to promote fair access by bringing together the best evidence on access activities

The aim of SCAPP is to provide a practitioners’ network to support the development and professionalisation of a strong widening access and participation community in Scotland. SCAPP aims to be inclusive with a focus on supporting those directly engaged in delivery, with the purpose of embedding, enhancing and supporting effective practice in Scotland. 

The SCAPP network works with the Fair Access Toolkit to enhance knowledge, understanding and practice of widening access/participation practitioners and, alongside the Toolkit, enable practitioners to share and learn from existing best practice and research and bring together the best

SCAPP is governed by a Steering Group with representation from across the university, college, school and charity sector to offer balance in terms of experience, sector representation, geographic representation and gender balance. The group meets 2-3 times per year in order to support the Development Co-ordinator to ensure that the objectives and deliverables of SCAPP are met in full and in line with budgets and timeframes outlined in the bid.

SCAPP aims to be a sustainable, member-led community. The membership is growing to include representation from universities, colleges, skills, voluntary and public sector organisations and will continue to build the network to represent the diversity of interests, activities and work in which practitioners are engaged.

More information: https://www.fairaccess.scot/community-of-practice/