STAGE 5: RECRUITING AND SUPPORTING YOUR PARTICIPANTS
How to guide on
participation liaison
This guide is your companion for supporting participants throughout your engagement process – from first contact through to post-event follow up.
Why?
You should start thinking about participant liaison and support when planning your recruitment approach to make sure the necessary support and resources are built in and communicated from the beginning of your communications.
Why is participant liaison so important?
Providing effective participant liaison is about more than logistics. Done well, it helps you:
- Build trust with individuals and communities
- Increase participation from those who are often excluded
- Make sure everyone knows what to expect and feels prepared
- Identify and respond to support or access needs
- Create a smoother and more meaningful engagement process
If your process is self selecting don’t stop reading this guide – as you read through consider what you can implement to support more diverse people to participate in your engagement process.
Pause and think exercise
Before your start your recruitment process, ask yourself:
- Who might struggle to take part in this process?
- What could stop them from saying ‘yes’ to participating?
- What would help them feel safe, welcome, and supported?
The participant support journey
This table follows the participant’s journey from start to finish. This guide is written primarily for structured engagements (e.g. citizen assemblies, panels, workshops, etc.) where you know in advance who will be attending. However, if you’re running a drop-in or open event, we still recommend working through the stages and adapting the support actions where relevant.
📩 You can download this table as a word document here.
Assign a participant support contact(s)
Why it matters
Having a dedicated, named contact helps build trust and ensures continuity for participants. It also gives them a clear route to ask questions and share any needs.
Actions and considerations
Appoint a friendly, reliable person as the main contact Make sure to include them in the delivery team so they are a familiar face at events. Share their contact info with participants (dedicated email and/or phone number).
Prompt questions
Who on your team is best suited for this role? Do they have experience working with a wide range of participants?
Design Your Onboarding Plan
Why it matters
An onboarding plan is a clear, step-by-step process to inform, prepare, and support participants.
A well-structured onboarding plan helps participants feel informed, prepared, and supported from the beginning.
Actions and considerations
Create a timeline for key liaison points.
Develop a ‘welcome form’ to collect access needs, payment details, and consent.
Develop a participant handbook or digital info hub with clear, accessible info about the event they are taking part in.
Prompt questions
What are all the steps participants need to go through? How can we make them simple and supportive?
Consolidate Your Materials
Why it matters
Minimising admin helps reduce stress and ensures participants receive the info they need in a way that suits them.
Actions and considerations
Combine forms where possible. Offer paper versions and phone support for those who don’t have access to a computer. Design materials for screen readers and with accessibility in mind.
Prompt questions
Are we giving participants multiple ways to complete what’s needed? How accessible are our documents, really?
Communicate Clearly and Consistently
Why it matters
Regular, friendly communication reduces anxiety and helps participants feel secure and included.
Actions and considerations
Send a warm first email with all key info and links.
Name the support team and set expectations about when/how you’ll be in touch.
Use clear, plain language.
Prompt questions
How can we make our first email feel welcoming and human?
Are we clear about what comes next?
Tech and Travel Support (for online or hybrid events)
Why it matters
Confidence with tech and ease of travel are critical for inclusive engagement.
Actions and considerations
Provide devices/data if needed for online events.
Run practice sessions or 1:1 support for online platforms.
Arrange and confirm any travel or accommodation needs in advance.
Prompt questions
Who might struggle to access or feel confident using the tech/platforms?
What are the common travel or accommodation barriers?
You can read more about online logistics here.
Continue Listening and Adapting
Why it matters
Participants’ needs may evolve over time as they build confidence or face new challenges.
Actions and considerations
Respond promptly to new or changing access needs.
Be flexible and empathetic.
Keep channels open between events.
Prompt questions
Are we assuming support is a one-time thing? Are we creating enough space for ongoing dialogue?
Pre-Event & On-the-Day Support Prep
Why it matters
Careful preparation ensures everyone feels welcomed, safe, and supported on the day.
Actions and considerations
Prepare a register and fire safety list with relevant participant info.
Print necessary materials (handbooks, forms, surveys).
Assign DBS-checked ‘buddies’ for U18s.
Ensure safeguarding process is in place.
Prompt questions
Have we double-checked all needs are met for access, catering, and safeguarding?
Who is the on-the-day support lead?
After the Event
Why it matters
Timely follow-up shows respect and care for participants’ time and input.
Actions and considerations
Send a thank-you and feedback email.
Include expense/gift of thanks form
Follow up with individuals if issues occurred.
Prompt questions
Have all participants received their follow-up? Do any need additional support or a personal check-in?
More about gifts of thanks can be read here.
Closing the Loop
Why it matters
A thoughtful close-out builds trust, completes the process respectfully, and opens doors for future engagement.
Actions and considerations
Share key outcomes, outputs or next steps.
Decide who will be keeping in touch with participants now the process is over and ensure they have the correct data permissions
Finalise any outstanding reimbursements.
Prompt questions
What do participants need to feel a sense of closure? Are we respecting their data and communication preferences post-project?
Read more about closing the loop here.
Ongoing Engagement
Why it matters
Keeping participants informed helps maintain trust and encourages future involvement.
Actions and considerations
Share how input shaped decisions.
Send opportunities for future engagement—only to those who gave consent.
Use the “keeping in touch” form for GDPR-compliant communications.
Prompt questions
Who wants to stay involved? How can we honour their consent preferences and keep them meaningfully engaged?
Pause and think exercise
When you’ve developed your onboarding plan, ask yourself:
- Are we explaining our support offer in a way that feels inviting, flexible, and judgement-free?
- Are we making it clear that participants don’t need to share medical details—just what support would help them take part?
- Have we emphasised that our list of support options isn’t exhaustive—and encouraged participants to tell us what they need?
- Are we being honest about what we can and cannot provide, so expectations are clear and trust is built from the start?
Collecting participant data
Collecting the right information from participants—at the right time—is key to running a smooth, inclusive, and supportive engagement process. This helps you plan ahead, meet access needs, process payments, and make participants feel heard and valued. But remember: only collect what’s necessary, be transparent about how it will be used, and store it securely.
📩 You can download this table as a PDF here.
The types of data and why it’s important
Preferred Name
Contact Information (email, phone, address, etc)
Emergency Contact
Payment details (if paying a gift of thanks or expenses)
Travel and accommodation needs
Access needs
Dietary Requirements
Tech support needs (for online engagement)
Photo/Video Consent
Consent to participate
Ongoing contact consent (once the process has finished)
Parent/Guardian Consent (for under 18s in England, Wales and NI)
Data collection best practice checklist
Collecting participant data is essential for offering the right support, but it must be done with care. This checklist helps ensure your data collection is respectful, relevant, and GDPR-compliant—supporting participants without overstepping boundaries.
📩 You can download this table as a PDF here.
- I’m only collecting data that is necessary and relevant to support the engagement process.
- I’ve clearly explained to participants how their data will be used.
- I’ve informed participants who will have access to their data.
- I’m using secure systems for storing and handling data (e.g. password-protected files or encrypted platforms).
- All personal data is stored in a protected, limited-access area (e.g. a secure project folder).
- I’ve avoided asking for medical diagnoses and instead focused on the support participants need to take part.
