Close-Up Research is an ethnographic research and insight-led storytelling practice. We specialise in lived experience – spending time with people in their everyday environments to make sense of how they think, feel and behave. Our insights and films help organisations design, evaluate and communicate better policies, products and services.
For over 20 years, our research has spanned the public, private and third sectors across key areas including: Young People | Older People | Health & Wellbeing | Community & Place | Energy & Environment | Tech & Product Innovation | Employment & Financial Wellbeing.
Alongside core ethnography, we also offer: diary studies, vox pops, public dialogue filming, podcasts, photography, animation, co-design workshops, training and consultancy.
Below are some examples of our work on employment & financial wellbeing.
WHAT SOCIO-ECONOMIC BARRIERS ARE FACED BY FULL-TIME, LOW-INCOME WORKERS? / NATIONAL CONSUMER COUNCIL
In 2007, we spent time with three people across different parts of the country, each working full-time on a low income, to understand their experiences around: jobs and money, housing and transport, time and relationships, and consumer services.
We turned the ethnographic case studies into a single film of key insights, which was shown twice at The House of Commons and which informed and accompanied a written report by the Office for Public Management.
What were people’s experiences of a Welfare-To-Work scheme? / Lewisham Strategic Partnership
In 2012, we spent time with five participants to understand their journeys back to work from long-term unemployment. This film informed and brought to life this written evaluation report.
The film is divided into four sections, navigable via the Chapter button to the right of the play bar: Context & employment history, Importance of personalised one-to-one support, Circular process & system challenges (inc. lack of coordination & inflexible training conditions), Support not taking personal barriers into account.
HOW DO PEOPLE MANAGE THEIR FINANCES FOR RETIREMENT? / AEGON
In 2010, we spent time with three participants across different demographics in the UK to understand consumer attitudes towards ‘decumulation’- how people manage and spend down their pension savings in retirement. We turned these ethnographic case studies into a single summary insights video, exploring the complex behavioural psychology, financial choices, and cultural nuances affecting people’s approach to their pensions. The film’s findings informed a written report published by the Office for Public Management to help policymakers and financial service providers better encourage and equip people for retirement planning.
HOW CAN YOUNG PEOPLE GAIN MEANINGFUL ON-SITE EXPERIENCE IN CONSTRUCTION? AND WHAT HELPS OR PREVENTS THEM FROM ACCESSING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES? / CITB
We visited young trainees in different placements across England to produce three ethnographic video case studies exploring their experiences of on-site experience and training in the construction industry. We also interviewed employers in Wales about their experiences of recruitment and training. The video above tells Emmy’s story at a demolition company in Leicester.
HOW CAN DISABLED OLDER WORKERS BE BETTER SUPPORTED? / CENTRE FOR AGEING BETTER
We visited three workers aged over 50 with different disabilities to understand their experiences of work and employment, what the challenges have been, and what employers and government could do to better support them. Our film accompanied Ageing Better’s written report and was shown to the Minister for Social Security and Disability at the report launch.
What were the experiences of work during the pandemic, for older people with long-term health conditions? / Institute for Employment Studies
We produced four thematic films with seven participants. This is the summary video that accompanied the report by the IES and Centre for Ageing Better. You can see it in place along with the full report here.
A TALE OF TWO 60S: WHAT DOES LATER LIFE LOOK LIKE WITHOUT ENOUGH HEALTH, INCOME OR SAVINGS? / CENTRE FOR AGEING BETTER
Life has changed for people aged 60-69 over the past two decades and a large minority are living precariously in their later life. We visited three people in their 60s across England to understand their expectations of later life vs the reality they’re experiencing, how they’re getting by today, and what they feel needs to change to allow them to live, work and retire with dignity. We explore work, finances, planning and saving experiences, and produced a summary insights video to accompany a written report by CfAB.
WHAT ARE PEOPLE’S EXPERIENCES OF AGENCY AND CONTRACT WORK, AND WHY DO THEY CHOOSE IT? / RECRUITMENT & EMPLOYMENT CONFEDERATION
We conducted five ethnographic case studies with participants across different demographics into the experiences of people who choose to be freelance, contract or agency workers. We focused on understanding a holistic view of each participant’s motivations, the benefits to the way they work, and the challenges. The resulting five case study videos were then edited into a single key-insights film and fed into REC’s final report.