Projects

In 2025, the Mental Health Foundation commissioned Rocket Science to independently review See Me, Scotland’s national programme to end mental health stigma and discrimination. The review explored delivery and impact over the previous five years, assessed progress against the programme’s strategy outcomes, and considered See Me’s contribution across individuals, relationships, organisations, communities, policy and wider society.

In 2026, Rocket Science evaluated Capital City Partnership’s Fife Skills Bootcamp pilot. The research aimed to understand if employer-led Skills Bootcamp model could address Scotland’s shortage of higher-level skills, particularly in Advanced Manufacturing, Retrofit and Offshore Wind.

Rocket Science worked with Essex County Council to investigate why concessionary bus pass holders in Essex have been using the bus less since 2019/2020. Through a combination of survey and qualitative engagement with elderly and disabled groups across Essex, we identified the key barriers to concessionary bus use and developed potential solutions that would encourage pass holders to start using the bus, or to use it more often.

Rocket Science worked with the CLD Standards Council to deliver Scotland’s 2025–26 Community Learning and Development (CLD) Workforce Survey to provide up-to-date evidence on workforce size, skills, diversity, capacity and future challenges to inform workforce planning, professional development and policy decisions across Scotland.

From late 2025 until March 2030, we are the Learning Partner for Phase Two of the Transitions from Secondary Education Special Initiative, funded by The Mercers’ Company. Working alongside The Mercers’ Company and two cohorts of grantees, we support grantees to reflect on and strengthen their programmes through their funding term, whilst contributing to wider learning for the sector.

Since February 2026, Rocket Science have been evaluating South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority’s Focused Deterrence Pilot in Sheffield. The pilot provides voluntary, trauma-informed mentoring and diversionary activity through Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme to young people identified by South Yorkshire Police as being at increased risk of knife crime and serious violence.

Magic Breakfast, a children’s food and education charity, asked Rocket Science to help them understand why older children and adolescents are more likely to skip breakfast. Our research helped to show the short- and long-term impacts of having and not having breakfast, barriers to breakfast for young people and for schools and broader challenges and barriers around food.

Rocket Science supported Young Brent Foundation to develop their proposition, evaluation framework and business case for investment into an innovative youth-led and delivered careers and employability programme, developing young people as advocates for careers and work directly with employers and through family and friends networks.

In early 2025, Rocket Science conducted an exploratory study in Richmond, commissioned by the Hampton Fund. Using public datasets, stakeholder consultations, and interviews with grant recipients and funders, the research sought to understand local community strengths, needs, and access to resources to guide future grant-making priorities.

We are privileged to be working with The For Baby’s Sake Trust as their evaluation and learning partner on the My Future Me pilot programme, building on our work in other places co-producing services for young people using trauma-informed approaches.

Our ability to provide a high-quality service, working with clients, adapting processes, and working with resident applicants was integral to L&Q’s decision to work with us for six years. The L&Q Place Makers fund operates on a monthly rolling application basis and in collaboration with local residents who are involved directly in the assessment of applications.

Rocket Science, is the strategic grantmaking partner for Youth Futures Foundation, setup in 2019 with £90m endowment from the Reclaim Fund to improve employment outcomes for young people from marginalised backgrounds.