Investigating the benefits of participating in an online social network for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis.

The Tavistock Institute is pleased to announce that it will be undertaking a service evaluation for the charity Shift.MS.

Shift.MS is a web-based charity that supports people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Shift.MS launched their website in 2008 to provide a forum for young sufferers of MS to interact and form an online community.

The purpose of the evaluation is to help improve the service offered, to provide evidence of effectiveness to potential members, partners and funders, and to explore the possible transferability of the model to other arenas. The evaluation is due to run from March until September and will aim to demonstrate the different impacts participating in the forum have for its members and the different ways these impacts are arrived at. The evaluation will adopt a mixed methods approach including an online survey of members and interviews with members, staff and wider stakeholders.

For more information please contact Matthew Gieve, m.gieve@tavinstitute.org.