We're recruiting for Mumsnet pre-election focus groups: would you like to take part?

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Would you like to be involved in three pre-election Mumsnet focus groups we're co-organising?

We're working with the Times and a polling organisation to find out what issues are important to you, which politicians you like / loathe and how likely you are to actually cast your vote.

We're planning on running three focus groups (one at MNHQ and the other two online) and you would need to be able to take part in all three.

If you're selected and take part in all three groups you will receive £100. Travel expenses will be paid for the London group, (up to £15 for those in London and up to £100 for second-class rail travel for those coming to join in from outside London).

1. The first focus group would involve coming to Mumsnet Towers in Kentish Town, London on Tuesday 23 March between 12.15pm and 2pm. We'll provide a light lunch, but we're really sorry we can't accommodate babies/children as we simply don't have the space or facilities.

2. The second focus group is online - so you would just be logging in from home (we'll send you a link) and will take place on Tues 20 April from 11.30am-1pm.

3. The third focus group is also online and will be on Tues 4 May from 11.30am-1pm.

We're looking for a good cross-section of Mumsnetters. The polling organisation has devised the questions.

The comments made during the focus groups will be used by the Times for articles in the lead-up to the general election - please note your real first name may be used and they will want to use a picture of you.

All data from this survey is confidential - participants will be screened by responses to the questions and your MN or real name will not be linked to your responses.

Sorry, but this project is only open to UK residents who are eligible to vote in the upcoming general election.

So if you're interested, and you can make all three focus groups, please click here.

Thanks,
MNHQ

i think people kvetching about it is perfeclty legit

when the time and place of teh 'focus group' excludes so many and could well be used to prove the misnomers and myths about mumsnet.

i feel it is a poor way to try to show anyone what MN really is, who it represent, whemn ,lets face it, a weekday in london is going to be impossible for the vast majority.

i'd love to go, i really would, but it would mean arranging someone to take and pick up my children from school and finding the train fare and it would take approx 4 hours there and 4 back.

there are far more inclusive ways to do this

what about focus groups in other major cities too.. birmingham, manchester , leeds etc...

i feel that this partic. group will serve to perpetuate the myths about who comprises MN and do MN yet another disservice in the meeja

Again Lulu is absolutely right.

I would love to go - however have no intention of using a whole day's holiday to schlep up to London from Gloucester. I could take a couple of hours of holiday in order to do the online thingy, however it is a big committment to ask any WOHM mother to attend all 3 sessions. I am lucky in that my work is very fleible and I can take a couple of hours off here and there, however a lot of workplaces are not so agreeable and peoplke would have to take a half or full day. And as much as we love ya, mumsnet, there are not that many people who would be willing to use up their annual leave for this.

That leaves a lot of SAHM who would love to be able to do it, however unless they have childcare on tap they will have to call in favours/pay for childcare they may ill afford. Again not much uptake there.

And I do think you are excluding all/mosts of those mumsnetters who live more than an hour away from London.

You will NOT get a cross section of this site.

ok mrs flittersnnop - here's an idea off the top of my head

have it in preston on a saturday in an accessible venue

run a creche with a high staff ratio so they can care for SN kids

allow bf babies

offer to cover reasonable travel and childcare costs

that would include single parents, many of those who WOTH, mums of Bf babies, parents with SN kids and those who live in the north of England and Wales - all of whom are well represented on mumsnet but not at all in the media stereotype

we shall not, we shall not be moved..

or summat...

I know ! let's have it at my house! i'll make flapjacks and everything .

Do you think Justine et all are rolling their eyes at this thread and muttering 'they are NEVER fucking happy, are they?'

yes, I expect I'll be crossed off the Good List now, will i be OTW or whatever the acronym is

Yes Lulu, we are on their Spreadsheet.

yes, and not in a good way

I am typing in any old nonsence about fairies and goblins that are perverted and pissed up, oh bollocks

Sorry ignore that, was requested to type and accidently pressed post message.

But what makes any of you whoare banging on can't make it any more representative of Mumsnet than those who have already said they can make it?

Several people have posted here saying that they can and are willing to do it, I am sure many others have entered without posting.

i think the very fact of where it is and the time it is and the time of the webchat means it will by its very nature , reflect a narrow element of MN.

at rhubarb - so it's not just me who has constant requests. "write something about smelly daddy" "do a face" "write something about ME" "I dare you to write poo"

I could do this........ but I don't give a shit about politics ...

Ewe, I am really surprised that you dont understand how exclusive it is.

Is mumsnet an inclusive club of very likeminded people, or a nationwide forum of different people?

A "focus" group purporting to be a wide cross section of mumsnetters should aim to get as many different people as possible to come, and not just non working Londoners with easy access to childcare.

It is DAYTIME, so excludes working mothers.
It is London, and only covers trainfare up to £100, so excludes non-londoners who cant afford to pay the extra plus possible hotel

What have you got left?

Those who disagrees with sucking up to the media and wants to avoid the hype obviously exludes themselves. natch!

oh quint DO keep up
its train fare plus 100

SuSylvester - I know, and if you had read my comments further down, you would know that I know. So I would equally ask you to keep up.

juneybean- presumably a 'don't give a shit' attitude is perfectly valid and one worth airing. they might want to know why you have such a view..?

unless you don't give a shit about not giving a shit

But if it was in Manchester, in the evening for example, it would only be a narrow section of MNers who could go. It would rule out those who are breastfeeeding, single parents, those who have to work evenings/nights, forces wives etc. Any combination of timings/places is going to exclude plenty of Mumsnetters.

London and South East is where the majority of Mumsnetters are based according to last census, it does make sense to do it in the place that most people are located especially considering that is also where the Times is and more than likely the polling company. I think it would be better if they could let babies/children attend though, that imo is the bigger issue.

I could easily do it but am not interested in providing easy copy for a News International title.

[folds arms].

oh bibboid.

online discussion forum should elicit opinion online.follow up by telephone and email for those who consent to further comment - meet/photo if willing

no travelling
no geographical contentions
no hard arrangements
accessible to many

Ewe - how can the selected sample be representative when the criteria excludes so many mumsnetters? eg:

Breastfeeders, anyone due to give birth over the next month, everyone from the SW, North, Wales, NI and Scotland (in effect only those in London and the Home Counties can reasonably take part). Also difficult/impossible for those with disability/SN/childcare/financial issues to contend with and yet these are the very parents whose voice needs to be heard by the Politicians rather than those parents who can easily upsticks and go off to London on a jolly at short notice.

A wee true story. Woman came into my office to book a room for a series of lunch time Carer's Forum meetings. I pointed out that the room she wanted could only accommodate 20 and was not wheelchair accessible. 'That's fine' she said, the sessions are for the carers only and so most of them will not be able to come.