A market paradigm shift towards a ‘knowledge-based economy’ means Australia is moving towards a major skills crisis whereby the workface will lack skills attainable from higher education. Moreover, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and who are confronted with disadvantage, still face challenges in gaining entry to university. The Fast Forward Program (FFP) aims to increase attainment of higher education for X high school students in years 9–12, with a focus on dismantling the social barriers preventing attainment. To achieve this aim, the program hosts a range of student and parent in-school workshops and on-campus visits. To capture the social impact of the program for all participants, the social return on investment (SROI) methodology was implemented. The SROI ratio is represented as a return in dollar value for every dollar invested; due to the success of the program, the investment represented $5.73 for every $1 spent. The key findings indicated that students and parents gained a deeper familiarity and understanding of university which, in turn, created a deeper confidence and motivation for students to enter higher education. Additionally, participants reported being able to better use their time to cater for study, and were more comfortable about going onto a university campus.

In 2017 the Office of Widening Participation conducted a programwide analysis of the Social Return On Investment (SROI) to evaluate the impact of four Widening Participation programs at Western Sydney University (WSU). The programs evaluated were Fast Forward, Strive Towards Educational Participation and Success (STEPS), First Foot Forward, and Pasifika Achievement To Higher Education (PATHE). The overlapping aim amongst the four programs is to increase higher education participation rates, particularly for students coming from low socio-economic backgrounds. The SROI framework provided a holistic analysis by intertwining qualitative and quantitative data. The analysis showed that each program-albeit with differences-produced a collection of positive outcomes, and made important progressions to increasing and widening participation for "non-traditional" students. This is verified by the SROI ratio which is represented as a return, for every dollar invested-the combined four programs equated to an average return of $5.78 for every $1 invested.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a rapid and unprecedented shift of widening participation and outreach activities to online and remote delivery. The impact of this went beyond practitioners and the university sector; positive and negative implications are felt by stakeholders and the broader community. This shift online is discussed through the lens of a multi-university perspective, using four case studies from university outreach programs in one Australian state. The article provides a holistic view of the lessons learned and discoveries made, informing future program design and delivery. These programs include primary and secondary students, teachers, parents, guardians and carers, and work within a range of low socioeconomic and regional, rural and remote contexts. We argue that the fundamentally necessary shift online created a profound legacy and bears potential to increase accessibility (via diversity and scale), but, simultaneously, that care must be applied if substituting face-to-face engagement with that online. While this article primarily focuses on issues of value to practitioners, it also discusses important implications for academics, support staff, and university executive regarding the access and participation of underrepresented cohorts during times of mass change.

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