How can you participate?
Semi Structured Interview
There is one way you can participate in this study. You can be interviewed by the researcher who will ask you questions about your experiences of accessing and utilising the NDIS.
Eligibility Criteria:
To participate in the interview, you must be an adult aged between 18-65 years old, with a current NDIS funding package. You may receive a NDIS funding package based on having a psychosocial disability. It is important that you identify as a person who has a trauma history.
You need to provide both written and verbal consent to participant in an interview. This ensures that you understand what the research project is about and the expectations of participating in an interview. There are two forms you are required to fill out which are available via Qualtricks. Please find the links below.
The questions in the interview are focused on understanding your experiences of accessing and utilising the NDIS and may take approximately 90 minutes to answer. No direct questions about your traumatic experiences will be asked. However, it is possible that participating in the interview may cause you a level of distress . It will be important to tell the researcher if you begin to feel distressed or upset during the interview so she can assist you and make sure you feel supported. You will be reimbursed $50.00 per hour for your time via a Mastercard gift card voucher. If you do not understand a question, you can ask the researcher to help you by providing more information or clarifying the question/s.
How will my data be stored?
All data collected in this study will be stored on a secured device/data storage system at the University of Melbourne and will be destroyed after 5 years. Only the primary researcher and her supervisors listed on the top of this statement will have access to the raw data. Care will be taken to protect your anonymity in any publication of this data. This will involve making sure that any excerpts from transcripts collected do not contain any identifying details. If you wish to review the transcript excerpts, please let the researcher know and she will give you an opportunity to remove any information prior to publication. It is possible that your data may be used in future research projects to validate original research results. Data might be used to prove or disprove a theory, bolster claims made in research or further knowledge around a specific topic or problem.
What are the possible benefits?
Participants of this study will not directly receive any benefits from participating in this research project. As a result of this study, people with psychosocial disability and trauma histories have an opportunity to discuss their experiences of accessing and utilising the NDIS through participating in an independent research project. This will help decision makers, organisations and employers to better understand what people’s needs look like and if they are being met by the current service system. It is hoped that this study will improve the quality of services people receive and provide recommendations for a practice model to support people with psychosocial disability as this currently does not exist.
What are the possible risks?
While there are minimal risks associated with participating in this research project, there is the chance that you may experience some distress related to talking about your experiences utilising the NDIS. Talking about issues related to your personal experiences of accessing and utilising the NDIS may be challenging and difficult for you. It is possible that you may encounter some discomfort discussing your experiences in this project. The researcher who is facilitating this research has extensive experience as a mental health social worker and is highly skilled in supporting people who experience distress. The researcher will contact the support person you nominate in your participant information form if necessary. The researcher will also give you contact details for mainstream services that you can access.
Other important information
Do I have to participate?
No. Participation is completely voluntary. You can withdraw at any time up until the final report has been written. If you wish to withdraw your participation, please contact the researcher directly.
Will I hear about the results?
If you want to hear about the results of this study, please register your interest in receiving a brief summary of the research in plain language with the researcher and you will be sent a copy of the final report when it is completed.
Is there any potential conflict of interest?
The interview sample is relatively small and therefore the researcher may have prior and ongoing relationships with participants. Participants will be informed of the facilitator and will be given the opportunity to declare any potential conflict.
Who is funding this project?
This project is funded by the University of Melbourne Stipend fund which is designed to support doctoral research projects.
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Who can I contact if I have any concerns about the project?
This research project has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of The University of Melbourne. If you have any concerns or complaints about the conduct of this research project which you do not wish to discuss with the researcher, you should contact the Manager, Human Research Ethics, Research Ethics and Integrity, University of Melbourne, VIC 3010. Tel: +61 3 8344 2073 or Email: research-integrity@unimelb.edu.au. All complaints will be treated confidentially. In any correspondence please provide the name of the researcher: Keely Walsh or the ethics ID number:25840 as well as the research project title: Your Experiences Matter.
