Title of the study: One Less Barrier to Alliance:
Improving Outcomes of Ombud Services in Visible Minority
Communities
Principal Investigator: Houda Ismaili
Master’s Student
School of Counselling, Psychotherapy and Spirituality
Saint Paul University, Ottawa, ON
hisma095@uottawa.ca
Invitation to Participate: You are invited to participate in the above-mentioned research study conducted by Houda Ismaili under the supervision of Drs. Laura Armstrong and Brent Epperson. This project is not funded.
Purpose of the Study: This research aims to study the experiences of minority and non-minority visitors who have received ombud services.
Participation: If you wish to participate in this study, please click on the checkbox below. In this study, you will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires. The surveys should take you approximately 30 minutes to complete. You are free to terminate the study at any time or to refrain from answering any question. Your participation in this study is fully voluntary. The information you provide will help us greatly in our understanding of the differing experience between minority and non-minority visitors.
Benefits: Participation in this research will help to further the study of ombud services for minorities in order to hopefully improve such services.
Risks: The present study is considered minimal risk. However, some questions in this study may be difficult to answer or result in some negative emotions for some participants. Participants are free to refuse to answer any question that would cause discomfort and to stop the study without needing to provide any justification. In case of psychological distress associated with this study, you can seek support from someone on a mental health line by calling 9-8-8.
Confidentiality and Anonymity: The information that you will share will not identify you in any way. Anonymity is guaranteed because you are not being asked to provide your name or any
identifiable information that could be used to trace and/or identify you in any way. No one, including the principal investigator, will be able to identify participants, before or after publication. At the end of the study, the raw dataset will be published online in research articles.
Conservation of data: The data will be stored on a password protected, encrypted computer for 7 years after study completion, at which time it will be securely deleted.
Compensation: You will have a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card if you provide your email address, which will be stored separately from your survey data so your responses cannot be identified. Please keep in mind that, given the anonymous nature of the study, it is not possible for participants to withdraw their data from the study as the researcher will be unable to retrace individual datasets.
Information about the Study Results: Findings will be published in the form of research articles in a few months after the end of the recruitment period.
If you have any questions or require more information about the study itself, you may contact the researcher via email: hisma095@uottawa.ca.
If you have any questions with regards to the ethical conduct of this study, you may contact the Office of Research and Ethics, Saint Paul University, 223 Main Street, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4
Tel.: (613) 236-1393.
This research has been approved by the REB of St Paul University.
Please save or print a copy of the letter of consent for your records.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Houda Ismaili
