Research of Summary

This research aims to develop a model to assist tauiwi social work practitioners address the barriers to becoming successful allies with Māori. This project is mixed method design, with an initial questionnaire, followed by semi structured interviews to explore the barriers and successful elements of allyship with Māori at the micro, meso and macro levels of society and formulate a tangible model to address these barriers. 

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Thank you for showing an interest in this project, which is undertaken as partial fulfilment of a social work PhD.  Please read this information sheet carefully before deciding whether or not to participate.  If you decide to participate, we thank you.  If you decide not to take part there will be no disadvantage to you and we thank you for considering our request.  

What is the Aim of the Project?

The aim of this project is to develop a model which can assist in addressing the barriers tauiwi (non-Māori) social work practitioners experience in wellbeing services, developing successful allyship with Māori. To do this, elements of successful allyship and barriers to this will be surveyed with participants and further explored through semi structured interviews in order to gain a better understanding of the current state of allyship in wellbeing services and what is needed to progress this.  

What Type of Participants are being sought?

At least 100 participants are being sought from throughout Aotearoa New Zealand to participate in the online questionnaire and 12 -20 participants will be sought from throughout Aotearoa New Zealand for the semi-structured interviews. Participants will be recruited online via social work networks. Participants of the interviews will have access to the transcription of their interview for the purpose of review and correction.  

The criteria for participants being sought for this project are as follows:

• Registered social worker. 
• Currently employed in wellbeing services (including statutory, non-statutory, health, social services, community services and private).  
• Work within Aotearoa New Zealand.  
• Have the ability to participate in the online questionnaire, and/or participate in the online interview. 

What will Participants be Asked to Do?

Should you agree to take part in either stage (questionnaire or semi structured interviews) of this project, you will be asked to 

• Participate in an anonymous, online questionnaire which may take approximately 30 minutes.
  And/or
• After the questionnaire data has been analysed, participate in a semi-structured interview with Lorna Allott, for up to one hour, online, at a time mutually agreed upon. The interviews will be transcribed and the information will be analysed to inform the thesis produced for this research project. 
• Participants will be asked to explore themes generated by the questionnaire data/ 
• Participants can participate in either the questionnaire, or the interview, or participate in both the questionnaire and interview.  

Please be aware that you may decide not to take part in the project at any time without any disadvantage to yourself of any kind.

What Data or Information will be Collected and What Use will be Made of it?

For the questionnaire, the raw data will be collected electronically. The results of the questionnaire will be subject to both quantitative and qualitative analysis which will be used to inform the subsequent semi structured interview questions and the thesis.  The raw data from the recorded semi structured interviews will be collected in audio, written hard copy and electronic form. The transcript of the interview completed manually  by the researcher, will be supplied to you in order for you to review and correct the material if required. The edited transcript will be subject to a qualitative analysis that will be used to inform the thesis. 

Personal information will be collected in terms of your position, location and experience. This information will not be published as part of the thesis. This information will be used to inform themes when analysing the data, such as identifying that different localities may have different perceptions experienced by participants.  

The data collected will be securely stored in such a way that only those mentioned below will be able to gain access to it. Data obtained as a result of the research will be retained for at least 5 years in secure storage. Any personal information held on the participants such as contact details, audio or video tapes, after they have been transcribed may be destroyed at the completion of the research even though the data derived from the research will, in most cases, be kept for much longer or possibly indefinitely.

Non-identifiable emerging themes generated from the questionnaire will form the basis of the questions in the semi-structured interviews, for the purpose of further exploring and contextualising the questionnaire data. 

The results of the project may be published and will be available in the University of Otago Central Library - Te Pātaka Kura Pokapū o te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou, but every attempt will be made to ensure that you will not be identified.

This project involves an open-questioning technique. The general line of questioning is described in What is the Aim of the Project? Section outlined earlier. The precise nature of the questions which will be asked have not been determined in advance, but will depend on the way in which the interview develops.  Consequently, although the

University of Otago Human Ethics Committee -Te Pae Matatika Tangata, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka is aware of the general areas to be explored in the interview, the Committee has not been able to review the precise questions to be used.

In the event that the line of questioning does develop in such a way that you feel hesitant or uncomfortable you are reminded of your right to decline to answer any particular question(s) and also that you may withdraw from the project at any stage without any disadvantage to yourself of any kind.

Can Participants Change their Mind and Withdraw from the Project?

You may withdraw from participation in the project at any and without any disadvantage to yourself of any kind.

What if Participants have any Questions?

If you have any questions about our project, either now or in the future, please feel free to contact either:-

Lorna Allott and Dr Emily Keddell
Department Social and Community Work
University Telephone Number: 03 479 5867
Email Address  alllo415@student.otago.ac.nz    Email Address Emily.keddell@otago.ac.nz 

This study has been approved by the Department stated above. However, if you have any concerns about the ethical conduct of the research you may contact the University of Otago Human Ethics Committee Te Pae Matatika Tangata, Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka through the Human Ethics Committee Administrator (ph +643 479 8256 or email humanethics@otago.ac.nz). Any issues you raise will be treated in confidence and investigated and you will be informed of the outcome.