Would you like to be a part of the research project? We hope so! If you think you might like to participate then please read the information below carefully. It will answer some questions you might have about what we are going to do. This information is also presented in the consent forms and the first page of the surveys under the “Participate” tab.†
What are we trying to do? We want to learn about the experiences of children, teens, and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to find out who you saw, where you went (or didn’t go!), how you were feeling, what you did, and what you learned about COVID-19.
How will we do this? We will ask you to tell us about your experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you work for an organization that works with children, teens, or older adults, we will ask you about the services your offered and the needs that you observed during the pandemic.
Why do we need your help? It’s important for researchers and policy makers to have a clear understanding of how children, teens, and older adults experienced the pandemic — in their own voices and from their perspectives. These groups have valuable insights that can help us to improve disaster preparedness, communication, and recovery, and reduce losses in future disasters.
If you decide to participate, what will you have to do? There are different ways you can participate. You can keep a daily log/journal, you can complete an online survey, you could do a one-on-one interview with one of the members of our 4-person research team, or you could be in a school workshop, focus group, or podcast. You can select which you would like to do in the consent forms on the “Participate” page.
Do I have to participate? No – it is up to you!
What if you say yes and then change your mind? That’s fine! You don’t have to answer all the questions or do all of the activities. You don’t even have to give a reason why.
Will the things you say, write, draw, photograph, or record be kept private? Yes! The information in your journal, survey, and/or interview will be kept safe among the research team. Nobody will be able to know who you are. For the research workshop and focus groups, only the research team and the other participants will know what you say. We will videotape and write notes during the workshop, but we will not put your name into the report. For the podcast only the research team and the adult making the podcast will know who you are. Other people can listen to your final podcast, but they will not know your name or be able to identify you. If you are under 18 years old and you tell us anything that makes us worried about you or some other child or teen, we will have to tell someone who can help.
What can you do if you want to find out more? Please feel free to ask us questions! If you are under 18, you can talk to your parents or guardians or another adult who you can trust. Our email addresses are below. By submitting the consent form on the “Participate” page, you are indicating that we have read the description of the study, and that you agree to the terms as described.
Have questions?
If you have any questions about the study, or would like a copy of the consent form, you can contact the research team at the email addresses below.
Dr. Christine Gibb, International Development & Global Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada, cgibb2@uottawa.ca (principal investigator)
Dr. Nnenia Campbell, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder, 483 UCB, Boulder, CO, USA, nnenia.campbell@colorado.edu
Dr. Alice Fothergill, Department of Sociology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA, alice.fothergill@uvm.edu, 802-656-2127
Dr. Gabriella Meltzer, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA, gm3085@cumc.columbia.edu
This research project has received ethics approval from the Research Ethics Board at the University of Ottawa (ethics file number: S-10-20-5882) and the Institutional Review Board at the University of Vermont (Study #1042). If you have any questions regarding the ethical conduct of this study or your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Protocol Officer for Ethics in Research, University of Ottawa, Tabaret Hall, 550 Cumberland Street, Room 154, Ottawa, ON Canada K1N 6N5 at (613) 562-5387 and ethics@uottawa.ca, or the University of Vermont (UVM) Director of the Research Protections Office at (802) 656-5040.
To participate in our study, please click the “Participate” tab on the top of this page.
Thank you!
