You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide whether or not to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully.
What is the purpose of the study? The research will explore how mentoring schemes are managed and those who run mentoring schemes. Formal mentoring schemes are widely recognised across a range of sectors and as valuable developmental interventions, however, there is limited research on their management and the support their coordinators receive to operate schemes.
Why have I been invited to participate? You have been identified as someone who is responsible for developing/ operating a mentoring scheme. If not, please pass this invitation on to a relevant person in your organisation.
Do I have to take part? No, you do not. Participation is voluntary and you are free to withdraw from the study at any time. If you do decide to take part you can complete the survey below to confirm your voluntary participation and your understanding of the use of the data. Your involvement will be treated in the strictest confidence, only questions and all information collected will be treated confidentially.
What is involved? Participation involves completing an online survey. This should take 35 minutes to complete. You will also be offered the opportunity to find out more about the STAMINa mentoring network and contribute to this community of mentoring scheme coordinators.
When will the survey be available to complete ? Between January and July 2019.
What are the possible disadvantages and risks of taking part? The only disadvantages and risks are the time commitment involved in completing the survey.
What are the possible benefits of taking part? Alongside generating data to understand how mentoring schemes are managed, participants will be offered the opportunity to be included in a mentoring map of England and Wales so mentoring scheme coordinators can identify geographically close schemes and those with similar aims to their own schemes. This aims to encourage the identification of best practice in mentoring scheme management and knowledge sharing.
Will what I say in this study be kept confidential? All information collected about the mentoring scheme you operate and yourself as a mentoring scheme coordinator will be kept strictly confidential (subject to legal limitations). Privacy, confidentiality and anonymity will be assured during the collection, storage and publication of the research by anonymising all data and keeping all data secure through password protected University computer systems. All data generated in the course of the research will be retained at Oxford Brookes University for safe storage for a period of 10 years following completion of the research project, in accordance with the University's policy on Academic Integrity.
What should I do if I want to take part? If after reading this you wish to participate, please tick that you have read the information presented here and consent to taking part in the study.
What will happen to the results of the research study? The results of the survey will be collated and analysed and used to create a report on mentoring scheme coordination, along with resources to support scheme coordinators. A summary of the research findings will be available on request and presented at the launch event at Oxford Brookes University.