Research Summary:
The University of Waikato Social Work Programme has started a community consultation process to identify needs and gaps in post-graduate social work education in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato region. We are wanting to hear from Social Workers and Practice Leaders about what they would like offered for their future learning needs. We will be running a series of focus groups across both regions to meet with our community. There is also an anonymous online survey for people to contribute their thoughts about post-graduate social work education learning needs and future course provision. - If you wish to attend a focus group please email Kelly Glubb-Smith directly (email: kelly.glubb-smith@waikato.ac.nz.
If you wish to complete the survey please click on the survey link at the end of the page.
Kelly Glubb-Smith and Karen Cherry are undertaking this research in their capacity as social work educators on the Social Work Programme at the University of Waikato. There is no funding or sponsorship involved in the implementation of this research.
Project Description
The research question underpinning this research project is: What are the post-graduate learning needs of social workers in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato region?
The Social Work Programme staff at the University of Waikato are currently considering what post-graduate social work papers would be of benefit to the community. Engagement with social workers is central to understanding the existing knowledge gaps and challenges that social workers are facing in their work.
This research project is designed to capture the anticipated engagement with social workers and social service agencies; to identify current post-graduate learning needs for social workers in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato region.
Invitation to participate:
The research requires participants to be Social Workers and/or Practice Leaders who can comment on the learning needs of social workers in the Bay of Plenty/Waikato region. You have been identified as a person who can speak to either your own learning needs as a practising social worker or the learning needs of social workers in your organisation/group. If you are unwilling or unable to participate, it would be appreciated if you could forward the invitation to other eligible participants. If you are interested in participating, please contact the researchers by email via the details provided to express interest in attending a focus group interview or
completing a survey.
The research involves either attendance at a focus group interview or the completion of an anonymous online survey. It is anticipated that attendance at the focus group interview would take a maximum of 90 minutes. The online anonymous survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Each person’s participation is voluntary, and they will be asked to provide consent prior to the focus group interview or survey. The participants can ask the researchers any further questions about the research that occurs to them during their participation in the research.
Focus Group Option
The focus group discussion would be held at the University of Waikato Campus (Tauranga or Hamilton), or at a mutually convenient venue such as a Social Service Agency Meeting Room.
The focus group interviews will be conducted by the researcher/s and will be audio recorded. During the focus group interview, a participant can refuse to answer any question and/or leave the group at any time. The audio-recordings will be transcribed using software such as Otter.ai. As the focus group interviews will contain other participants’ information, the interview recordings or transcriptions will not be shared with members of the focus group.
To preserve the confidentiality of the focus group interview, participants will be asked to not disclose what was said by specific individuals in the focus group interview. While participants can leave the focus group interview at any time, they cannot withdraw their data as this could interfere with the flow of the interview. Due to the nature of a focus group interview, participants will not have the opportunity to edit the transcript.
Survey Option
People who have been identified as a potential participant will be sent a link to the survey. For the participants who choose to complete the survey, they will be anonymous to the researchers. Survey participants will have the right to decline to answer any question and they can leave the survey at any time.
Data storage/retention/destruction/future use
The named researchers will be the only people handling the interview transcriptions and survey data. Electronic data and transcripts will be stored on a password protected computer at the
University of Waikato. All hard copy data will be stored in a locked cabinet at the University of Waikato. The consent forms will be kept separately from data in different locked cabinet. All data will be stored for six years, after which all hard copy data will be shredded and electronic files deleted.
Results will be used primarily for considering the design of postgraduate teaching in social work, for teaching purposes and may be published in peer reviewed publications or presented at
conferences. A summary of findings of the study will be made available by email.
Anonymity and Confidentiality
The survey is an anonymous online survey and participants names will not be attached to their individual responses. Each focus group participant will have the opportunity to choose a pseudonym to protect their identity. All participant information will be constructed in a way as to disguise the identity of the participants. However, due to the small size of social work community in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato region there is still a slight possibility that someone could recognise a participant’s comments.
The Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) (2019) Code of Ethics and the Social Workers Registration Board (2016) Code of Conduct require social workers to not unnecessarily disclose personal information about the people that they work with. Focus group
interviews and the survey will be conducted in a manner that supports participants to preserve client and organisational integrity through avoiding information that could disclose any identifying client information when discussing learning needs.
Participation in the focus group interview or survey is unlikely to cause harm to the participants. However, the participation could bring up memories or instances of complex practice situations that may feel unresolved. Participants will be advised to use supervision to reflect on the practice
issues relating to this research, or to access support through their professional association (Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers) or organisational supports.
Please contact the researcher Dr Kelly Glubb-Smith (email: kelly.glubb-smith@waikato.ac.nz) for more information, or to express an interest to participate in either the focus group or the survey.
A copy of the information sheet should be retained by each participant.
"This research project (FS2023-26) has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Any questions about the ethical conduct of this research may be sent to the Secretary of the Committee, email alpss-ethics@waikato.ac.nz ,
postal address, Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences , University of Waikato, Te Whare Wananga o Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240."
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Ngā mihi nui
Researchers:
Dr Kelly Glubb-Smith,
Senior Lecturer
Social Work Programme Convenor
University of Waikato
Email: kelly.glubb-smith@waikato.ac.nz
Karen Cherry,
Teaching Fellow
Social Work Programme
University of Waikato
Email: karen.cherry@waikato.ac.nz
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