Shared Services Evaluation
Shared Services Evaluation FAQs
Sign up to participate in the Shared Services Evaluation here!
Can you tell me more about what you’re trying to learn and accomplish through this evaluation?
The goals of the study are to understand the aspects of each Shared Service program that are critical for success, what aspects could remain optional, what aspects of each Shared Service program need to be tailored to the community or the delivery organization, and what data should be collected so that we can better understand the impact of the Shared Service program as related to FCC business sustainability and the children who receive the developmental screenings.
Who is eligible to participate?
Individuals who have directly participated in any of the following Shared Services programs: Business 101 Training, Marketing Training 201, Pre- and Early-Licensure Support, and ASQ. All individuals need to be age 18 or older.
Do I have to participate?
We would of course love to learn about your experience, but you are not required to participate in this research study, and you do not have to join a focus group. Participating in this research and joining a focus group is voluntary. It’s up to you whether to be in this study.
How long does the focus group take? What will you ask in the focus group? Who else will be there?
If you agree to be a part of the study, our focus group will last about 90 minutes. We will ask questions and take notes. We will ask you about the administration surrounding the specific Shared Service program that you are or were a part of. We will ask you why you participated in the Shared Services program you were in, what you thought about the Shared Services program, whether you thought the program was helpful in developing your business or caring for young children, and any challenges or successes you experienced. You do not need to do anything special to prepare; just be yourselves! The other participants will be others who participated in the same Shared Services program you were in.
Do I have to stay for the whole focus group?
We would appreciate it if you could complete the full 90 minute focus group, but you don’t have to stay for the entire time. You can leave if you need to, and we won’t penalize you in any way. You also don’t have to answer any question that you don’t want to answer.
Participation in Zoom Focus Group
We will conduct this focus group on Zoom.
Since we are doing this focus group over Zoom, we need consent to record the session. Before we begin, we will ask you if it is okay to record the audio and visuals of the Zoom for note taking purposes only. If you say no, we will not record and will hand write notes instead. You can decide when and if you would like to have your camera on.
Will you have interpreters?
Yes! We want to make sure we all understand each other. If you are interested in having an interpreter join us (in any language), please contact Wendy Robeson (wrobeson@wellesley.edu) and let her know that you would like an interpreter to attend and which language we should be sure to have available.
Will you share my answers with anyone?
All information that we collect will be private and confidential. This means that we will not use your name, or name of your family child care program in any of our reports. Our reports will NOT describe individuals. All data collected is for research purposes only. All identifiable private information will be de-identified and may be used in future research.
All of the information we collect will be stored securely on a double-password-protected computer. This computer will be kept in a password-protected file cabinet in a locked office at Wellesley College. We will delete all paper and electronic information at the end of seven years. We will only keep the results of the analyses.
It may be possible that other people may need to see the data from this study. These people are responsible for making sure the research is done safely and properly. They will also keep your information confidential.
Will anything bad happen to me if I participate?
We do not think anything bad will happen to you if you participate. You won’t be hurt or embarrassed. You may leave the focus group and any time, and you may refuse to answer any question.
We do need to say that we cannot guarantee that others in the focus group will keep what you say private. When you give your consent, you agree to not talk about what was said in the group with anyone not part of the group. Everyone in the group will have agreed to this – but we cannot guarantee that everyone will keep their promise.
In addition, there is always the risk of loss of confidentiality, especially since you might be in a focus group with someone you know. We will do our best to make sure that all information is kept private and confidential, but in a focus group, some of this is out of our control.
We must let you know that If we learn that a child is being hurt, or may be hurt, we are required by law to tell someone who can keep the child safe.
Do I get anything out of participating?
Your answers will help us learn more about how to improve and scale the United Way’s Shared Services programs.
Thank you for your time
As our thank you, a gift card will be sent to you. A $75 gift card will be sent to the email you used to communicate with us for this study.
Who holds these researchers accountable?
A review board at Brandeis University has approved this study. The review board is called the Human Research Protection Program. Brandeis is the IRB of record for Wellesley College.If you have questions about your rights, you can call them at (781) 736-8133 or email them at hrpp@brandeis.edu. If you have questions about the study, you can call the study director, Wendy, at 781-283-3499 or email her at wrobeson@wellesley.edu.
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