The SEW – the Arts project is a resource developed by the Telethon Kids Institute which has been designed to promote social and emotional wellbeing. The resource is being implemented at some Act Belong Commit Drama Hubs. When you sign up to a Drama Hub, you will be asked if you assent (agree) to be a part of this project, or not. Your parent/guardian will be asked to consent (give permission) also. Please read the information and statements below to make sure you understand what you are agreeing to, if you would like to participate! This is completely optional, and you can still join a Drama Hub even if you don’t want to be a part of this project.
Information for Students
We would like to invite you, along with your parent or carer, to take part in the Social-emotional wellbeing and the arts’ (SEW – Arts) project.
Researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute in collaboration with Edith Cowan University are working with Healthway to try out a resource that will help young people involved in arts programs to have good mental health. We invite you to provide us with feedback before and after the resource is used in your arts activities. It is important you know why we are doing the research and what it involves before saying yes or no to taking part. Please read the information below, together with your parent or carer, if need.
What is the project about?
In a previous project we developed a resource to help arts teachers teach the arts in a way that young people not only learn about their art form but also learn how to have good mental health. Arts teachers are now going to try out this resource to make sure it benefits the young people they teach (just like you!).
What does participation involve?
During the arts program, your teachers will be using things they learnt from the resource to help you be yourself and connect with other people. That is, they will be doing things to help you have good mental health.
Researchers (that’s us!) also want to come and see how teachers use the things they have learnt – so would like to visit one arts class to watch them in action.
If you are aged between 12-18, we will be asking you to fill in two short surveys – one before and the same one after participating in the arts program. This will be a pen and paper survey and will take less than five minutes to complete. In the survey you will be asked to select answers to questions about your thoughts and feelings and also about the way you relate to other people. Examples of questions you may be asked include:
- How do you feel about making mistakes?
- Do you think you listen well to what other people have to say?
These questions will help us see whether the resource has helped your arts teachers to build your mental health. Help will be given if needed to read or understand the questions.
Who is doing the research?
The SEW – Arts project is led by researchers from the Telethon Kids Institute and Edith Cowan University. If you agree to participate, you will get to meet some of us!
Is participation voluntary?
Yes. That means it is entirely up to you whether you want to participate or not. You can leave the project at any time, without saying why, by talking to your parent or carer and asking them to contact us.
What are the benefits of participating?
What you think is really important. If you are involved in this project, you will help us improve the resource so that young people can have good mental health.
What about privacy?
Your participation in this project and any information you give us will be kept private. Once your consent form has been received, and you chose to participate, you will be provided with a unique identification (ID) number to use when doing the survey and we won’t use your name. Discussion will be recorded with accurate notes taken from this recording. When we observe your arts session, no names will be recorded. At no stage will we record your name. We will report the results in a summary about the group who took part and we won’t talk about individual people.
The surveys you complete will be stored in a way that we won’t be able to see which name belongs to which survey. The completed survey information, discussion recording, observation notes and observation video-recording (for regional people) will be kept in a locked cabinet at Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, or in a password protected computer on a secure server. We need to store the survey information for a minimum of seven years after the project finishes or until the youngest participants turns 25 years of age, whichever is later. After that time, it will be destroyed.
Are there any risks to participating?
We do not expect any significant risk to you by participating in this study. Most people who have taken part in similar projects have enjoyed the experience. However, if any of the questions cause you discomfort, or you do not wish to answer them, you may skip a question or stop completing the survey or discussion. At no time will we be asking you to tell us anything personal and we won’t be telling others what you said in the survey or discussion. The only time we tell others what was said would be if the law says we have to.
We will give you a list of places to contact should you want more information about mental health or support.
All members of the research team hold Working with Children Checks and will be making sure we follow current rules to reduce the risk of contracting COVID19.
Who should I contact if I have questions or need more information?
If you have any questions about the project or your participation, please talk to your parent or carer and ask them to contact us with any questions on your behalf. We’d be more than happy to hear from you.
Contact: Dr Leanne Fried (08) 6319 1480, leanne.fried@telethonkids.org.au
Yes, I am interested – how do we participate?
If you have read and understood all the information in this brochure, please speak with your parent or carer and together select “YES” on your Act Belong Commit Drama Hub sign-up form if you agree to being involved in the project.
If you select “YES” on your Act Belong Commit Drama Hub sign-up form, that means you agree with the following statements:
- I have read and understood the information provided and if I asked questions, am happy with the answers.
- I understand that it is entirely up to me whether I participate in this project. I understand I can stop being involved in the project at any time without giving a reason. I understand that there will be no consequences if I stop being involved in this project.
- I understand that all information I share will be kept private and when the results of the project are presented, you will not be able to identify what I have said. The only time that the information will not be kept private is if it is required by law.
- I understand that I will be participating in an arts program where teachers will be using things they learnt from the resource to help me have good mental health. I give permission for researchers to attend one arts class or to video record one session if I am in a regional arts program, to see how these things are taught.
- I give permission to complete two surveys, one before and one after taking part in the arts program (applicable for those aged 12-18 years).
- I understand that selecting “YES” on the Drama Hub registration form means I agree to participate in the project.
Information for Parents & Guardians
Researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute in collaboration with Edith Cowan University are working with Healthway to trial and evaluate an arts-based health promotion resource to promote and enhance the social and emotional wellbeing of children and young people engaged in the arts in Western Australia.
By participating in the ‘Social-emotional wellbeing and the arts’ (SEW – Arts) project, you will have the opportunity to provide valuable information about the effectiveness of SEW – Arts in enhancing the skills and knowledge of the arts community, including educators, administrators, parents and children, to intentionally promote the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) of children and young people through arts programs.
What is the project about?
Social-emotional development is intrinsically built into arts education and consequently, naturally promotes positive social-emotional outcomes. However, arts educators can intentionally and consciously foster positive social-emotional development by helping children and young people take advantage of opportunities to practise social-emotional skills during an arts activity and guiding them toward improved social emotional competencies. After a year-long pilot a resource, SEW – Arts, was developed by researchers at the Telethon Kids Institute to help arts educators to intentionally promote SEWB in children and young people through their programs.
What does participation involve?
- Your child’s arts teacher will be using a resource that will promote positive SEWB messages through your child’s arts session or program. One arts session will also be observed by researchers from The Telethon Kids Institute. This observation will record teaching artist instruction and student responses to teaching artist instruction. In regional arts organisations, the arts session to be observed will be video recorded.
- If your child is aged 12-18, they will be asked to complete two short surveys, one before and one after the arts organisation has implemented the resource. The survey will take five minutes to complete and includes questions to gauge awareness of their social and emotional wellbeing and ways to promote it.
- If your child is aged 6-11, they will not have to complete the surveys but may still be observed.
Who is doing the research?
The SEW – Arts project is led by researchers from the Telethon Kids Institute (Dr Leanne Fried, Dr Robyn Johnston, Dr Jacinta Francis, Dr Karen Lombardi, Prof Donna Cross, Dr Kevin Runions, and Sarah Falconer) and Edith Cowan University (Christine Lovering) supported by funding from Healthway.
Is participation voluntary?
If your child decides to participate and then later change their mind, your child is able to withdraw from the study at any time without explanation or consequences by contacting the SEW – Arts Research Assistant: Sarah Falconer on sarah.falconer@telethonkids.org.au. Any information they have provided us will be destroyed after withdrawal.
What are the benefits of participating?
Your child’s views are important , and will ultimately help the research team promote and enhance the social and emotional wellbeing, and therefore mental health, of children and young people engaged in the Arts in Western Australia.
What about privacy?
Your child’s participation in this project and any information provided will be treated in a confidential manner. Once your consent form has been received your child will be provided with a unique identification (ID) number to use when completing the survey. This ensures their name will not be linked to their survey responses. Survey results will be reported as a group summary only and will not identify your child. Guided discussions will be digitally recorded, transcribed and de-identified. At no stage will what they say be linked back to your child. Survey results and guided discussion findings will be reported as a group summary only and will not identify your child.
Information from this project will be published in research journals but no names and identifying details will be used in any publication, presentation or report arising out of the project.
All data will be stored in line with Western Australian University Sector Disposal Authority guidelines in a nonidentifiable format, at Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, under lock and key, or in a password protected computer on a secure server. Data will be retained for a minimum of seven years after publication or project completion, whichever is later, then destroyed as per statutory requirements. Data collected from participants under 18 years of age will be retained for a minimum of seven years after publication or project completion, or the participants have reached 25 years of age, whichever is later. You will be able to get a copy of the findings at the end of the project should you wish.
Are there any risks to participating?
We do not anticipate any foreseeable risk to your child by participating in this study. Most individuals who have participated in similar research projects have enjoyed the experience. If any of the questions your child is asked in the survey cause discomfort, or they do not wish to answer them, they may skip a question or stop participating. At no time will we be asking them to divulge personal information. The only circumstances under which we would need to disclose to others, the information shared with us, is if we are required to do so by law. All participants will be provided with a list of support agencies should they want to find out more information or need support. All members of the research team have valid Working with Children Checks and will adhere to any current COVID19 risk reduction guidelines.
Who should I contact if I need more information?
If you would like to discuss any aspect of this study, please contact the SEW – Arts Chief investigator Dr Leanne Fried on (08) 6319 1480 or leanne.fried@telethonkids.org.au
Yes, I am interested – how do we participate?
For your child aged between 6-18 years: For your child to take part, you (the parent/carer) and your child need to provide your consent by selecting “YES” on your Act Belong Commit Drama Hub sign-up form if you agree to being involved in the project.
If you select “YES” on the Act Belong Commit Drama Hub sign-up form, that means you agree with the following statements:
- I have read and understand the information letter and any questions I had were answered to my satisfaction.
- I understand that participation in the project is entirely voluntary and my child can withdraw at any time and that any information we have provided will be destroyed after withdrawal.
- I understand participation in the project would involve my child aged between 12-18 (if applicable) completing two surveys, one before and one after the completion of the arts activity
- I understand participation in the project involves my child’s arts teacher using a resource that will promote positive SEWB messages through my child’s arts session or program.
- I understand that participation in the project involves researchers observing one arts session. If the arts organisation is regional, the session will be video recorded.
- I have discussed what it means to participate in this project with my child and I understand that I am giving consent for my child to participate in the project.
- I understand that all information will be securely stored at Telethon Kids Institute for at least seven years then destroyed as per statutory requirements. Data collected from participants under 18 years will be retained for a minimum of seven years after publication or project completion, or the subject/s have reached 25 years of age, whichever is later.
- I have been advised as to what data are being collected, the purpose for collecting the data, and what will be done with the data upon completion of the research.
- I understand this research may be presented at conferences or published in peer review journals and that individual participants will not be identified in any reporting of this research.
- I understand that selecting “YES” on the Drama Hub registration form means I consent to my child participating in the project.
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Approval to conduct this research has been provided by the University of Western Australia, in accordance with its ethics review and approval procedures. Any person considering participation in this research project, or agreeing to participate, may raise any questions or issues with the researchers at any time. In addition, any person not satisfied with the response of researchers may raise ethics issues or concerns, and may make any complaints about this research project by contacting the Human Ethics office at UWA on (08) 6488 4703 or by emailing to humanethics@uwa.edu.au. All research participants are entitled to retain a copy of any Participant Information Form and/or Participant Consent Form relating to this research project.
