In respect to individual’s intersectionality, participants are encouraged to register for the group(s) that best align with their identity. *We recognize race is complicated and invite people to self-identify. Focus groups may include people who are mixed-race and white passing. No one’s identity will be policed.

Informed Consent: 

By law and to uphold ethical research standards, informed consent must be obtained before participation in any focus groups occurs. The research team is required to provide all information that a reasonable person would need to make an informed decision about participation. The research team will also answer any questions the participant may have about the focus group process. With this information, participants can make an informed decision to consent or decline participation in the research.

Introduction:

You are invited to participate in a focus group to inform the development of the Well Community Collectives EDIIA-R (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Indigenity, Anti-Racism) Toolkit. The toolkit will be used to co-create a living, community-responsive toolkit that supports equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity, and anti-racism work among youth leaders, community-based organizations, and public service providers. Your participation involves taking part in a 60-minute in-person, virtual, or hybrid focus group with other youth living in Perth, Huron, Grey, and Bruce Counties. A focus group is a group discussion on a particular topic or theme. In this instance, the development of The Well Community Collectives EDIIA-R Toolkit. 

The toolkit aims to achieve four main objectives: 

1. Develop accessible, action-oriented resources that support reflective practice and organizational change.

2. Center the lived experiences of BIPOC, 2SLGTBQ+, and other equity-deserving communities. 

3. Facilitate learning, unlearning, and accountability processes. 

4. Develop adaptable tools that evolve in response to youth and community input.

Purpose:

The purpose of the focus group is to listen to the lived experiences of BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+ and other equity-deserving communities. This information will be used to inform The Well Community Collective and other community organizations in Huron, Perth, Grey, and Bruce Counties, as well as Youth Wellness Hub Ontario (YWHO) hubs, to ensure that lived experience is centred in the work that we do. We are interested in your views and opinions on the following:

1. Exploring youth well-being beyond the individual; examining collective, cultural, and systemic factors.

2. Understanding intersectionality and its impact on service relationships.

3. Connecting systemic structures to outcomes and service equity.

4. A multifaceted, life-span approach to trauma and healing.

5. Making the invisible visible in thought and action.

6. Recognizing historical harm and reimagining Indigenous and culturally grounded approaches.

7. Creating safe, responsive, and accountable spaces for youth and teams.

8. Adapted resources specifically for youth leaders based on identified needs.

What does participation in the focus group involve? 

To ensure diverse perspectives are represented and to foster dynamic group interactions, each focus group will aim to include a minimum of ten participants, two facilitators, and one supervisor. The focus group should last around 60 minutes. To uphold the integrity of the session, participants are required to have their cameras on during the introduction(to register). Information gathered from the focus group will be captured in person and through online platforms (Zoom and Mentimeter). Visual recording will only be used if audio recording is not available. An audio recording will be used to capture data from participants attending both in person and via Zoom. Audio and Video recording will be used solely for the purposes of facilitating transcription of the focus group discussion.

What will happen on the scheduled day? 

Once participants have arrived in person and/or joined via Zoom, facilitators will ensure participants are familiar with the Zoom functions (e.g, chat, how to raise your hand), MentiMeter (e.g, entering the code to join the live Menti). The facilitators will provide an overview of the purpose of the focus group and then will review the guidelines found in Appendix A for creating a Brave space. Participants will be given an opportunity to ask questions. Following this, participants will be invited to complete an anonymous demographic form. Once the demographic forms have been completed, facilitators will begin audio/video recording, and participants During the focus group, participants will be asked to reflect and share their perspectives, experiences, and views on their own individual and unique lived realities related to EDIIA-R. (Please see the “What data is being collected” section for examples of areas of focus.)Participants within the group will be encouraged to reflect and share their perspectives, experiences, and viewpoints related to their own unique lived realities concerning EDIIA-R.

 will be invited to begin responding to the focus group questions.  After the introduction, participants are encouraged to stay visible to promote open dialogue, respectful interactions, and build a sense of connectionAdditional time for questions will be provided at the end of the focus group. 

Who is funding this project?

The focus group component of the EDIIA-R toolkit is funded by Howl Exploration’s Micro-Grant through funding from Canada Service Corps. Additional funding provided by Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario will support the Toolkit development and dissemination.

Voluntary Participation & Right to Withdrawal: 

Engagement in the focus group is purely voluntary; participants may withdraw their consent to use the data that they have provided for research purposes at any time. Participants’ decision to withdraw their consent will have no bearing on their current or future relationship with The Well Community Collective.

What are the Benefits of Participating in this Focus Group?

By participating in this focus group, participants have an opportunity to share their perspectives and play an active role in informing the development of the EDIIA-R toolkit. Engaging in this process will centre participants as agents of change, particularly in co-creating a living, community-responsive toolkit that supports equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity, and anti-racism work among youth leaders, community-based organizations, and public service providers. Participants will have an opportunity to win a door prize and will be compensated with an honorarium, in addition to being provided with refreshments for those who participate in person.

Potential Risks: 

There may be risks or harms associated with participating in these focus groups due to the trigerring nature of the content that will be explored and discussed. To support participants, The Well Community Collective reminds participants that: 

• Focus groups are voluntary, and participants have the right to share only what they feel comfortable disclosing.

• Participants may withdraw their consent at any time.

• If emotional/wellness support is needed, The Well Community Collective will make appropriate referrals.

Privacy & Confidentiality: 

Any information about participants involvement or participation in these focus groups will remain confidential, and will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. All recordings conducted by The Well Community Collective will be deleted/destroyed after they have been transcribed and all identifying information removed. All electronic data (i.e., de-identified transcripts) will be destroyed 1 year after the completion of the EDIIA-R toolkit. Electronic data will be deleted, and the trash emptied on the computer, so there are no traces of the data. Consent forms for all data collected will be stored electronically and placed on a secure password-protected computer. Access to computers and electronic drives will be secured by use of specific passwords known only to The Well Community Collective staff, students, and consultants involved in the development of the EDIIA-R toolkit. 

Limitations to Confidentiality: 

Confidentiality can only be guaranteed to the extent permitted by law. For example, if you disclose that you are at risk of harming yourself and/or others, the focus group team is obligated to report this to the appropriate parties (e.g., emergency services) to maintain safety. Similarly, if you disclose that a child under the age of 18 is experiencing current or ongoing abuse, the focus group team will have a legal duty to report this to proper authorities, such as child protective services. Additionally, we cannot fully guarantee privacy and confidentiality with regard to other focus group participants hearing and remembering your specific responses to questions. We will, however, mention and encourage all participants at several points during the focus group that our hope and intent in hosting these conversations is to do so with the utmost respect for privacy.

Use of Zoom and MentiMeter: 

All virtual interactions with the focus group team will occur via Zoom and will use Mentimeter to facilitate interaction. Although we cannot 100% guarantee your privacy with regard to any virtual focus group activities that may occur in this project via Zoom or MentiMeter, any focus group activity that occurs on Zoom or Mentimeter, you will be given a unique and password-protected link/code for joining the focus group activities. 

 Zoom is a communication and collaboration platform that can be used to conduct virtual focus groups. MentiMeter is an online, interactive platform for creating and delivering engaging presentations by incorporating real-time polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&A sessions. 

If you’re unable to attend a live focus group, but would still like to contribute to the development of the EDIIA-R toolkit, we warmly welcome your input and invite you to share your perspectives through our anonymous feedback form.