Volunteer Family Connect

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are invited to be part of our research study, which is looking at how effective the Volunteer Family Connect program is in supporting families of young children and connecting families to their local community. In other words, we want to know whether this program really does make an important difference for families.

Who is eligible to participate in the research?

•    Have children aged 0-5 years
•    Feel in need of more support in their parenting role
•    At times feel isolated or overwhelmed
•    Have limited or no local networks to support them
•    Need more support connecting to services in their local community
•    Are willing to accept a volunteer home visitor if they are assigned one

What would happen if I decided to be part of the research?

If you express an interest in being part of the research, the first thing that will happen is that a researcher will contact you to arrange a time to meet you and describe the project and what would be involved. The researcher will come at a time and place most convenient and comfortable for you (e.g. to your home). You will not be asked to make a decision about whether or not you want to be part of the project until you have heard all the information and had a chance to ask your own questions.

If you decide to be part of the research, a researcher will visit with you every 3 months over a 15 month period (6 visits in all) to complete a survey. You can also complete the survey online or over the telephone if you prefer. The survey will ask you questions about how your family is going, what services you have been using, and how you are feeling about being a parent. All information shared by families will be kept strictly confidential.

Each time a survey is completed you will receive a $20 gift voucher.

Half of the research participants will receive the Vonuteer Family Connect volunteer home visiting program. If you are in this group, a trained volunteer will come to your house once a week to support you. The nature of this support is something you can negotiate with the volunteer.

In what locations is the research taking place?

The research is being conducted in the following locations: Sydney (Rosebery, Inner West, Macarthur and Liverpool), Bairnsdale (Victoria), Hobart (Tasmania) and also on the Gold Coast (Queensland).

Who should I contact to find out more?
If you would like to find out more about the research, please contact one of the researchers listed below. We will be pleased to hear from you.