The following contains text from the information letter provided to all participants in the RAAYS Adult study:

 

Read this to find out about the RAAYS Adult Study

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We invite you to participate in a research study exploring awareness and practices of allyship toward Aboriginal peoples among adults who work with Aboriginal youth. This study is being conducted by a research team of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers, across research institutions around Australia, but primarily in Perth (Boorloo).

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Meet the rest of the team:

• Murdoch University: Bep Uink, Rebecca Bennett, Jessica Brand, Jenna Woods, Bec Gillis

• Telethon Kids Institute: Ashleigh Lin

• University of Technology Sydney: Gregory Martin 

• Deakin University: Yin Paradies

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Nature and Purpose of the Study
When considering racism, we often think of overt, malicious comments or actions. Sometimes the covert, subtle, every day racist experiences witnessed are not as easily recognisable or manageable. We are yet to understand how adults who work with Aboriginal youth act to prevent racism against Aboriginal youth (i.e., allyship). 

 

Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the experiences and knowledge of adults who work with Aboriginal youth in the community in relation to racism and allyship. With the results of this study, we aim to create resources and frameworks that address covert racism in Aboriginal youth spaces. 

If you consent to take part in this research study, it is important that you understand the purpose of the study and the tasks you will be asked to complete. Please make sure that you ask the researchers any questions you may have, and that all your questions have been answered to your satisfaction before you agree to participate.

 

What the Study will Involve
To participate in the study, we are looking for any adults who work in health or community services with Aboriginal youth. This can include services exclusively for Aboriginal youth, or other services which include working with Aboriginal youth. The aim of the study is to understand non-Indigenous adults' perceptions and experiences; however, we also welcome participation from Aboriginal adults who work with Aboriginal young people. 

 

If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to attend a small focus group of 6-8 participants to discuss your understanding and experiences of racism, especially covert racism towards Aboriginal youth. The focus groups will be facilitated by a non-Aboriginal person. Focus groups should take around 1 hour and will be held at your workplace or at Murdoch University.

 

The study is part of a larger research project examining predictors of allyship and racism among Aboriginal youth. There is an opportunity for you to further participate in this project by completed an online survey examining predictors of allyship behaviour. If you would like to be contacted in the future to take part in this survey, please indicate your agreement in the attached Consent Form. You do not need to agree to take part in the survey to be able to participate in the focus group. 

 

Voluntary Participation and Withdrawal from the Study
Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw at any time without discrimination or prejudice. All information is treated as confidential and no names or other details that might identify you will be used in any publication arising from the research. If you withdraw, all information you have provided will be destroyed. However, once the data that you have provided is published, it cannot be deleted or withdrawn. In this instance, your data may be attributed anonymously.  

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Privacy 
Your privacy is very important. Members of your workplace organisation who also attend the focus group will be aware of your participation in the research. All participants will be asked to not to share information that is discussed in the focus group. You will be asked to maintain confidentiality by not addressing persons or workplaces during the focus group. What you say in the focus group will not be linked to your name, and therefore the data will be unidentifiable. Once transcripts have been written for the recordings, the recordings will be deleted. 

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Benefits of the Study
It is possible that there may be no direct benefit to you from participation in this study. However, it is possible that participating in the study will grant insight and knowledge of what experiences Aboriginal youth who you are working with have had with racism. Hopefully, the discussion will prompt participants to educate and empower each other to become the best allies they can.

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While there is no guarantee that you will personally benefit, the knowledge gained from your participation may help others in the future. One hope for this study is that the findings will lay a baseline of current understanding and practice by adults regarding covert racism directed towards Aboriginal youth. Using this baseline, we hope to construct a new framework of what allyship looks like in Australia.

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Possible Risks
There are no specific risks anticipated with participation in this study. However, if you do find that you are becoming distressed you will be advised to seek support from free wellbeing services such as Lifeline Australia and your workplace Employee Assistance Program.  
 

If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to contact our research team on ACEEracism.study@murdoch.edu.au, who will be happy to discuss any concerns or questions regarding this study.  

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This study is funded by the Australian Research Council as part of a larger project titled Racism and Allyship in Youth Spaces. Once we have analysed the information from this study, we will email you a summary of our findings.  You can expect to receive this feedback in mid-late 2023.