Depression, Work and Welfare: their Interaction over Time
I am a student of University of Essex and I am looking for participants for my project
about unemployment, depression and benefits. This project is independent of
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Job Centres and other related agencies.
To see if you can help, please answer the next four questions.
1. Have you been unemployed (now or in the past)?
2. Are you trying to find work or are you currently working?
3. Have you experienced depression before or during your unemployment?
4. Have you needed welfare benefits (now or in the past)?
If your answer is ‘yes’ to all four questions, I would like to hear about your
experiences in relation to unemployment, benefits and depression. In this
project, I collect stories about how people tried to break out of unemployment. I hope
to learn about things that helped, and issues or barriers people experienced.
I am keen to talk to people from a variety of backgrounds, including those from
minority and marginalised groups. Participants will be mainly from a large area
between London and East Anglia.
It is important I talk to people who have good, not so good or mixed experiences. In
this project, everyone’s opinion is important.
What do I get out of participating?
– It is an opportunity for you to speak freely about your experiences. Please often find
talking about their experiences enjoyable and worthwhile.
– I will be keen to let you know about the findings, and to tell you how the findings are
shared with a wider audience.
– Your time and effort will be much appreciated, and as a ‘thank you’ you will receive a
£15 high street voucher after the interview.
If you are interested in the study, it is important that you understand the purpose of
the research and what it will involve. Please read the information below carefully and
take time to decide whether you would like to take part. I will be happy to answer any
questions you have to help your decision.
How do I sign up?
You can contact me directly via email: kn18837@essex.ac.uk
What happens next?
I will get in touch with you within a few days and will ask a few questions about you
and answer any questions you have about the research.
If you are still happy to take part, I will arrange a suitable time and mode for the
conversation. The meeting will take about one hour. We can talk via a video call or
over the telephone, whichever way you feel the most comfortable. When the
research is completed, you will receive a report about the findings, if you are
interested.
A few more things you need to know
• You need to be at least 18 years old to take part.
• Participation is voluntary. You can withdraw at any time and you do not need
to explain why you would like to stop participating. If you withdraw from the
study, you can ask the researcher to use or destroy your data and any
information you have given and not to contact you again.
• You have the right to refuse to answer or respond to any question that is
asked of you.
• Your name will not be used and will be replaced with a random name.
• Your anonymity and your identity will be kept confidential and data will be kept
secure.
• The project will be written up as a thesis dissertation at the University of
Essex. It is planned to be shared in relevant circles and published as a journal
article.
• Some of your words may be used in reports but under another name so the
readers will not know who you are.
• Participation will not affect your benefits. No information about you is shared
with Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Job Centres, HM Revenue
and Customs (HMRC) or the agency that asked you to take part.
• This project is organised by Krisztina Nemeth, Trainee Clinical Psychologist
and is funded by the Health and Social Care Department of the University of
Essex. The title of the project is: Depression, Work and Welfare: their
Interaction over Time.
• The legal basis for processing your personally identifying data is that you
have consented to it. The data controller is the University of Essex. Essex
University’s Data Protection Officer can be contacted on dpo@essex.ac.uk .
• The proposal has been reviewed by the Faculty of Science & Health Ethics
sub-Committee.
• If you have any issues or problems with the study, please contact the
researcher (kn18837@essex.ac.uk) or the project supervisor