Focus Groups with Students

Job Corps Process Study

Appendix H. Informed Consent

and Agreement to Participate

OMB No. XXXX-XXXX

Exp. Date::xx /xx/xxxx

You are being asked to participate in this focus group to assist with determining Job Corps practices that are linked with center success. This focus group is being conducted with OMB approval. Please read this “informed consent and agreement to participate form” carefully and ask as many questions as you like before you decide whether you want to participate in this focus group session. You are free to ask questions at any time before, during, or after your participation in this session. Your participation in this focus group is voluntary. This group discussion will take about one hour of your time, and all individual responses will be kept private to the maximum extent allowed by the law. We will not share or use your name, address, or any other identifying information in reports or other materials related to this study. We will not identify any of the students by name. All of the information we collect here today is private to the maximum extent possible under the law. All data will be pooled with data from similar sessions with participants in other programs throughout the United States and published in aggregate form only.

Project Title: Job Corps Process Study

Facilitator: xxxx

Note Taker: xxxx

Purpose of the Focus Group: To capture, in your own words, your perspective on your Job Corps experience. We seek to learn more about your experiences, perceptions, challenges, source of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with Job Corps, support during your enrollment, and overall assessment of Job Corps’ effectiveness.

Procedures: You will be asked to share your experiences and honest opinions about your participation in Job Corps during a one-hour session. In addition, you may be contacted at a later date to clarify your comments or to share any additional thoughts as a report is being prepared.

Participant Consent and Agreement: I have read the information presented above about the focus group being facilitated by IMPAQ/DIR. I have had the opportunity to ask any questions related to this study, to receive satisfactory answers to my questions and any additional details I wanted.

I am aware that I have the option of allowing my interview to be tape recorded to ensure an accurate recording of my responses.

I am also aware that excerpts from the interview may be included in a report, with the understanding that the quotations will be anonymous.

With full knowledge of all foregoing, I agree, of my own free will, to participate in this focus group session and to keep private information that could identify specific participants and/or the information they provided.

YES NO

I agree to have my interview tape recorded.
YES NO

I agree to the use of anonymous quotations in any reports that comes from this focus group session.
YES NO

Participant Name: ____________________________ (Please print)

Participant Signature: ________________________ Date: ____________

Witness Name: ________________________________ (Please print)

Witness Signature: __________________________ Date: ____________

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