Survey Assistant

Survey Assistant

COLLEGE OF MVLS

RI HEALTH & WELLBEING

MPA

GRADE 4

Job Purpose

To carry out data collection on the Gay Men’s Sexual Health Survey. The Survey Assistant (SA) is responsible for ensuring that high quality accurate data is collected following research governance guidelines and working to the study protocol.The work involves visits to clubs, bars and possibly saunas to survey men who have sex with men (MSM) over a two week period (week commencing 19thMay 2014 and week commencing 26th May 2014) in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.Survey assistants will ensure informed consent is obtained, that questionnaires are completed and saliva samples taken as well as completing survey statistics and administrative data. A mandatory training day will also be held at 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow on Saturday 17th May 2014.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Undertake intensive training at the beginning of the research in order to fully comprehend the study and how to ensure good quality, accurate data for analysis. Training will include the purpose of the study, ethical procedures, study protocols, Unit and Glasgow University policies and procedures and demonstrations/practice with both the data collection instrument and the measurement protocols to achieve a thorough familiarity with all aspects of the research as well as health and safety training for this night time work.

1. Travel to study meeting point locations and then to allocated bars/clubs/saunas. Working in teams, enter premises and set up a study location. Using judgement and following the guidance of the team leader, determine how to approach participants in the most sensitive manner, being aware that alcohol may have been consumed, particularly during later shifts. Following initial training, understanding how to act when a negative response is given by a potential participant,

1. Take informed consent ensuring following strict research governance guidelines. Respond to any questions from the participant in a clear and truthful manner using language appropriate to the participant.

1. Provide the self-complete questionnaire to the participant, and respond to any questions which arise. If the participant prefers due to literacy or visual issues, the survey assistant will conduct a face to face interview completing the questionnaire with the necessary data.

1. Request a biological sample (saliva sample), and explain why the sample is needed. Ensure samples are handled correctly and, when complete, placed in containers with correct identifiers. Ensure that protocols are followed to manage the safe packing and transporting of the samples.

1. To complete administrative tasks to supplement information collected during field visits. This will include mileage/expense forms, timesheets/diaries, monitoring reports, performance reviews, field reports and other feedback as required

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential:
A1. Social science, sports science or related degree or equivalent experience (see below).

A2. Knowledge of good research practice.

Desirable:
A3. Knowledge of research methodology and governance.
A4. Experience of research/data collection on the gay scene.

Skills

Essential

B1. Ability to communicate easily and clearly and to explain concepts to the general public.
B2. Accuracy and attention to detail.
B3. Flexibleapproach to work.
B4. Able to work within a large team and to undertake tasks as required directed by a team leader.
B5. Able to work alone to complete required tasks.

Desirable:
B6. Ability to explain medical/social research to participants and respond to questions they ask

Experience
Essential:

A1. As an alternative to degree qualification above, several years of experience collecting data in a health or social science environment or at least one year conducting outreach in gay bars / saunas with the Terence Higgins Trust Scotland or Gay Mens Health or similar organisation.

A2. Experience of working to protocols to achieve high quality results.

A3. Able to travel to an agreed central meeting point in Dundee, Edinburgh or Glasgow. From the meeting point teams will travel together to the various study venues, locating sites by map or instructions.

Desirable:

A4. Experience of collecting data for research using paper questionnaires or other quantitative data collection instrument.

A5. Previous fieldwork experience in the gay community.
A6. Experience of community fieldwork following health and safety protocols to conduct data collection.

Job Features

Planning and Organising
Organising data collection materials will be required for accurate study results. Accurate matching of IDs for up to 3 packs of questionnaires, outer packs and saliva samples is essential. Similarly, completing response rate forms to accurately reflect the number of men approached, is key to providing a robust response rate for the study.
Decision Making

Decisions will be around how to handle difficult situations in study locations. Participants are in a commercial venue for socialising and many may have taken alcohol – particularly during later data collection times (9pm – 12am). Deciding how to handle situations to prevent escalation of aggression will be key for study success and Unit reputation.

Internal/External Relationships
Survey assistants will work closely with team leaders and lead researchers/Survey Office team to conduct fieldwork. When conducting fieldwork, they will normally be in teams of 4 survey assistants and one team leader. The other key relationship is with participants. Teams will visit up to 4 venues each evening and these will vary each night and in each city. Maintaining good relations throughout the survey period will be critical to permission to visit the bars and clubs and Survey Assistants must demonstrate a mature and responsible attitude throughout.

Problem Solving
Although team leaders and researchers will have the majority of the problem solving responsibilities, survey assistants will have to decide how best to deal with individual situations, e.g. how to avoid aggressive individuals, how to help participants with literacy issues without embarrassing them.

Other

It is likely that the bars will be at a distance from one another in each city. Teams will need to move from one venue to another and ensure that the maximum time is spent inside the venues. This post requires Basic Disclosure. Candidates who do not already have basic disclosure will have this cost covered by the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit.

Interviews will be held in the offices of Pertemps, depending on the location in which you are applying to work:

Glasgow

(Interview dates – Friday 4th April 2014 and Monday 14th April 2014)

163 West George Street

Glasgow

G2 2JJ

Telephone: 0141 248 6020

Edinburgh

(Interview dates – Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th April 2014),

Thistle House

21-23 Thistle Street

Edinburgh

EH2 1DF

Telephone: 0131 225 7531

Dundee

(Interview date – Friday 25th April 2014)

Location to be confirmed.

How to apply

Please contact Camilla Phelps or Victoria Clark at Pertemps Scotland, 163 West George Street, Glasgow G2 2JJ. Tel: 0141 248 6020.