PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Romain Hourrier

The purpose of this information sheet is to provide you with sufficient information so that you can then give your informed consent. It is thus very important that you read this document carefully and raise any issues that you do not understand with the investigator.

1. What is the purpose of the project?
The purpose of this project is to find out the reasons why girls start, carry on and stop playing football, and views on current Northumberland FA strategies, with a view to finding solutions to improve girls’ participation.

2. Why have I been selected to take part?
You have been selected to take part as you are either a girl or woman that plays/has played football in the north east of England, or you are involved in the game with the girls as a parent or a coach.

3. What will I have to do?
You will receive information about the research and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. Once you have read the participant information sheet thoroughly, you will have to agree to take part in the research study by ticking the box to agree to the consent form and the terms and conditions (first question of the questionnaire). If you are
under the age of 18, you will be asked to consent and complete the questionnaire with your parent(s). If you are the parent of a girl under the age of 18, you will be asked to give your parental consent and complete the questionnaire on your own and/or with your child. Then you will be given the opportunity to start the process. Once consent has been completed, the data collection process will commence. This will involve you completing a questionnaire with your views on participation and FA strategies and should take around 10 minutes. Please be aware that you do not have to participate in anything you do not wish to within this research study and you have the right to withdraw from the research study at any time. Once
the data collection process has been completed the investigator will give you a debrief sheet explaining the nature of the research study. This will provide details of how you can receive information relating to the outcomes of the research study and how you can withdraw your contribution to the data collected should you wish to do so.

4. What is the exclusion criteria (i.e. are there any reasons why I should not take part)?
You should not take part in this study if you are not a girl or woman that plays/has played football in the north east of England, or you are not involved in the game as a parent or a coach.

5. Will my participation involve any physical discomfort?
Participating in this study does not involve any physical discomfort.

6. Will my participation involve any psychological discomfort or embarrassment?
The questionnaire should not cause psychological discomfort. However, all participants are free to withdraw from the research study at any stage should they not wish to participate at any stage. To protect your anonymity, the information you have provided is totally anonymous. The exception to this is if something arises that is of harm to yourself or others,
and in this case the information will be passed onto a relevant person. You will be referred to throughout the research study by your participant identification number.

7. How will confidentiality be assured?
Your survey answers will be sent to a link to Google Forms where data will be stored in a password protected electronic format. The website does not collect identifying information such as your name, email address, or IP address. Therefore, your responses will remain anonymous. No one will be able to identify you or your answers, and no one will know
whether or not you participated in the study. If you choose to provide contact information such as your phone number or email address in the additional information boxes in the survey, your responses may no longer be anonymous to the researcher. However, no names or identifying information would be included in any publications or presentations based on these data, and your responses to this survey will remain confidential.

9. Who will have access to the information that I provide?
The principal investigator and research team will have access to the information you provide.

10. How will my information be stored / used in the future?
The research data collected will be stored securely and remain in its original format and no alterations will be made from the original source. All participants within the research study will be referred to and identified throughout the process and final write up through use of their respondent’s identification number. The general findings from the research study will be used examine sport student career decision-making. Findings arising from the study may be published in a journal or presented at a conference.

11. Has this investigation received appropriate ethical clearance?
Yes, through the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences ethics review process.

12. Will I receive any financial rewards / travel expenses for taking part?
No.

13. How can I withdraw from the project?
You have the right to withdraw from this study at any time, in order to do this you should contact the principle investigator via the contact details provided and state that you no longer wish to take part in this research study - you do not need/have to provide reasons for your withdrawal.
Contact Name: Romain Hourrier
Contact E-mail: romain.hourrier@northumbria.ac.uk

14. If I require further information who should I contact and how?
You can contact:
The Principal Investigator:
Principal Investigator Contact Name: Romain Hourrier
Principal Investigator Contact E-mail: romain.hourrier@northumbria.ac.uk
Or
The Supervisor:
Supervisor Contact Name: Linda Allin
Supervisor E-mail: linda.allin@northumbria.ac.uk