Invitation to participate in EMwoSE research project – Empowering Women Through Social Enterprise

The EMwoSE project is about empowering women form ethnic minorities in social enterprise. This research forms part of an EU - ERASMUS+ funded study led by the Development Office, LIT, Limerick Institute of Technology. 

It aims to support the development of innovative practices in the education and training of women who are either seeking to start up or expand their knowledge and expertise in relation to the social enterprise (SE) trading or are already engaged in social enterprise organisations and who wish to develop their capacity to trade their goods and services and so enhance their sustainability. Please go here for further details.

Dr. Marie Taylor is the member of staff of Limerick Institute of Technology who is conducting the work.  You are being invited to take part in this study.  Before you agree to do so, it is important that you understand the purpose and nature of the research and what if you agree, your participation will involve. 

The research consists of a number of interviews of women from ethnic minorities that are involved in social enterprises.  The interviews will help in identifying the needs and challenges of the target group which will be addressed in an on-line learning platform and through the dissemination of information.

The interviews will be recorded to produce a hard copy record. The recordings and hard copy records will remain strictly confidential and will not be shared with any other party.  Your role and the data about the organisation will be identifiable in the final project report and other dissemination publications related to the project.  All records will be securely destroyed after the research is completed and audited by the relevant funding body.

Any personal data gathered as part of this research will be treated in accordance with LIT’s Data Protection Policy. Details of how to exercise your rights under Data Protection Law are also available.  Participation in this research is entirely voluntary.  It is up to you to decide whether, or not, to take part.  If you do agree to take part, you will be asked to sign a consent form.  If you agree to take part, you may still withdraw at any time, without giving a reason, by contacting marie.taylor@lit.ie. If that happens, any information or data you have given will not be used in the study and will be securely destroyed. 

If you agree to take part, the researchers indicated above will ask you to sign a consent form and then make arrangements to conduct the interview. You will be given a copy of the consent form to keep.

If anything is not clear, or if you want more information, please contact marie.taylor@lit.ie.

If you wish to complain about any aspect of how you have been approached or treated in respect of this project, please contact:  Mr Seamus Hoyne, Development Unit, LIT Tipperary, Nenagh Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary (seamus.hoyne@lit.ie).

More information on the EMwoSE project is available here.