If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete a consent form before you engage in any research activities. If you are aged 16 or 17, we will ask you to confirm that you have informed your parent/carer/guardian about taking part. At each stage of the research process, we will continue to check with you that you are still happy to participate.

You will be invited to take part in two sessions:

• One to one interview (in person or online) – working with two researchers who will support you to share your individual experience and capture this visually. This will help us to capture the unique experiences of young people who have or have had eating disorders and learn about access to support, help seeking and the impact that having additional experience of ethnicity, living rurally, resource insecurity or being LGBTQ+ has on eating disorders.

• Group workshop – working with other young people with lived experience, researchers and LENS Youth Advisors to co-design ideas and recommendations for improving experiences of accessing care and support

You can choose to take part only in the interview or join both the sessions.

Before engaging in research activities, we have created a ‘Participation Passport’. You will be invited to complete this to help us understand how your experiences relate to the focus of this research; how we can best support you to participate; how you would like to share your experience. This can be completed online or by post, whichever you prefer.

You are welcome to bring a friend or family member with you to the sessions if you like.

Following each session, we will share a copy of what we create so you can check we have understood and captured everything correctly. You can review and suggest any changes.

Taking part in the research will not impact your ability to access healthcare services.

Taking part in the research is not a replacement for engaging with healthcare professionals or services and is not a treatment plan.

Optional: Our partners in University of Nottingham would like to speak to young people with lived experience about ‘social media and eating disorders’. If this is of interest to you, please let us know and a researcher from University of Nottingham will contact you to arrange a separate session.

One to one interview:

You can choose whether you prefer this to take place in person or online. If you prefer to meet in person, researchers will contact you to agree a place to meet where you feel comfortable. If you prefer online, we will send you a Zoom link for the session. We recommend that you join the Zoom link from a private space where you can speak openly and where you feel safe. You can use a computer, tablet or mobile phone to take part.

It is expected that sessions will take place between March and April 2024.

The interview will last approximately 1.5 hours.

Group workshop:

This will take place online. We will send you a Zoom link for the session. We recommend that you join the Zoom link from a private space where you can speak openly and where you feel safe. You can use a computer, tablet or mobile phone to take part.

The session will last approximately 3 – 3.5 hours.

You will be joined by two researchers at the one to one session, you can also bring a trusted friend or family member with you if you like.

You can also opt for one of our Youth Advisors (young person with lived experience of an eating disorder) to be present during the sessions.

The main benefit of taking part is that your experience and creativity will positively impact future support for young people with eating disorders.

There will be a small incentive available to thank you for your time and contribution to the project.

Taking part is your decision. It is entirely voluntary. If you decide to take part, you are free to leave or pause at any time without giving a reason. You can take part in as many or as few sessions as you choose.

All sessions will be audio recorded. Audio recordings will be transcribed, and researchers will use this information to create outputs such as reports and presentations. With your permission, we may also take photos and video. These will be used in reports, presentations, other forms of publications, on our website and social media. These will be accessible to the public. However, your name and any information that identifies you will be removed, so that your contribution can be anonymised. For example, we can edit photos and video clips to blur your face.

The Glasgow School of Art will securely store your personal data (e.g., name, contact details) in accordance with The Glasgow School of Art Data Protection Policy for five years. With your consent we will store research data (e.g., visual maps, quotes) for ten years to inform research reports, papers, and future funding applications.

Ethical approval for this researcher has been granted by The Glasgow School of Art Research Ethics Committee.

If you would like to discuss the research with someone or make a complaint, please contact:

Colin Kirkpatrick

Head of Research Support Services, Glasgow School of Art

c.kirkpatrick@gsa.ac.uk or 0141 566 1483

You have the right to lodge a complaint against The Glasgow School of Art regarding data protection issues with the information Commissioner’s Office (https://ico.org.uk/concerns).