Submission deadline: January 31, 2023
Invitation
Prostasia Foundation is seeking proposals from qualified researchers to conduct an evaluation of the peer support group MAP Support Club (MSC). The evaluation will be conducted through interviews and longitudinal surveys of members including those who have newly joined MSC.
Term of Contract
12 months
Background
MAP Support Club is a peer support chat for minor-attracted adolescents and adults. Established in 2016 on Discord, MAP Support Club is now hosted on Rocket Chat and seeks to provide direct peer support to minor-attracted people who seek to manage their feelings without ever offending against a child or consuming illicit imagery.
MAP Support Club
Created in November, 2016, MAP Support Club seeks to fill the void of support resources available for adolescents who are minor-attracted, so that young minor-attracted people can live healthy lives free from isolation and poor mental health. MAP Support Club supports people from a range of backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, mental health issues, and locations. MAP Support Club has technological safeguards against the abuse of our services, such as only allowing minors to direct message (DM) in a group room with at least two staff present, the ability to read direct messages, and the moderation of areas open to the general membership.
Current Data Collection Activities
MAP Support Club collects optional and non-optional data from members on signup.
Non-optional data includes:
- Age category
- Age of attraction
- Gender and gender of attraction
- Referral source
Optional data includes:
- Continent of origin
- History of abuse and trauma, including head trauma
- History of suicidal tendencies
- Help-seeking behavior
- Height
- Handedness
Proposals will need to collect additional data to meet the outcomes below.
Description and Desired Outcomes
Through this evaluation and survey information, Prostasia Foundation hopes to identify areas for improvement of MAP Support Club, knowledge gaps in staff training, and effectiveness in meeting its stated goals to support minor-attracted people in living fulfilling and law-abiding lives.
Proposal Format
Please submit a letter of intent of up to two pages outlining your research methodology and expected research outputs to [email protected]. The shortlisted applicant or applicants will be requested to expand this into a full proposal that will also include an itemized budget and timeline. The applicant may suggest a narrower assessment area that they would prioritize during the study period, and if so should suggest how they would prioritize follow-up studies if the project were to be extended and additional resources made available.
Budget
The budget for this proposal is $5,000.