The document outlines a PhD research plan to study the development of an online counselling service called Kooth.com that provides support for young people aged 11-19 in the UK. The research aims to understand if Kooth can offer a useful, well-developed and safe service for young people. The plan involves familiarizing with Kooth, interviewing service providers and users, analyzing service data and feedback over multiple phases from 2005-2008. The goal is to evaluate the challenges of emerging online counseling services and how Kooth addresses the needs of young people.

1. Investigating the development of Online Counselling Services for Young People in the UK Terry Lecturer in Counselling at the University of Manchester and an ESRC funded PhD student at the same institution.

13. PhD Plan Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1

15. PhD Plan Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1 May 06- Oct.06 First set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people 2

20. PhD Plan Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1 May 06- Oct.06 First set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people 2 Nov.06- Feb. 07 Transcribe and analyse first sets of interview data Provide feedback / Dissemination Point 3

21. PhD Plan Throughout this period I intend to interview and analyse the data generated from users of the service Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1 May 06- Oct.06 First set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people 2 Nov.06- Feb. 07 Transcribe and analyse first sets of interview data Provide feedback / Dissemination Point 3 Mar.06- April 06 Reflexive period (slack for mishaps/delays)

22. PhD Plan Throughout this period I intend to interview and analyse the data generated from users of the service Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1 May 06- Oct.06 First set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people 2 Nov.06- Feb. 07 Transcribe and analyse first sets of interview data Provide feedback / Dissemination Point 3 Mar.06- April 06 Reflexive period (slack for mishaps/delays) May 07- Oct. 07 Second set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people Analysis of first year ’ s service usage data Analysis of evaluation questionnaires 4

23. PhD Plan Throughout this period I intend to interview and analyse the data generated from users of the service Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1 May 06- Oct.06 First set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people 2 Nov.06- Feb. 07 Transcribe and analyse first sets of interview data Provide feedback / Dissemination Point 3 Mar.06- April 06 Reflexive period (slack for mishaps/delays) May 07- Oct. 07 Second set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people Analysis of first year ’ s service usage data Analysis of evaluation questionnaires 4 Nov.07- Feb.08 Transcribe and analyse second sets of interview data Provide Feedback / Dissemination Point 5

24. PhD Plan Throughout this period I intend to interview and analyse the data generated from users of the service Anticipated writing up period Dates Activity Phase Nov.05- April 06 Familiarise myself with the organisation, create strong links and negotiating access 1 May 06- Oct.06 First set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people 2 Nov.06- Feb. 07 Transcribe and analyse first sets of interview data Provide feedback / Dissemination Point 3 Mar.06- April 06 Reflexive period (slack for mishaps/delays) May 07- Oct. 07 Second set of interviews with service providers, practitioners and young people Analysis of first year ’ s service usage data Analysis of evaluation questionnaires 4 Nov.07- Feb.08 Transcribe and analyse second sets of interview data Provide Feedback / Dissemination Point 5 Mar.08- May 08 Reflexive period (slack for mishaps/delays) Final Feedback – ending with Kooth Thesis hand in