Research Proposal: Online Appointment System for Refugee Counseling

This research proposal outlines the development of an online appointment scheduling system designed to improve access to counseling and psychiatric assistance for asylum seekers and refugees in Athens, Greece. The project addresses the current inefficiencies in appointment processes at ADECO, a non-profit organization, where long waiting times and unorganized systems hinder access to mental health services. The research employs both qualitative and quantitative methods, including online surveys and analysis of existing appointment systems. The proposed IT solution involves a web-based application with features like language selection, city-based office selection, date selection, and a form for personal details, including a mechanism to identify vulnerable individuals for prioritized appointments. Ethical considerations, such as data privacy and security, are also addressed. The anticipated outcomes include a systematic appointment system, reduced waiting times, and a model applicable to other organizations globally. The project aims to create a more organized and efficient process, ultimately contributing to the mental well-being of the refugee population and preventing the emergence of a mentally handicapped society. The proposal also includes a literature review, methodology, and a description of the IT artefact and how it will be evaluated. The project will use a web-based application for distributing counseling appointments.

Running Head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2RESEARCH PROPOSAL
A. The Specification:
The Context of the Research:
The context based on which the researcher will proceed with the research work, encompasses
the formation of an appointment schedule system operated through online. In order to understand
the purpose of designing this online appointment scheduling system, first the problems
encountered by asylum seekers as well as the refugees, in Athens, should be analyzed. In recent
years there has been a steep rise in the rates of people requiring psychiatric assistance. People
with severe mental illness in Athens, are now encountering a problem to receive appointment of
psychologists or counselors. According to the experts the demand for psychological counseling
has surpassed the availability of counselors or NGOs providing the assistance of the same kind in
a systematic as well as organized way. Often it has been observed that only a few citizens will
receives counseling assistance with the help of any personal source. For example, people who
have personal relation with the owner of the mental health centers or NGOs providing
psychiatric assistance, receives appointment easily and people who do not have such personal
connection rarely get appointment of the counselors. This happens especially with the refugees in
Athens, who suffer from depression for not being able to get enough opportunities to support
their own living. A recent study has revealed that this issue will give birth to a mentally
handicapped society the impact of which will also be forwarded to the next generation. This
research proposal will provide systematic solutions to the said issue. In this context this research
will recommend the introduction of an online appointment scheduling system. The attributes of
the research approach are both qualitative and quantitative. Finally, as the summary of the
research and analysis, it can be stated that, unorganized appointment and treatment will not assist
in the rehabilitation of all the people suffering from mental disease, which is the primary cause to

3RESEARCH PROPOSAL
select this issue as the research topic. Other factors responsible behind the selection of the
research topic are-severity of the issue, essentiality of an organized appointment scheduling
system, preventing the inception of a mentally handicapped society. In this context, this research
study will focus on the contribution of a non-profit organization in Athens called ADECO and
reveal in what ways ADECO can provide technological assistance in designing an online
appointment scheduling system.
The Problem Statement:
The problem that will be addressed in this research paper encompasses the issues
encountered by asylum seekers and refugees in Athens. More specifically, it can be stated that,
Most of such patients in Athens who are in need of psychiatric assistance, are not receiving the
opportunity for treatment due to the faulty and unorganized process of getting appointments of
psychologists or counselors. Often it is noticed that, a few of the patients receives appointment of
the counselors as well as the psychologists with the help of their personal connection with the
owners of the NGOs or mental health centers serving people seeking asylum. Citizens of Athens
along with the refugees who are unable to get appointment through personal source, rarely
receives any kind of appointments. This is increasing the chances of the inception of a mentally
handicapped society. This problem demands a systematic, organized and fast solution.
The Dissertation Questions:
Dissertatio
n
Question(s)
1. What is the method that ADECO is going to apply to facilitate the
asylum seekers as well as the refugees to receive appointment for
counselling without any kind of hazards? What are the loopholes
of the current system for receiving appointments of the

4RESEARCH PROPOSAL
counsellors?
2. How can IT solution can make the system for receiving
counselling appointments efficient and assist Refugees along with
the people of Greece seeking asylum and help in the process
ensuring prioritization of vulnerable individuals?
3. Is it possible to reduce the waiting period for appointment in the
offices of ADECO, regarding counselling of the seekers of
asylum? Will a web-based application be useful in this regard?
Ethical Considerations:
Ethical consideration will be required for protecting the information provided by the
participants through the online survey. The participants as well as the staffs of ADECO needs to
be registered with a website which will again be involve in the online survey. At the time of their
participation in the survey, the participants needs to be assured that, it is an anonymous survey and the
details of their registration as well as the information reveled through the survey will be kept confidential.
In other words, the mental issues and problem regarding appointments of the asylum seekers as well as
the refugees will be kept secret for the purpose of maintaining survey ethics. Further at the time of
gaining technological knowledge to support the designing of a web-based application facilitating the
appointment of the counselors, it will be ensured that the data regarding all the branches of the NGO
providing the opportunity of counselling, the details about the patients registered for appointment are
secured and there is no chance of hacking. Further at the time of designing the website as well as the web-
based application a prevention of virus a well as adware, malware will be ensured.

5RESEARCH PROPOSAL
The Anticipated Outcomes:
The outcome that can be expected in this case, is a minute analysis of the current system
for appointment for the counselling as well as psychotherapy of the asylum seekers and refugees.
Further it is also expected that this study will reveal the loopholes of the present system for
receiving appointment. Another expected outcome of this system is to understand the most
appropriate techniques that will facilitate in the creation of a systematic as well as concrete
scheduling system for receiving appointments of the counsellors as well as psychologists in the
many branches of ADECO. Moreover, this research paper will also determine the most
appropriate way to identify vulnerable individuals in order to prioritize appointments. Further, it
can be anticipated that in this research work the situation of the seekers of asylum as well as
refugees will be analyzed. In this context, this study will also incorporate interviews of the staff
members of the ADECO offices. One of the expected outcomes, in this case, will be a model.
This model will be considered as a practical instance regarding the usage of appointment tool
which can be adopted by the government, NGOs of countries all over the world. This research
study will also suggest the use of web-based application under which a website will be
developed in order to facilitate the seekers of asylum as well as the refugees in getting
appointment dates. Further, this study will also demonstrate the steps that the asylum seekers will
follow to access the website.
Major Modifications:
The modifications in the existing appointment scheduling system, which will be
suggested by this research paper involves the construction of a website which will assist the
asylum seekers as well as refugees in getting fixed appointment dates. Under this type of,
modification several facilities will be allowed to the refugees along with the asylum seekers

6RESEARCH PROPOSAL
so that they able to access the website very easily. One of such facilities will be the facility to
choose preferred language. This modified appointment scheduling system will also make
provision for the options which will help the asylum seekers to know the nearby by office of
ADECO. In order to avail this facility the modified website will provide the users the opportunity to
select the cities nearby them in which ADECO has an office where people seeking psychiatric
counseling will be able to meet the counselor of the NGO. This modified system of appointment
scheduling will also assist the asylum seekers to select the available dates which will be generated in
the online system supported by web-base application. Further, for the maintenance of their personal
record, the modified online system will ask the users or asylum seekers to fill up a form of personal
details. This will then be followed by uploading of medical reports with just a click on the ‘upload
button shown in the website. This will support the claim of vulnerability of the individuals, which
will in turn be checked at the time of prioritizing appointments. Further, this modified online system
will generate verification code via message over phone which they will use to receive a appointment
date of their choice.
Literature Survey:
Several experts have provided several opinion regarding the subject of providing
counselling assistance to asylum seekers aas well as refugees.. This modified appointment
scheduling system will also make provision for the options which will help the asylum seekers to
know the nearby by office of ADECO. In order to avail this facility the modified website will
provide the users the opportunity to select the cities nearby them in which ADECO has an office
where people seeking psychiatric counseling will be able to meet the counselor of the NGO. A
recent study has revealed that this issue will give birth to a mentally handicapped society the
impact of which will also be forwarded to the next generation. This research proposal will
provide systematic solutions to the said issue. In this context this research will recommend the

7RESEARCH PROPOSAL
introduction of an online appointment scheduling system. The attributes of the research approach
are both qualitative and quantitative. Finally, as the summary of the research and analysis, it can
be stated that, unorganized appointment and treatment will not assist in the rehabilitation of all
the people suffering from mental disease, which is the primary cause to select this issue as the
research topic. Other factors responsible behind the selection of the research topic are-severity of
the issue, essentiality of an organized appointment scheduling system, preventing the inception
of a mentally handicapped society.
Conduct of the Project: 200
B. The Design: 200
Researc
h
Methods
 Prior to the development of the website data collection will be
occurred. The approach of data collection will be qualitative.In this
context a survey will be used to collect date. This survey will be an
online survey. Participants will be asked to participate in the online
survey which will be a Google form along with this survey may also
appear in other website randomly. For example-YouTube surveys
In this case the participants will be both for both asylum seekers as
well as ADECO staff members.
The research conducted for understanding appropriate technology for
a website encompasses a though study of the web based technology
like-Netcraft, Built With, W3 Techs, WAPPALYZER, Similar Tech,
ALLORA, What CMS, Allora.
 Further the research design will also include- designing as well as the

8RESEARCH PROPOSAL
application of web host, effective and secured designing using
Firewall implementation of web-based application through the
 Critical analysis of the currently available appointment systems used
production of the system (the IT artefact) is linked to the resolution of
the dissertation question(s);
 A description of how the IT artefact will be evaluated in order to
address the dissertation question(s);
 A description of the anticipated components of the system and how
they are to be organized;
 In case where there is a need for a commissioned work (such as a
hardware device or a service routine) it must be specified in this
report and justified, otherwise by ADECO offices in Greece (they
mostly use excel sheet or locally developed ACCESS applications). A
description of the way the
 it could be treated as collusion;

IT
Artefact
 The main IT artefact will be a web-based application for distributing
counseling appointments.
C. Statement of Deliverables:
D. As per the statement of deliverables it can be stated that, recent study has revealed that
this issue will give birth to a mentally handicapped society the impact of which will also
be forwarded to the next generation. This research proposal will provide systematic

9RESEARCH PROPOSAL
solutions to the said issue. In this context this research will recommend the introduction
of an online appointment scheduling system. The attributes of the research approach are
both qualitative and quantitative. Finally, as the summary of the research and analysis, it
can be stated that, unorganized appointment and treatment will not assist in the
rehabilitation of all the people suffering from mental disease, which is the primary cause
to select this issue as the research topic. Other factors responsible behind the selection of
the research topic are-severity of the issue, essentiality of an organized appointment
scheduling system, preventing the inception of a mentally handicapped society.
D. Project Plan: 200
Activities 1s
t to
4th
Wee
k
4th
to
11th
week
11t
h to
14th
Week
1
4th to
19th
Wee
k
19th
to 23rd
Week
23r
d to
26th
Week
26t
h
Week
Determination of
the research topic

Gathering data
from secondary
sources
 
Creation of the
layout

Review of the
Literature
  
Interpretation as
well as analysis of
the data
  
Findings from
the research
 

10RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Conclusion 
Formation of
draft
 
Submission of
final work

Reference Style:
Reference
Alifianty, S. and Susanty, A.I., 2016. Influence of employee stock option program and job
satisfaction on employee commitment (A Case Study of a Telephone Company in Indonesia).
Pertanika International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 24, pp.215-226.
Braimah, M., 2016. Internal marketing and employee commitment in the hospitality industry.
African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 5(2), pp.1-22.
Dalkrani, M. and Dimitriadis, E., 2018. The Effect of Job Satisfaction on Employee
Commitment. International Journal of Business & Economic Sciences Applied Research, 11(3).
Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research
project.Sage.
Gast, D.L. and Ledford, J.R. eds., 2014. Single case research methodology: Applications in
special education and behavioral sciences. Routledge.
Gupta, V., Agarwal, U.A. and Khatri, N., 2016. The relationships between perceived
organizational support, affective commitment, psychological contract breach, organizational
citizenship behaviour and work engagement. Journal of advanced nursing, 72(11), pp.2806-2817.

11RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Ishizaka, A. and Pereira, V.E., 2016. Portraying an employee performance management system
based on multi-criteria decision analysis and visual techniques. International Journal of
Manpower, 37(4), pp.628-659.
Jaworski, C., Ravichandran, S., Karpinski, A.C. and Singh, S., 2018. The effects of training
satisfaction, employee benefits, and incentives on part-time employees’ commitment.
International Journal of Hospitality Management, 74, pp.1-12.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Meyer, J.P., 2016. Employee commitment: Looking back and moving forward. In Handbook of
employee commitment. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Nikpour, A., 2017. The impact of organizational culture on organizational performance: The
mediating role of employee’s organizational commitment. International Journal of
Organizational Leadership, 6, pp.65-72.
Panneerselvam, R., 2014. Research methodology. PHI Learning Pvt.Ltd..
Simonsohn, U., Nelson, L. and Simmons, J., 2017. Research Methodology, Design, and
Analysis. Annual Review of Psychology, 69(1).
Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage.
Vaioleti, T.M., 2016. Talanoa research methodology: A developing position on Pacific research.
Waikato Journal of Education, 12(1).