EXPERIENCE

More Recent Work
Work undertaken by Wyllie & Associates has included:

Ongoing research to assist the development of a new programme to support farmer emotional and psychological wellbeing. This has included two qualitative studies and an on-line survey.
Four surveys for Cancer Society Auckland, to identify public support and response to tobacco control initiatives, particularly controls on smoking in outdoor public places. These were CATI surveys, with quotas to ensure a good ethnic match to population. The results for some of these surveys were reported in the NZ Herald and on television.
A CATI survey of 800 persons for Auckland Regional Public Health Service, to ascertain public preferences in relation to liquor licensing issues, such as hours of sale.
Taking a key role with Te Pou in the development of methodology, questionnaire design and reporting for a survey of all mental health services, to provide information to assist with workforce planning.
Qualitative research to document most significant change stories for a school based intervention.

Previous work
Dr Allan Wyllie worked for 14 years as Director of Social Research at Phoenix Research. His work there has contributed, both directly and indirectly, to the development and enhancement of a wide range of public good programmes, mainly in the public health sector. The length of engagement on some of these programmes is testimony to the high level of client satisfaction with the work being done.
See below for examples of projects Allan managed and worked on while at Phoenix Research. In most of these he wrote the proposals, won the contracts, managed the projects, designed the research/evaluation, designed the survey questionnaires, oversaw the data collection, and had varying levels of input into the analysis and reporting. In almost all, he was responsible for drawing the conclusions and recommendations from the research findings and presenting the results to the client.

Also included below is a brief description of the work Allan undertook in the 10 years at Auckland University.

Examples of Research

National Depression Initiative (NDI): Allan’s involvement in this award winning project, which features the John Kirwan ads, began at the scoping stage and has included research for the development of an innovative on-line self-help programme, plus two websites, including one specifically for youth (thelowdown). It has also included a number of CATI tracking surveys to monitor response to the campaign.
‘Like Minds, Like Mine’: Allan worked on this project to reduce stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness for well over 10 years. This included responsibility for a large number of CATI tracking surveys of the general public, surveys of persons with experience of mental illness, and overseeing qualitative research with the target audience, employers and mental health staff.
ABC Smokefree Outcomes Research: Smokers were followed up one week and four weeks after leaving hospital, to assess the impact of the ABC intervention to support smoking cessation.
‘Mahi Ora’ and ‘Mauri Ora’ Programmes: Qualitative research was followed by CATI surveys with current and past students, many of them Maori, who participated in these distance learning programmes.
ESOL Programmes: Allan managed and reported on this project in which a Chinese interviewer completed 120 interviews with Chinese participants in ESOL programmes.
‘Let’s Beat Diabetes’: Benchmark and follow-up surveys were undertaken to assess the impact of this campaign being undertaken by Counties Manukau DHB. Each phase of interviewing included 600 Maori, 600 Pacific and 600 Asian CATI interviews. In addition there were 1200 CATI interviews with persons with diabetes (Type 1 or 2).
Public Health Workforce: Several CATI and self-completion surveys were undertaken with the total public health workforce and with sub-groups.
Health Impact Assessment: The research for the Public Health Advisory Committee identified potential opportunities for, and barriers to, the uptake of HIA in central and local government agencies. Twenty-eight key informants were interviewed.
Primary Healthcare/PHO Communications Research: Two CATI surveys were undertaken three years apart, to establish and then monitor public awareness and understanding of PHOs and the Primary Healthcare Strategy among healthcare decision-makers in the household.
Breast and Cervical Screening: Six CATI monitors of 900 women in the target age range, with a strong focus on Maori and Pacific women, to monitor responses to advertising. These monitors were preceded by a qualitative study.
FITEC: Qualitative interviews with secondary school students to establish interest in and barriers to careers in forestry.
Local government work: Allan’s work in this area has included projects for Manukau Leisure Services, Auckland Zoo, Auckland Council Community Centres, Auckland Regional Council, Waitakere City parks and Ecowater.

Examples of Programme Planning/Development

National Depression Initiative (NDI): Allan was the lead in the team which scoped this project prior to its establishment. Based on interviews with over 100 stakeholders, a literature review and survey, in consultation with colleagues he developed a strategy for the implementation of this programme, including a programme logic model. The programme which was implemented by the Ministry of Health closely followed his proposed strategy.
MH101 (Mental Health Literacy): Allan undertook the scoping phase for the development of this new mental health literacy programme, called MH101, which is a one day workshop for persons whose work brings them into contact with persons with experience of mental illness. His recommendations and programme logic model formed the basis of the adopted programme. He was also invited to be on the team for selecting the provider to deliver the service.
Allan developed the initial programme logic for the ‘Like Minds, Like Mine’ programme, which remained a key part of the programme for many years.
The evaluation of the Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme led to the enhancement of the programme logic.

Examples of Evaluations/Programme Enhancement

MH101 (Mental Health Literacy): As well as the programme development work, Allan oversaw qualitative research to develop the branding and pre-test the website. He then undertook evaluation of the pilot workshops and the main workshops.
Roll Out of Meningococcal B Immunisation Programme: This major evaluation project covered the initial roll out in Counties Manukau DHB and the subsequent roll out in Auckland, Waitemata and Northland DHBs. It entailed working with a range of stakeholder groups, to identify what was working well and ways in which the programme could be enhanced.
First Foundation: Allan worked with a First Foundation staff member to assist them with the evaluation of this programme, which supports students from low income households through tertiary education, via placement with corporate sponsors and mentors.
Evaluation of Youth Sexuality Education Programmes: This included the evaluation of the Peer Sexuality Support Programme (PSSP) which is provided in many Auckland secondary schools, plus an earlier three year evaluation of all youth sexuality education programmes in the Northern region. The primary focus was to identify the effectiveness of the programmes and how they could be enhanced.
Evaluation of the EmployABLE programme: Allan managed this evaluation of two pilot programmes, funded by MSD and run by Māori provider organisations. These programmes sought to support persons on sickness and invalids benefits to get back into employment. Once again the focus was on identifying how well they programmes were working and how they could be enhanced.
Evaluation of Health Promoting Schools: This was a three year evaluation of this comprehensive and ambitious programme, in the Northern region. The evaluation findings formed the basis of the decision to continue with the programme, but also identified a number of areas for programme enhancement.

Work undertaken while at the University of Auckland
In his 11 years at the Alcohol & Public Health Research Unit at the University of Auckland, Allan was the lead researcher on numerous alcohol research projects. This included his doctoral work on the impact of alcohol advertising on young men’s drinking, which was internationally ground breaking work at the time, and is still cited as key research in the field. As well as national alcohol surveys, he also did the first research on the implications of introducing alcohol into supermarkets, plus research and evaluation to support ALAC’s social marketing campaign.
During his time at Auckland University, Allan had 22 peer reviewed papers published. He also presented papers at conferences in the United States, Canada, Poland, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand.
Allan was a successful applicant in peer reviewed grant applications through the Health Research Council (HRC) and was a member of assessing committees for the HRC. He also assisted in teaching social research methods to post-graduate students at the Department of Community Health.