PARO: Mental Health Supports for Women Entrepreneurs

Introduction

PARO is researching the impacts of mental health and wellness on women entrepreneurs (WE). Addressing mental health concerns among female entrepreneurs is essential. Resources like mental health support, access to networks and mentorship, stress management techniques, and work-life balance advocacy can significantly help mitigate these challenges. To create adequate opportunities that address barriers faced by WE, PARO will use the information collected to increase awareness effectively in future strategic plans.

PARO has created a survey asking about your experience as a WE, the challenges you may face that impact your overall mental wellness, and the available resources.

This survey is conducted with the utmost respect for your privacy and confidentiality. Your participation is voluntary, and all information collected will be kept strictly confidential. To ensure your privacy, your responses will be anonymized, and no personally identifiable information will be linked to your answers.

All data collected will be securely stored on password-protected servers accessible only to authorized personnel involved in the mental health and wellness project. We employ industry-standard security measures to safeguard your information.

Only authorized personnel will have access to the raw data. The findings will be aggregated and generalized, ensuring that individual responses cannot be traced back to any participant. Your information will not be disclosed to any third party without your explicit consent except as required by law.

Data collected will be retained for the duration necessary for analysis and research purposes for the mental health and wellness report. After this period, all identifiable information will be securely deleted, preserving the anonymity of participants.

By participating in this survey, you acknowledge and agree that the information provided will be used for research purposes only. Your voluntary participation implies your consent to the terms outlined in this confidentiality clause.

Some topics or questions may be unsettling for some. During the survey, if these questions prompt unwanted negative emotions, please consult a professional mental health provider.

If you have any concerns or questions regarding the confidentiality of this survey, please email: access@paro.ca

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* 1. Gender

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* 2. Age

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* 3. Which economic region of Ontario do you belong in?

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* 4. Which best describes the area you live in?

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* 5. Business Ownership

100% or full Ownership

50.1% or more Ownership

50% or Less Ownership

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* 6. Why did you decide to be a Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

Individual-specific factors (e.g., motivation, skill and all forms of capital)

Environmental factors (e.g., access to financing, institutional environment, political stability)

Life events (e.g., recent maternity can affect an individual's decision to become an entrepreneur).

Other (please provide details here):

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* 7. How often during the past month (30 days) have you (Please elaborate in comments section):

	Never	Rarely	Sometimes	Often	Always
Felt satisfied with your overall mental health.	Felt satisfied with your overall mental health. Never	Felt satisfied with your overall mental health. Rarely	Felt satisfied with your overall mental health. Sometimes	Felt satisfied with your overall mental health. Often	Felt satisfied with your overall mental health. Always
Consumed a healthy diet.	Consumed a healthy diet. Never	Consumed a healthy diet. Rarely	Consumed a healthy diet. Sometimes	Consumed a healthy diet. Often	Consumed a healthy diet. Always
Exercised and remained active.	Exercised and remained active. Never	Exercised and remained active. Rarely	Exercised and remained active. Sometimes	Exercised and remained active. Often	Exercised and remained active. Always
Used a positive coping strategy to deal with mental wellness effectively.	Used a positive coping strategy to deal with mental wellness effectively. Never	Used a positive coping strategy to deal with mental wellness effectively. Rarely	Used a positive coping strategy to deal with mental wellness effectively. Sometimes	Used a positive coping strategy to deal with mental wellness effectively. Often	Used a positive coping strategy to deal with mental wellness effectively. Always
Felt tired, fatigued, or had little energy.	Felt tired, fatigued, or had little energy. Never	Felt tired, fatigued, or had little energy. Rarely	Felt tired, fatigued, or had little energy. Sometimes	Felt tired, fatigued, or had little energy. Often	Felt tired, fatigued, or had little energy. Always
Felt depressed and accomplished less than you would have liked.	Felt depressed and accomplished less than you would have liked. Never	Felt depressed and accomplished less than you would have liked. Rarely	Felt depressed and accomplished less than you would have liked. Sometimes	Felt depressed and accomplished less than you would have liked. Often	Felt depressed and accomplished less than you would have liked. Always
Felt mental health challenges interfered with your ability to work.	Felt mental health challenges interfered with your ability to work. Never	Felt mental health challenges interfered with your ability to work. Rarely	Felt mental health challenges interfered with your ability to work. Sometimes	Felt mental health challenges interfered with your ability to work. Often	Felt mental health challenges interfered with your ability to work. Always

Other (please provide details here):

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* 8. Which of the following factors are sources of anxiety or stress for you as a Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

External factors (economy, social events/impacts, global affairs, etc.)

Operational factors (your business overall, such as business growth, employees, clients, etc.)

Family factors (home life, children, parents, relationships, etc.)

Individual factors (physical health, spiritual health, mental health, emotional health, etc.)

Financial factors (personal and business financials, etc.)

Other (please provide details here):

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* 9. Thinking of support for Women Entrepreneurs, which of the following have you experienced a gap/barrier? Mark all that applies (Please elaborate in comments section).

Access to Funding (i.e. Capital, grants, loans, etc.)

Networking and Mentorship (i.e. Finding other like-minded Women Entrepreneurs, building support networks, etc.)

Work-Life Balance (i.e. Strategies, programs, supports to balance work-life balance, etc.)

Gender Bias and Stereotypes (i.e. Stereotypes of Women owning businesses, etc.)

Lack of Representation (i.e. Cultural representation, gender representation, etc.)

Access to Resources and Support (i.e. Financial literacy, access to internet, mental health supports, daycare, etc.)

Market Access and Opportunities (i.e. To find a market fit and customers, etc.)

Other (please provide details here):

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* 10. What do you need better to support your mental health as a Woman Entrepreneur? Mark all that applies (Please elaborate in comments section):

Work/life balance

Decrease of the stigma associated with Women Entrepreneurs

More resources to deal with stress management

Becoming a part of a Woman Entrepreneurs working group for mental health/ support groups

More resources to deal with mental health such as depression, anxiety, past traumas, or other mental health issues

Finding other like-minded Women Entrepreneurs

Access to mental health services such as one-to-one counselling, professional mental health workers.

Networking opportunities

Peer/mentor personal support

Opportunities to explore cultural connections

Other (please provide details here):

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* 11. What are common barriers/challenges you face as a Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

	No Barrier	Slight Barrier	Occasional Barrier	Frequent Barrier	Extreme Barrier
Accessing funding and grants that support my business venture.	Accessing funding and grants that support my business venture. No Barrier	Accessing funding and grants that support my business venture. Slight Barrier	Accessing funding and grants that support my business venture. Occasional Barrier	Accessing funding and grants that support my business venture. Frequent Barrier	Accessing funding and grants that support my business venture. Extreme Barrier
Feeling respected as a woman business owner.	Feeling respected as a woman business owner. No Barrier	Feeling respected as a woman business owner. Slight Barrier	Feeling respected as a woman business owner. Occasional Barrier	Feeling respected as a woman business owner. Frequent Barrier	Feeling respected as a woman business owner. Extreme Barrier
Building support networks.	Building support networks. No Barrier	Building support networks. Slight Barrier	Building support networks. Occasional Barrier	Building support networks. Frequent Barrier	Building support networks. Extreme Barrier
Access to networks and expertise needed to start up and scale up.	Access to networks and expertise needed to start up and scale up. No Barrier	Access to networks and expertise needed to start up and scale up. Slight Barrier	Access to networks and expertise needed to start up and scale up. Occasional Barrier	Access to networks and expertise needed to start up and scale up. Frequent Barrier	Access to networks and expertise needed to start up and scale up. Extreme Barrier
Access to new markets	Access to new markets No Barrier	Access to new markets Slight Barrier	Access to new markets Occasional Barrier	Access to new markets Frequent Barrier	Access to new markets Extreme Barrier
Having confidence as a Woman Entrepreneur to take business-driven risks.	Having confidence as a Woman Entrepreneur to take business-driven risks. No Barrier	Having confidence as a Woman Entrepreneur to take business-driven risks. Slight Barrier	Having confidence as a Woman Entrepreneur to take business-driven risks. Occasional Barrier	Having confidence as a Woman Entrepreneur to take business-driven risks. Frequent Barrier	Having confidence as a Woman Entrepreneur to take business-driven risks. Extreme Barrier
Having access to affordable, safe childcare.	Having access to affordable, safe childcare. No Barrier	Having access to affordable, safe childcare. Slight Barrier	Having access to affordable, safe childcare. Occasional Barrier	Having access to affordable, safe childcare. Frequent Barrier	Having access to affordable, safe childcare. Extreme Barrier
Having access to a mental health professional promptly	Having access to a mental health professional promptly No Barrier	Having access to a mental health professional promptly Slight Barrier	Having access to a mental health professional promptly Occasional Barrier	Having access to a mental health professional promptly Frequent Barrier	Having access to a mental health professional promptly Extreme Barrier
Feeling represented as a Woman Entrepreneur in a government policy	Feeling represented as a Woman Entrepreneur in a government policy No Barrier	Feeling represented as a Woman Entrepreneur in a government policy Slight Barrier	Feeling represented as a Woman Entrepreneur in a government policy Occasional Barrier	Feeling represented as a Woman Entrepreneur in a government policy Frequent Barrier	Feeling represented as a Woman Entrepreneur in a government policy Extreme Barrier
Having access to maternity leave benefits as a Women Entrepreneur.	Having access to maternity leave benefits as a Women Entrepreneur. No Barrier	Having access to maternity leave benefits as a Women Entrepreneur. Slight Barrier	Having access to maternity leave benefits as a Women Entrepreneur. Occasional Barrier	Having access to maternity leave benefits as a Women Entrepreneur. Frequent Barrier	Having access to maternity leave benefits as a Women Entrepreneur. Extreme Barrier
The stigma around Women Entrepreneurs on social media platforms (influencers)	The stigma around Women Entrepreneurs on social media platforms (influencers) No Barrier	The stigma around Women Entrepreneurs on social media platforms (influencers) Slight Barrier	The stigma around Women Entrepreneurs on social media platforms (influencers) Occasional Barrier	The stigma around Women Entrepreneurs on social media platforms (influencers) Frequent Barrier	The stigma around Women Entrepreneurs on social media platforms (influencers) Extreme Barrier

Other (please provide details here):

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* 12. Are you aware of ways to overcome barriers/gaps that support Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

	Unaware	Slightly Aware	Somewhat Aware	Aware	Very aware
I can access information, skills and knowledge that support my business and positively impact my mental wellness.	I can access information, skills and knowledge that support my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Unaware	I can access information, skills and knowledge that support my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Slightly Aware	I can access information, skills and knowledge that support my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Somewhat Aware	I can access information, skills and knowledge that support my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Aware	I can access information, skills and knowledge that support my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Very aware
I know how to access new and specific markets to expand my business and positively impact my mental wellness.	I know how to access new and specific markets to expand my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Unaware	I know how to access new and specific markets to expand my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Slightly Aware	I know how to access new and specific markets to expand my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Somewhat Aware	I know how to access new and specific markets to expand my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Aware	I know how to access new and specific markets to expand my business and positively impact my mental wellness. Very aware
I know how to access financial support, such as funding and grants specific to Women Entrepreneurs.	I know how to access financial support, such as funding and grants specific to Women Entrepreneurs. Unaware	I know how to access financial support, such as funding and grants specific to Women Entrepreneurs. Slightly Aware	I know how to access financial support, such as funding and grants specific to Women Entrepreneurs. Somewhat Aware	I know how to access financial support, such as funding and grants specific to Women Entrepreneurs. Aware	I know how to access financial support, such as funding and grants specific to Women Entrepreneurs. Very aware
I know how to access legal and policy information that supports Woman Entrepreneur.	I know how to access legal and policy information that supports Woman Entrepreneur. Unaware	I know how to access legal and policy information that supports Woman Entrepreneur. Slightly Aware	I know how to access legal and policy information that supports Woman Entrepreneur. Somewhat Aware	I know how to access legal and policy information that supports Woman Entrepreneur. Aware	I know how to access legal and policy information that supports Woman Entrepreneur. Very aware

Other (please provide details here):

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* 13. Policy revisions and support from levels of government and organizations are imperative for change. What is important to you when seeking change from levels of government (Please elaborate in comments section)?

	Not Important	Slightly Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important	Extremely Important
Implement subsidized or free mental health counselling services tailored for female entrepreneurs through partnerships with mental health professionals or clinics.	Implement subsidized or free mental health counselling services tailored for female entrepreneurs through partnerships with mental health professionals or clinics. Not Important	Implement subsidized or free mental health counselling services tailored for female entrepreneurs through partnerships with mental health professionals or clinics. Slightly Important	Implement subsidized or free mental health counselling services tailored for female entrepreneurs through partnerships with mental health professionals or clinics. Somewhat Important	Implement subsidized or free mental health counselling services tailored for female entrepreneurs through partnerships with mental health professionals or clinics. Very Important	Implement subsidized or free mental health counselling services tailored for female entrepreneurs through partnerships with mental health professionals or clinics. Extremely Important
Advocate for policies that promote work-life integration, such as flexible working hours, remote work options, or parental support programs.	Advocate for policies that promote work-life integration, such as flexible working hours, remote work options, or parental support programs. Not Important	Advocate for policies that promote work-life integration, such as flexible working hours, remote work options, or parental support programs. Slightly Important	Advocate for policies that promote work-life integration, such as flexible working hours, remote work options, or parental support programs. Somewhat Important	Advocate for policies that promote work-life integration, such as flexible working hours, remote work options, or parental support programs. Very Important	Advocate for policies that promote work-life integration, such as flexible working hours, remote work options, or parental support programs. Extremely Important
Advocate for fair and equal access to funding and financial resources for female entrepreneurs to alleviate financial stress and bridge the gender gap in funding opportunities.	Advocate for fair and equal access to funding and financial resources for female entrepreneurs to alleviate financial stress and bridge the gender gap in funding opportunities. Not Important	Advocate for fair and equal access to funding and financial resources for female entrepreneurs to alleviate financial stress and bridge the gender gap in funding opportunities. Slightly Important	Advocate for fair and equal access to funding and financial resources for female entrepreneurs to alleviate financial stress and bridge the gender gap in funding opportunities. Somewhat Important	Advocate for fair and equal access to funding and financial resources for female entrepreneurs to alleviate financial stress and bridge the gender gap in funding opportunities. Very Important	Advocate for fair and equal access to funding and financial resources for female entrepreneurs to alleviate financial stress and bridge the gender gap in funding opportunities. Extremely Important
Develop educational programs or workshops tailored to female entrepreneurs on stress management, resilience-building, and mental health awareness.	Develop educational programs or workshops tailored to female entrepreneurs on stress management, resilience-building, and mental health awareness. Not Important	Develop educational programs or workshops tailored to female entrepreneurs on stress management, resilience-building, and mental health awareness. Slightly Important	Develop educational programs or workshops tailored to female entrepreneurs on stress management, resilience-building, and mental health awareness. Somewhat Important	Develop educational programs or workshops tailored to female entrepreneurs on stress management, resilience-building, and mental health awareness. Very Important	Develop educational programs or workshops tailored to female entrepreneurs on stress management, resilience-building, and mental health awareness. Extremely Important
Establish networks, mentorship programs, and support communities exclusively for female entrepreneurs to combat isolation and foster peer support.	Establish networks, mentorship programs, and support communities exclusively for female entrepreneurs to combat isolation and foster peer support. Not Important	Establish networks, mentorship programs, and support communities exclusively for female entrepreneurs to combat isolation and foster peer support. Slightly Important	Establish networks, mentorship programs, and support communities exclusively for female entrepreneurs to combat isolation and foster peer support. Somewhat Important	Establish networks, mentorship programs, and support communities exclusively for female entrepreneurs to combat isolation and foster peer support. Very Important	Establish networks, mentorship programs, and support communities exclusively for female entrepreneurs to combat isolation and foster peer support. Extremely Important

Other (please provide details here):

PARO: Mental Health Supports for Women Entrepreneurs

Introduction

Question Title

* 1. Gender

Question Title

* 2. Age

Question Title

* 3. Which economic region of Ontario do you belong in?

Question Title

* 4. Which best describes the area you live in?

Question Title

* 5. Business Ownership

Question Title

* 6. Why did you decide to be a Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

Question Title

* 7. How often during the past month (30 days) have you (Please elaborate in comments section):

Question Title

* 8. Which of the following factors are sources of anxiety or stress for you as a Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

Question Title

* 9. Thinking of support for Women Entrepreneurs, which of the following have you experienced a gap/barrier? Mark all that applies (Please elaborate in comments section).

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* 10. What do you need better to support your mental health as a Woman Entrepreneur? Mark all that applies (Please elaborate in comments section):

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* 11. What are common barriers/challenges you face as a Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

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* 12. Are you aware of ways to overcome barriers/gaps that support Woman Entrepreneur (Please elaborate in comments section)?

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* 13. Policy revisions and support from levels of government and organizations are imperative for change. What is important to you when seeking change from levels of government (Please elaborate in comments section)?

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* 14. What policy changes from PARO would you like to see to support women entrepreneurs' mental health better?

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* 15. What would you like to see PARO implement in future Strategic Plans as they work to remove barriers women entrepreneurs face?

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* 16. In what ways can the government enhance support or create policies explicitly addressing mental health challenges faced by women entrepreneurs?