2 AmeriCorps Longitudinal Study III T Survey FINAL 09/08/0

Phase III AC members 9/8/06

Longitudinal Study of AmeriCorps Phase III

AmeriCorps Member Survey

Hello. My name is __________. I’m calling on behalf of AmeriCorps. AWhen you enrolled in AmeriCorps, you became part of an important long-term study of AmeriCorps. This study will help us understand what happens to people after their involvement in AmeriCorps. You may remember filling out a questionnaire from Abt Associates, a research firm in Cambridge MA, when you started the program. We have contacted you several times since then. We would like to find out what has happened to you more recently. Although participation in the interview is voluntary, your opinion is very important to us. What you tell us will be kept confidential. The interview will take about 45 minutes, and we will send you a check for $35 as a token of our appreciation for completing the interview. May we continue with the interview?

Interview Log Response

• Yes

• No

Part I: Phase III Survey

PRIME: I would like to begin by asking you about your current experiences.

1. How do you spend most of your time now? (READ LIST, CODE ALL THAT APPLY)

	Yes	No	ENTER CODE FOR OCCUPATION (1a)	ENTER CODE FOR FIELD (1b)	What year did you begin this activity? (1c)
Working			________	_______	___________
IF YES: Is this full-time or- part time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
IF NO: Are you lLooking for work?		
Enlisted in military service					___________
Enlisted in National Guard/Reserve		
If YES: Is this full-time or- part time?	 Full-time	 Part-time			___________
Participating in AmeriCorps?				________	___________
IF YES: Is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
Participating in national service or volunteer work, for example, Peace Corps, faith-based volunteer service, etc.				________	___________
IF YES: Is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
Attending school				________	___________
If YES: Is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
What type of school are you attending:
Two-year cCommunity college		
Technical school or apprenticeship program		
A four-year college		
A graduate or professional school		
Taking care of my children/parents at home					___________
IF YES: Is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
Retired					___________
Dealing with personal health problems					___________
Other (SPECIFY) _____________________			________	________	___________

1a. IF WORKING: What do you do? PROBE: What occupation is it? (IF NECESSARY, PROBE BY READING LIST BELOW. ENTER CORRESPONDING CODE FOR OCCUPATION)

CODES FOR 1a (Occupation):

1. Management Occupations

2. Business and Financial Operations Occupations

3. Computer and Mathematical Occupations

4. Architecture and Engineering Occupations

5. Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

6. Community and Social Services Occupations

7. Legal Occupations

8. Education, Training, and Library Occupations

9. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

10. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

11. Healthcare Support Occupations

12. Protective Service Occupations

13. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

14. Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations

15. Personal Care and Service Occupations

16. Sales and Related Occupations

17. Office and Administrative Support Occupations

18. Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations

19. Construction and Extraction Occupations

20. Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

21. Production Occupations

22. Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

23. Military Specific Occupations

1b. FOR EACH ACTIVITY CODED “YES,” ASK: In what field? (IF NECESSARY, PROBE BY READING LIST BELOW. ENTER CORRESPONDING CODE FOR FIELD FOR EACH ACTIVITY in Q.1)

CODES FOR 1b (Field):

1. Accounting

2. Administrative/clerical

3. Agriculture/farming

4. Arts (visual dance music performance)

5. Athletics

6. Automotive

7. Banking/finance

8. Biotech/science

9. Business

10. Computer/technical/scientific

11. Construction

12. Culinary arts/food service

13. Customer service

14. Design

15. Distribution/shipping

16. Engineering

17. Environmental

18. Facilities

19. Grocery

20. Health care

21. Hospitality/hotel

22. Human resources

23. Information technology

24. Installation/maintenance/repair

25. Insurance

26. Legal

27. Legal admin

28. Manufacturing

29. Marketing

30. Media/journalism/newspaper

31. Military

32. Nonprofit social services

33. Nurse

34. Pharmaceutical

35. Professional services

36. Public safety/law enforcement

37. Purchasing/procurement

38. Real estate

39. Religious activities

40. Research

41. Restaurant/food service

42. Retail

43. Sales

44. Skilled trades (masonry, carpentry, electrician)

45. Social/community work

46. Strategy/planning

47. Teaching children/adults

48. Telecommunications

49. Training

50. Transportation

51. Warehouse

1c. What year did you begin this activity?

_____________ YEAR

1d. IF WORKING FULL- OR PART-TIME IN Q.1: Is this in the (READ) sector:?

• Government/public sector

IF YES: Was this in the:

• Federal government

• State government

• Local government

• International government

• For-profit/Private sector

• Non-profit organization (tax-exempt, charitable organization)

• Self-employed

IF YES: Was this in the:

• Private sector

• Non-profit sector

2. In addition to what you are doing now, what else have you been doing since 2000? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY)

	Yes	No	ENTER CODE FOR OCCUPATION (2a)	ENTER CODE FOR FIELD (2b)	YEARS ACTIVITY TOOK PLACE (2c)
Working			________	_______	___________
IF YES: Is this full-time or- part time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
IF NO: Are you looking for work?		
Enlisted in military service					___________
Enlisted in National Guard/Reserve		
If YES: Is this full-time or- part time?	 Full-time	 Part-time			___________
Participating in AmeriCorps?				________
If YES: Is this full-time or- part time?	 Full-time	 Part-time			___________
Participating in national service or volunteer work, for example Peace Corps, faith-based volunteer service, etc.				________	___________
IF YES: is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
Attending school				________	___________
If YES: Is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
What type of school are you attending:
Two-year community college		
Technical school or apprenticeship program		
A four-year college		
A graduate or professional school		
Taking care of my children/parents at home					___________
IF YES: Is this full-time or part-time?	 Full-time	 Part-time
Retired					___________
Dealing with personal health problems					___________
Other (SPECIFY) _____________________			________	________	___________

2a. IF WORKING: What did you do? PROBE: What occupation was it? (IF NECESSARY, PROBE BY READING LIST BELOW. ENTER CORRESPONDING CODE FOR OCCUPATION)

CODES FOR 2a (Occupation):

1. Management Occupations

2. Business and Financial Operations Occupations

3. Computer and Mathematical Occupations

4. Architecture and Engineering Occupations

5. Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

6. Community and Social Services Occupations

7. Legal Occupations

8. Education, Training, and Library Occupations

9. Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

10. Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

11. Healthcare Support Occupations

12. Protective Service Occupations

13. Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations

14. Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations

15. Personal Care and Service Occupations

16. Sales and Related Occupations

17. Office and Administrative Support Occupations

18. Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations

19. Construction and Extraction Occupations

20. Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

21. Production Occupations

22. Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

23. Military Specific Occupations

2b. FOR EACH ACTIVITY CODED “YES,” ASK: In what field? (IF NECESSARY, PROBE BY READING LIST BELOW. ENTER CORRESPONDING CODE FOR FIELD FOR EACH ACTIVITY in Q.2)

CODES FOR 2b (Field):

1. Accounting

2. Administrative/clerical

3. Agriculture/farming

4. Arts (visual dance music performance)

5. Athletics

6. Automotive

7. Banking/finance

8. Biotech/science

9. Business

10. Computer/technical/scientific

11. Construction

12. Culinary arts/food service

13. Customer service

14. Design

15. Distribution/shipping

16. Engineering

17. Environmental

18. Facilities

19. Grocery

20. Health care

21. Hospitality/hotel

22. Human resources

23. Information technology

24. Installation/maintenance/repair

25. Insurance

26. Legal

27. Legal admin

28. Manufacturing

29. Marketing

30. Media/journalism/newspaper

31. Military

32. Nonprofit social services

33. Nurse

34. Pharmaceutical

35. Professional services

36. Public safety/law enforcement

37. Purchasing/procurement

38. Real estate

39. Religious activities

40. Research

41. Restaurant/food service

42. Retail

43. Sales

44. Skilled trades (masonry, carpentry, electrician)

45. Social/community work

46. Strategy/planning

47. Teaching children/adults

48. Telecommunications

49. Training

50. Transportation

51. Warehouse

2c. FOR EACH ACTIVITY CODED “YES,” ASK: During what years were you doing (ACTIVITY)? (MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED. Column C allows for multiple stints in nonconsecutive time periods. Probe if necessary.)

2d. IF WORKING FULL- OR PART-TIME IN Q.2: Was this in the (READ) sector:?

• Government/public sector

IF YES: Was this in the:

• Federal government

• State government

• Local government

• International government

• For-profit/Private sector

• Non-profit organization (tax-exempt, charitable organization)

• Self-employed

IF YES: Was this in the:

• Private sector

• Non-profit sector

3. In 1999 you inquired about an AmeriCorps program. Do you remember how you inquired? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY., READ LIST IF NECESSARY.)

• Contacted program directly

• Went through National AmeriCorps website

• Went through sState, local, or program AmeriCorps website

• Called the National AmeriCorps toll-free number

• Learned about it on college campus

• Learned about it at a job fair

• Don’t remember

• Other (SPECIFY)

PRIME: We are interested in volunteer activities, that is, activities for which people are not paid, except perhaps expenses. We only want you to include volunteer activities that you did through or for an organization, even if you only did them once in a while.

4. In the last 12 months, have you done any volunteer activities through or for an organization?

• Yes (GO TO Q5)

• No

4a. IF NO: Sometimes people don’t think of activities they do infrequently or activities they do for children’s schools or youth organizations as volunteer activities. In the last 12 months have you done any of these types of volunteer activities?

• Yes (GO TO Q5)

• No

4b. IF NO: Sometimes people don’t think of activities they do through religious organizations as volunteer activities. In the last 12 months have you done any of this type of volunteer activity?

• Yes (GO TO Q5)

• No

4c. IF NO VOLUNTEERING IN PAST 12 MONTHS, INCLUDING FOR SCHOOL OR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES Q.4, Q.4a, and Q4b: In talking to people about volunteering, we often find that a lot of people were not able to volunteer because they did not know how to get involved, or they were sick, or they just didn’t have the time. What single most important reason best describes why you haven’t performed volunteer service in the last 12 months? (CODE ONE)

• Gave money to donations instead of volunteering time

• Personal schedule too full

• Unable to honor volunteer commitment

• Health problems, physically unable

• No interest

• Took a second job/ need to work more hours

• I already volunteer as much as I can

• My age

• Don’t have necessary skills

• Don’t have transportation

• People should be paid for their work

• Don’t know how to become involved

• No one I know personally asked me

• No organization contacted me and asked me to volunteer

• I’ve volunteered enough in the past

• My past volunteering experience

• My AmeriCorps experience

• Other (SPECIFY) ___________________________________________________________________

4d. IF NO VOLUNTEERING IN PAST 12 MONTHS, INCLUDING FOR SCHOOL OR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES Q.4, Q.4a, and Q4b: Were you asked to volunteer?

• Yes, I was asked to volunteer

IF YES: Who asked you to become a volunteer for this organization?

• Friend

• Relative

• Co-worker

• Someone in the organization/school

• Boss or employer

• Someone else (SPECIFY)____________

• No, I was not asked to volunteer

5. How many different organizations have you volunteered through or for in the last 12 months?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 5

• 6

• 7

• More than 7 organizations

5a. What is are the two organizations you volunteer for the most? (IF RESPONSE TO Q8 WAS TO VOLUNTEER FOR ONE ORGANIZATION, ONLY ASK ABOUT ORGANIZATION A.)

What organization is it?
IF NECESSARY ASK: What type of organization is that? (CODE FROM LIST BELOW.)

5b. (ASK IF NECESSARY. DO NOT READ CATEGORIES ALOUD.) What type of organization is that? (CODE FROM LIST)

1. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION

2. CHILDREN’S EDUCATION, SPORTS, OR RECREATIONAL GROUP

3. OTHER EDUCATIONAL GROUP

4. SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SERVICE GROUP

5. CIVIC ORGANIZATION

6. CULTURAL OR ARTS ORGANIZATION

7. ENVIRONMENTAL OR ANIMAL CARE ORGANIZATION

8. HEALTH RESEARCH OR HEALTH EDUCATION ORGANIZATION

9. HOSPITAL CLINIC OR HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATION

10. IMMIGRANT/REFUGEE ASSISTANCE

11. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION

12. LABOR UNION, BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION

13. POLITICAL PARTY OR ADVOCACY GROUP

14. PUBLIC SAFETY ORGANIZATION

15. SPORTS OR HOBBY GROUP

16. YOUTH SERVICES ORGANIZATION

17. SOME OTHER TYPE OF ORGANIZATION (ENTER VERBATIM RESPONSE)

_________________________________________________________________

PRIME: I’m going to ask you some questions about (ORGANIZATION A).

6. During how many weeks in the last year did you do volunteer activities for (ORGANIZATION A)? (ENTER NUMBER OF WEEKS, 1-52)

• Less than one week (GO TO Q8)

_______________## weeks

7. IF MORE THAN ONE WEEK: In those (ENTER NUMBER FROM ABOVE) weeks that you volunteered for (ORGANIZATION A), how many hours per week did you do volunteer activities?

• Varies

_________# Hours (1-168)

8. How many hours did you do volunteer activities for (ORGANIZATION A) in the last year?

____________________# Hours (1-8736)

9. Now I’m going to ask you about activities you might have done for (ORGANIZATION A) in the last year. For each activity that I mention, please tell me— –yes or no- —whether you did that activity for that organization in the last year. In the last 12 months did you… (IF HELP IS REQUESTED, READ EXAMPLES.)

	Yes	No
Coach, referee, or supervise sports teams?		
Tutor or teach (includes reading to children or adults, assisting teachers, helping with homework or school projects)		
Mentor youth (includes being a Boy Scout/Girl Scout Leader, Big Brother/Big Sister, or engaging in other mentoring activities)		
Be an usher, greeter, or minister (includes showing people to their seats, giving directions, handing out programs and other materials)		
Collect, prepare, distribute, or serve food (includes serving meals in shelters, packaging meals for distribution)		
Collect, make or distribute clothing, crafts, goods other than food (includes gathering clothes for a clothing drive, producing handmade items such as quilts, collecting furniture)		
Fundraise or sell items to raise money (includes manning concession booths, working in thrift stores, or at events for which the purpose is to raise money)		
Provide counseling, medical care, fire/EMS, or protective services?		
Provide general office services (includes clerical, administrative activities, running errands, manning information booths)		
Provide professional or management assistance including serving on a board or committee (DOES NOT INCLUDE MEDICAL OR EMERGENCY CARE BUT INCLUDES PROVIDING LEGAL, COMPUTER, OR ACCOUNTING SERVICES)		
Engage in music, performance, or other artistic activities (includes choir, musical, dance, theatrical performances, fine arts)		
Engage in general labor; supply transportation for people (includes building, repairing, or cleaning indoors or outdoors, driving school teams to games or practices, driving people to a political rally)		
Other (SPECIFY) (includes campaigning, registering people to vote, political activities, and any other activities which do not belong in one of the above categories)		

10. Which of the activities that you performed did you spend the most time doing for (ORGANIZATION A) last year? (INTERVIEWER CAN RE-READ LIST THEM IF NECESSARY.) (CODE FROM ABOVE.)

________________________________

11. Did you live in the community where you did most of your volunteer activity for (ORGANIZATION)? (CODE ONE)

• Yes, for all of the volunteer activities

• Yes, for most of the volunteer activities

• Yes, for some of the volunteer activities

• No

12. Now I’d like to ask you how you first became a volunteer for (ORGANIZATION A). Did you approach the organization yourself, did someone ask you, or did you become involved in some other way?

• Approached the organization

• Was asked

IF YES: Who asked you to become a volunteer for this organization?

• Friend

• Relative

• Co-worker

• Someone in the organization/school

• Boss or employer

• Someone else (SPECIFY)____________

• Some other way

IF YES: Please describe how you became involved with this organization. (READ LIST IF NECESSARY.)

• Court-ordered community service

• Family member’s involvement in the organization

• Friend’s, co-worker’s, or roommate’s involvement in the organization

• Own involvement in organization/school

• Public housing requirement

• Referred to by volunteer organization

• Responded to public appeal in newspaper/radio/TV/flyer/Internet

• School requirement

• Other (SPECIFY) ___________________ (ENTER VERBATIM RESPONSE)

PRIME: Now I’m going to ask you about (ORGANIZATION B).

13. During how many weeks in the last year did you do volunteer activities for (ORGANIZATION B)? (ENTER NUMBER OF WEEKS, 1-52) (Source: CPS)

14. Less than one week

15. _______________# weeks

17. IF MORE THAN ONE WEEK: In those (ENTER NUMBER FROM ABOVE) weeks that you volunteered for (ORGANIZATION B), how many hours per week did you do volunteer activities? (Source: CPS)

18. Varies

19. _________# Hours (1-168)

21. How many hours did you do volunteer activities for (ORGANIZATION B) in the last year? (Source: CPS)

22. ____________________# Hours (1-8736)

23. Now I’m going to ask you about activities you might have done for (ORGANIZATION B) in the last year. For each activity that I mention, please tell me –yes or no- whether you did that activity for that organization in the last year. In the last 12 months did you… (IF HELP IS REQUESTED, READ EXAMPLES.) (Source: CPS Modified—“in the last 12 months”)

	YES	NO
Coach, referee, or supervise sports teams?		
Tutor or teach (includes reading to children or adults, assisting teachers, helping with homework or school projects)		
Mentor youth (includes being a Boy Scout/Girl Scout Leader, Big Brother/Big Sister, or engaging in other mentoring activities)		
Be an usher, greeter, or minister (includes showing people to their seats, giving directions, handing out programs and other materials)		
Collect, prepare, distribute, or serve food (includes serving meals in shelters, packaging meals for distribution)		
Collect, make or distribute clothing, crafts, goods other than food (includes gathering clothes for a clothing drive, producing hand made items such as quilts, collecting furniture)		
Fundraise or sell items to raise money (includes manning concession booths, working in thrift stores, or at events for which the purpose is to raise money)		
Provide counseling, medical care, fire/EMS, or protective services?		
Provide general office services (includes clerical, administrative activities, running errands, manning information booths)		
Provide professional or management assistance including serving on a board or committee (DOES NOT INCLUDE MEDICAL OR EMERGENCY CARE BUT INCLUDES PROVIDING LEGAL, COMPUTER, OR ACCOUNTING SERVICES)		
Engage in music, performance, or other artistic activities (includes choir, musical, dance, theatrical performances, fine arts)		
Engage in general labor; supply transportation for people (includes building, repairing, or cleaning indoors or outdoors, driving school teams to games or practices, driving people to a political rally)		
Other (SPECIFY) (includes campaigning, registering people to vote, political activities, and any other activities which do not belong in one of the above categories)		

38. Which of the activities that you performed did you spend the most time doing for (ORGANIZATION B) last year? (INTERVIEWER CAN RE-READ THEM IF NECESSARY) (CODE FROM ABOVE) (Source: CPS)

39. ________________________________

41. Now I’d like to ask you how you first became a volunteer for (ORGANIZATION B). Did you approach the organization yourself, did someone ask you, or did you become involved in some other way? (Source: CPS)

42. Approached the organization

43. Was asked

44. IF YES: Who asked you to become a volunteer for this organization?

45. Friend

46. Relative

47. Co-worker

48. Someone in the organization/school

49. Boss or employer

50. Someone else (SPECIFY)____________

51. Some other way

52. IF YES: Please describe how you became involved with this organization. (READ LIST IF NECESSARY.)

53. Court-ordered community service

54. Family member’s involvement in the organization’/school

55. Friend’s, co-workers, or roommate’s involvement in the organization

56. Own involvement in organization/school

57. Public housing requirement

58. Referred to by volunteer organization

59. Responded to public appeal in newspaper/radio/TV/flyer/Internet

60. School requirement

61. Other (SPECIFY) ___________________ (ENTER VERBATIM RESPONSE)

63. Are you satisfied with the amount of volunteering you did in the last 12 months?

• Yes (GO TO Q14)

• No

1323a. IF NO: What single most important reason best describes why you haven’t performed more volunteer service in the last 12 months? (CODE ONE) 5

• Personal schedule too full

• Unable to honor volunteer commitment

• Health problems, physically unable

• No interest

• Took a second job/ need to work more hours

• Don’t know how to become involved

• I already volunteer as much as I can

• My age

• Don’t have necessary skills

• Don’t have transportation

• People should be paid for their work

• No one I know personally asked me

• No organization contacted me and asked me to volunteer

• I’ve volunteered enough in the past

• My past volunteering experience

• My AmeriCorps experience

• Other (SPECIFY)

64. How likely is it that you will volunteer in the future? Would you say you will... (READ LIST)

65. How likely is it that you will volunteer in the future? Would you say you will... (READ LIST) (Source: Post Program - T)

66. Definitely be involved in volunteer activities

• Probably be involved in volunteer activities

• Probably not be involved in volunteer activities

67. In the last 12 months, have you asked your friends, parents, children, or other family members to volunteer with you in any activities? (CODE ONE)

• YES

• NO (GO TO Q16)

1526a. IF YES: Have your friends, parents, children, or other family members volunteered with you in any activities because you asked? (CODE ONE)

• YES

• NO

68. Have you in the last 12 months attended any public meeting in which there was discussion of community affairs? (CODE ONE)

• YES

• NO (GO TO Q17)

167a. IF YES: About how many times in the past twelve months did you do this?

_________ Number of times

69. Have you in the last 12 months worked with other people in your neighborhood to fix or improve something? (CODE ONE)

• YES

• NO (GO TO Q18)

178a. IF YES: About how many times in the past 12 twelve months did you do this?

_________ Number

70. Generally speaking, would you say that most people can be trusted or that you can’t be too careful in dealing with people?

• Most people can be trusted

• You can’t be too careful in dealing with people

PRIME: Now think about any organizations you have made a donation to in the last 12 months. Charitable organizations include religious or non-profit organizations that help those in need or that serve and support the public interests. They range in size from national organizations like the United Way and the American Red Cross down to local community organizations. They serve a variety of purposes such as religious activity, helping people in need, health care and medical research, education arts, environment, and international aid.

Donations include any gifts of money, assets, or property made directly to the organizations, through payroll deduction, or collected by other means on behalf of the charity. This interview is limited to donations made during the last 12 months.

71. In the last 12 months, did you or /anyone in your family donate money, assets, or property with a combined value of more than $25 to religious or charitable organization? (CODE ONE)

• YES

• NO (GO TO Q20)

31930a. IF YES: To what organizations did you donate $25 or more, in total dollar value of all donations? (READ LIST) Please note that some organizations address multiple issues. Please choose only one organization for each donation.

19b. FOR EACH ORGANIZATION DONATED TO: How much did you give to that organization?

a. CODE ALL THAT APPLY.	b. TOTAL DONATION AMOUNT
Religious organizations/ purposes	$
Hospital, clinic, healthcare organization, or medical research organizations	$
Children’s education, sports, or recreational group	$
Youth and family services	$
Arts, culture, and ethnic awareness	$
International aid or world peace	$
Environmental, conservation, or wildlife conservation	$
Labor union, business, or professional organization	$
Political party, political candidate or advocacy group	$
Public safety organization	$
Social organization	$
Disaster relief	$
Other (SPECIFY) ____________________________________________	$

72. In response to Hurricane Katrina, did you donate any of the following to a charity or nonprofit organization? (READ LIST)

	Yes	No
Money		
Blood		
Time		
Clothing, food, water or similar supplies		
Your professional skills (e.g. work with evacuees)		
Other contribution (SPECIFY)		

73. Did you donate any of the following items to a charity or non-profit organization for national or international disaster in the past 12 months? (READ LIST)

	Yes	No
Money		
Blood		
Time		
Clothing, food, water or similar supplies		
Your professional skills		
Other contribution (SPECIFY)		

PRIME: Now I’m going to ask you about voting.

74. Are you currently registered to vote?

• YES

• NO

75. Did you vote in the most recent 2006 state and/or local elections (e.g. November 2006)? (CODE ONE)

• I voted (GO TO Q24)

• I did not vote

• No state/local election (GO TO Q24)

2334a. IF NO: In talking to people about elections, we often find that a lot of people were not able to vote because they weren’t registered, or they were sick, or they just didn’t have the time. Which of the following statements best describe why you did not vote in the 2006 state and/or local elections? (READ LIST. CODE ALL THAT APPLY.)

• Not registered (although 18 years or older)

• I thought about voting, but didn’t

• Out of country/state

• I was new to the area/ I just moved

• Elections don’t affect me

• Feel vote won’t make a difference

• Inconvenient

• Not interested in participating in SState/local elections

• My party was not represented

• Other (SPECIFY)

76. Did you vote in the 2004 presidential election?

• YES (GO TO Q25)

• NO

2435a. IF NO: Which of the following statements best describe why you did not vote in the 2004 presidential election? (READ LIST. CODE ALL THAT APPLY.)

• Not registered (although 18 years or older)

• (READ LIST)I thought about voting, but didn’t

• Out of country/state

• I was new to the area/ I just moved

• Elections don’t affect me

• Feel vote won’t make a difference

• Inconvenient

• Not interested in participating in national elections

• My party was not represented

• Other (SPECIFY)

PRIME: Now I’m going to ask you HOW OFTEN you do certain things. Please answer if you do these things never, not very often, sometimes, very often, or always.

77. How often do you do each of the following? (READ ITEM) Would you say you do this never, not very often, sometimes, very often, or always?

	Never	Not Very Often	Some-Times	Very Often	Always
Participate in events such as community meetings, celebrations, or activities in your community.					
Join organizations that support issues that are important to you.					
Write or e-mail newspapers or organizations to voice your views on an issue.					
Vote in local elections.					
Try to learn as much as you can about candidates or ballot questions before voting.					
Keep informed about local or national news					

78. In the last 12 months how often have you …

	Never	Not very Often	Some-times	Very Often	Always
Expressed your opinions using the Internet					
Expressed your opinions through radio call-ins					
Talked to other people to persuade them to vote for a particular party or candidate					
Contacted a government official to express your opinion on a local or national issue					
Worked as a volunteer for a political party or candidate running for national, state, or local office					

2637a. In general, how much influence did your AmeriCorps experience have on your decision to participate in activities like the ones we just discussed? (CODE ONE)

No Influence	A little bit of influence	Some Influence	Quite a bit of influence	A Lot of Influence
				

79. How often have you been in a group situation with others where you have done the following things? (READ ITEM) Would you say you never do this, do this not very often, sometimes, very often, or always?

	Never	Not Very Often	Some-times	Very Often	Always
You discuss issues and problems and share your ideas.					
You involve everyone and avoid favoritism.					
You can disagree and be different from others without fear.					
You take time to work out any conflicts.					

80. Please answer how often you do the following. (READ ITEM) Would you say you ... never do this, do this not very often, sometimes, very often, or always?

	Never	Not Very Often	Some-times	Very Often	Always
You try to understand other team members’ ideas and opinions before arguing or stating your own.					
You try to present your ideas without criticizing the ideas of others.					
You encourage different points of view without worrying about agreement.					
You try to consider all points of view or possible options before forming an opinion or making a decision.					
You encourage the participation of other team members and support their right to be heard.					
You help find solutions when unexpected problems arise.					

PRIME: Now we are going to switch gears, where I am going to read you some statements. Please answer whether you strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, or strongly agree.

81. Thinking of all your voluntary community service or volunteer activities over the past 12 months, please indicate how much you agree with the following statements. (READ ITEM) Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, or strongly agree?

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
You felt that you made a contribution to the community.					
You re-examined your beliefs and attitudes about yourself.					
You were exposed to new ideas and ways of seeing the world.					
You felt like part of a community.					
You learned more about the “real” world.					
You felt you made a difference in the life of at least one person.					
You did things you never thought you could do.					
You changed some of your beliefs and attitudes					

82. Please indicate how strongly you agree with each of the following statements about your community. (READ ITEM.) Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, or strongly agree?

	Strongly Disagree			Disagree			Neither Agree nor Disagree			Agree			Strongly Agree
You have a strong attachment to your community.													
You often discuss and think about how larger political and social issues affect your community.													
You are aware of what can be done to meet the important needs in your community.													
You feel you have the ability to make a difference in your community.													
You try to find the time or a way to make a positive difference in your community.													
If people from different backgrounds took the time to understand each other, there wouldn’t be so many social problems.														
Some of your friends are of different backgrounds from you: racial, cultural, ethnic, or language.														
Racism affects everyone.														
You feel comfortable belonging to groups where people are different from you.														
Diverse viewpoints bring creativity and energy to a work group.															
Multicultural teams can be stimulating and fun.															
People are more motivated and productive when they feel they are accepted for who they are.															
Diversity improves the work of organizations.															
Diversity brings many perspectives to problem-solving.															
You are comfortable interacting with people from a different racial or ethnic background.															

83. Thinking about your AmeriCorps experience, please indicate how much you agree with each of the following statements. Would you say you strongly disagree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree, agree, or strongly agree?

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Agree	Strongly Agree
AmeriCorps had an influence on my commitment to volunteer service					
AmeriCorps had an influence on my personal and family life					
AmeriCorps had an influence on my interest in current events and issues					

84. On a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 = not very interested and 5 = very interested, how would you describe your interest in forming friendships with people who come from a different race or ethnicity from you? (CONFIRM RESPONSE)

Not very interested			Very interested
1	2	3	4	5

PRIME: Now we are going to ask you a few questions on how satisfied you are. Please rate on the following scale: nNot at all satisfied, nNot too satisfied, somewhat satisfied, and or very satisfied.

85. Please tell me overall, how satisfied you are with each of the following areas of your life. Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, not too satisfied or not at all satisfied with your…

	Not at all Satisfied	Not too satisfied	Somewhat satisfied	Very satisfied
Work or career overall				
Personal financial situation				
Physical health				
Personal relationships with family and friends				
Religious or spiritual life				
Leisure activities				

PRIME: Now I’m going to ask you about your current regular job(s) in more detail.

86. IF YES TO Q.1 WORKING: Thinking about all your current regular jobs, how many hours in total do you work in a typical week?

_______ # Hours per week

87. IF YES TO Q.1 WORKING: To what extent do all your current regular jobs allow you to: (READ ITEM) (CODE RESPONSE)

	Never	Not very often	Sometimes	Very often	Always
Work to correct social and economic inequalities					
Work with other people as part of a team					
Provide direct service to people					
Make a difference in the community					

88. How has your experience in AmeriCorps influenced your career choices? (READ LIST, CODE ALL THAT APPLY)

• AmeriCorps affected the career I chose

• AmeriCorps gave me exposure to new career options

• My priorities in what I wanted in a job changed

If YES to this option: How did your priorities change?

• I wanted financial security

• I decided to devote my career to a cause/issue I became passionate about through AmeriCorps

• I realized I could be more effective in making change by doing a different kind of work.

• I decided I wasn’t interested in the career I thought I wanted.

• I became more realistic about my career choices

• My AmeriCorps affiliation gave me connections that helped me get a job

• My time in AmeriCorps put me at an advantage when trying to find a job

• No effect on my career choices

• Other (SPECIFY)

PRIME: We are almost done. Now I just need to ask you some background information, like your education.

89. What is the highest degree, or level of school, you have completed? (READ LIST IF NECESSARY., CODE ONE.)

• 8^th grade or less

• Some high school, no diploma

• High school diploma

• High school equivalency, or GED

• Vocational, trade, or business school after high school (not for a BA for MBA)

• Some college credit, but less than 1 year

• One or more years of college, no degree

• Associate degree

• Bachelor’s degree

• Master’s degree

• Ph.D., M.D., or other professional degree

90. What is the highest level of education you expect to complete? (READ LIST IF NECESSARY., CODE ONE.)

• Some high school, no diploma

• High school diploma

• High school equivalency, or GED

• Vocational, trade, or business school after high school, not for a BA or MBA

• Two years or less of college

• Two or more years of college, including 2-year degree

• College degree, 4- or 5-year degree

• Master’s degree or equivalent

• Ph.D., M.D., or other professional degree

91. Have you used your AmeriCorps education award?

92. Have you used your AmeriCorps education award? (Source: Post Program - T)

93. YES (GO TO Q40)

• NO

3952ab. IF NO: Do you expect that you will use your AmeriCorps education award in the next two years?

• Yes

• No

39b52c. IF NO: Why haven’t you used the AmeriCorps Education award? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY)

• I forgot about it

• I finished my education or paid for my education before I earned the award

• I had planned to, but now I’m out of school

• I decided to work instead

• I decided to care for my family/children

• I didn’t have the time

• Not interested in using the award

• I didn’t need it

• Award amount was not sufficient

• Information on the award was inadequate

• Never received a voucher from CNCS

• My educational institution wouldn’t accept it

• My educational institution didn’t know what it was

• I didn’t want to use the award for school expenses

• Too many rules

• I didn’t want to pay the taxes

.

94. How did you use your education award? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY)

• Loan repayment

• Tuition

• Other educational costs (e.g. books, supplies)

• Other (SPECIFY)

95. How important was the AmeriCorps education award on your ability to pursue/finish your education/degree?

• Not important

• Somewhat important

• Very important

96. Did you’re AmeriCorps education award affect the type of education institution you attended?

• YES

• NO (GO TO 43) (GO TO Q46)

4253a. IF YES: What type of school did you attend because of the AmeriCorps education award?

• Two-year community college

• Four-year graduate program

• Professional graduate program (e.g., MBA, JD, etc.)

• Four-year undergraduate program

• Technical school

97. How has your AmeriCorps experience shaped your education choices? (READ LIST. CODE ALL THAT APPLY.)

• AmeriCorps affected the degree/major I chose

IF YES: How did your AmeriCorps experience affect the degree/major you chose? (ENTER VERBATIM. CODE AFTER FIRST 100 RESPONSES.)

• AmeriCorps affected the concentration/focus I chose

IF YES: How did your AmeriCorps experience affect the concentration/focus you chose? (ENTER VERBATIM. CODE AFTER FIRST 100 RESPONSES.)

• AmeriCorps made me more interested in the topic I pursued in school

• AmeriCorps helped me see the importance of education

• My personal goals for educational attainment increased

• I decided not to pursue further education

• The education award made continuing my education possible

• No effect on my education

• Other (SPECIFY)

PRIME: Now I want you to think back to when you first accomplished some major milestones in your life. Please remember the best you can the year.

98. IF NOT CURRENTLY IN SCHOOL FULL-TIME IN Q.1: When was the last time you were in school full- time?

_______ YEAR

99. When was the first time you were employed full-time?

________ YEAR

100. What is your current marital status? (READ LIST., CODE ONE.)

• Single, never married

• Married

• In a committed long-term relationship

IF YES: Have you ever been married?

• Yes (GO TO 46a)

• No

• Widowed

• Divorced

• Separated

4658a. IF EVER MARRIED: When did you first get married?

________________ YEAR

101. Do you have any children?

• YES

• NO (GO TO Q48)(GO TO Q51)

4762a. IF YES: How many children do you have? _____

4762b. IF YES: What age is your oldest child? ______

102. How many years have you lived in your present community?

• Less than 1 year

• 1 to 2 years

• 3 to 4 years

• 5 or more years

103. Do you or anyone else in your household (READ ITEM)?

	Yes	No
Live in public housing or projects		
Receive public assistance, welfare, food stamps, or WIC		
Receive other housing assistance, such as Section 8, housing vouchers, or other subsidies		

104. What kind of jobs did your parents have growing up? (USE OCCUPATION CODES FROM Q.1)

5064a. Mother’s Occupation ________

5064b. Father’s Occupation _________

105. How often do you attend religious services, excluding weddings and funerals?

• Never

• Rarely

• Once or twice a month

• Once a week or more

106. How important is religion in your life?

• Not important

• A little important

• Pretty important

• Very important

107. 5363a. Which of the following best represents the total annual income in 2005 for you before taxes. Please include wages, salaries, interest, dividends, social security, and other forms of income. (READ LIST. CODE ONE.)(CODE ONE, READ LIST)

5363b. Which of the following best represents the total annual income in 2005 for your immediate family living in your household before taxes. Please include wages, salaries, interest, dividends, social security, and other forms of income. (READ LIST. CODE ONE., READ LIST)

5363a. Your own 2005 income (before taxes)	5363b. Total for the family in your household (before taxes)
Under $5,000 $5,000 – less than $10,000 $10,000 – less than $15,000 $15,000 – less than $20,000 $20,000 – less than $25,000 $25,000 – less than $30,000 $30,000 – less than $40,000 $40,000 – less than $50,000 $50,000 – less than $60,000 $60,000 – less than $70,000 $70,000 – less than $80,000 $80,000 – less than $90,000 $90,000 – less than $100,000 $100,000 or more Don’t Know	Under $5,000 $5,000 – less than $10,000 $10,000 – less than $15,000 $15,000 – less than $20,000 $20,000 – less than $25,000 $25,000 – less than $30,000 $30,000 – less than $40,000 $40,000 – less than $50,000 $50,000 – less than $60,000 $60,000 – less than $70,000 $70,000 – less than $80,000 $80,000 – less than $90,000 $90,000 – less than $100,000 $100,000 or more Don’t Know

Part II: Ask only if missing from prior waves of the survey

NOTE TO CATI/ INTERVIEWER: Questions in this section marked ASK ONLY IF MISSING are asked only if respondents did not answer at baseline 1999 or post-program supplemental 2003. CATI to flag missing variables.Below is asked only if missing at baseline, post-program, or post-program supplemental. CATI programs survey to include if missing at these three time points.

108. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: What is your race? Are you: (READ LIST., MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED.)

• American Indian or Alaskan Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• White

• Other (SPECIFY)

109. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Are you Hispanic or Latino?

• YES

• NO

110. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

111. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: What is your date of birth?

______ / ______ / 19__ __

Month Day

PRIME: Now I’m going to ask you how important things are to you. Please answer whether they are not important, somewhat important, or very important.

112. #*Please indicate whether you feel each of the following is not important, somewhat important, or very important to you. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: (READ ITEM) Would you say this is very important, somewhat important, or not important to you?

	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Very Important
Working to correct social and economic inequalities			
Having a job that involves working with other people as part of a team			
Working in a job where you are of direct service to people			
Making a difference in the community			

PRIME: The next set of questions asks you about your experiences while growing up, your motivation for inquiring about AmeriCorps, your experiences during AmeriCorps, and your experiences since you left AmeriCorps. We’ll start with some questions about your youth. By “youth,” I mean the experiences you had before the age of 18. I will use the terms “youth” and “growing up” interchangeably.

113. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Which of these categories indicates the kind of place or places where you spent most of your youth?

	Yes	No	RF	DK
Rural areas	 1	 2	 3	 4
Urban areas	 1	 2	 3	 4
Suburban areas	 1	 2	 3	 4

114. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Before the age of 18, how many times did you move to a new house or apartment?

__________ Times

• REFUSED

• DON’T KNOW

115. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: During your youth, what language did you usually speak at home—English or something else?

• English

• English and a different language

• A different language

• REFUSED

• DON’T KNOW

116. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: We would like to address information about where you lived during high school. Please give me the street address, city, state, zip code, and country for an address at which you lived while you were in high school. (PROBE FOR CROSS STREETS IF NECESSARY). This information will be kept confidential.

STREET:

CITY:

ZIP CODE: COUNTRY:

117. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Please give me the name, city, state, and country of the high school that you attended at this time.

HIGH SCHOOL:

CITY: _____________________­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­________________________ STATE: ____________

COUNTRY:

118. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Was this high school located in the neighborhood that you were living in at the time?

• YES

• NO

• REFUSED

• DON’T KNOW

119. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Did you do any of the following things when you were younger?

	Yes	No
Saw someone in your family help others	 1	 2
Personally saw someone you admire (not a family member) helping others	 1	 2

PRIME: Now I’d like to ask you some questions about your primary caretakers and the community in which you lived while you were growing up. By primary caretakers, I mean your parents or another person or people who provided you with substantial emotional and/or financial support.

120. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: During your youth, which primary caretakers contributed most to your upbringing? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY.)

• Mother

• Father

• Stepmother/father’s partner

• Stepfather/mother’s partner

• Grandmother

• Grandfather

• Aunt

• Uncle

• Other (SPECIFY AS MANY AS NECESSARY:)

• REFUSED

• DON’T KNOW

121. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Which of the following categories best describe the highest educational level that your (PRIMARY CARETAKER 1) has currently completed?

• Less than a high school graduate, diploma, or the equivalent

• High school graduate

• High school diploma or the equivalent, for example, GED

• Some college, no degree

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree

• Master’s degree

• Ph.D., M.D., or other professional graduate degree

• REFUSED

• DON’T KNOW

122. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: During your youth, how many people in your neighborhood would you or your family members have felt comfortable (READ ITEM). Would you say no one, some neighbors, many neighbors, or almost all neighbors?

		No one	Some neighbors	Many neighbors	Almost all neighbors	RF	DK
a.	borrowing a cup of milk, sugar, or similar items?	1	2	3	4	7	8
b.	using their phone?	1	2	3	4	7	8
c.	asking for a ride or other assistance getting somewhere?	1	2	3	4	7	8
d.	asking for help in an emergency?	1	2	3	4	7	8
e.	asking to stay at their house if you were alone?	1	2	3	4	7	8

123. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: During your youth, how strongly connected do you believe your family was to (READ ITEM). Would you say not at all connected, somewhat casually connected, or very strongly connected?

		Not at all connected	Somewhat casually connected	Very strongly connected	RF	DK
a.	your neighborhood?	1	2	3	7	8
b.	colleagues from your parents’ or primary caretakers’ workplace?	1	2	3	7	8
c.	the schools that you and/or your siblings attended?	1	2	3	7	8
d.	a religious organization?	1	2	3	7	8
e.	other organizations or social networks in your community?	1	2	3	7	8
f.	your community as a whole?	1	2	3	7	8

124. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: During your youth, did you or anyone else in your household receive (READ ITEM)?

		Yes	No	RF	DK
a.	Receive public assistance, such as welfare, food stamps, or WIC	1	2	7	8
b.	Live in public housing or projects	1	2	7	8
c.	Receive other housing assistance, such as Section 8 or housing vouchers	1	2	7	8

PRIME: Now I’m going to ask you what you were doing before you started AmeriCorps. This would be prior to your joining AmeriCorps in 1999.

125. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: In the twelve months before you started AmeriCorps, what were you doing? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY.)

• Working outside the home

• Attending school

• Taking care of my children at home

• Looking for a job

• Volunteering/voluntary community service

• Other (SPECIFY)_____________________________

126. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: Before you started AmeriCorps, had you ever participated in voluntary community service or a volunteer activity?

• Yes

• No

PRIME: Now I’d like to ask a question about your reasons for inquiring about AmeriCorps and your alternatives to AmeriCorps.

127. ASK ONLY IF MISSING: What other options did you seriously consider when you inquired about AmeriCorps? (CODE ALL THAT APPLY.)

• HIGH SCHOOL/GED

• COLLEGE

• VOCATIONAL SCHOOL/JOB TRAINING

• GRADUATE OR PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL

• JOB IN PRIVATE SECTOR

• JOB IN PUBLIC OR NON-PROFIT SECTOR

• MILITARY SERVICE

• OTHER FULL-TIME SERVICE ACTIVITY

• TRAVEL

• DID NOT CONSIDER OTHER AVAILABLE OPTIONS0

• NO OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE

• OTHER (SPECIFY) _______________________________________

• REFUSED

• DON’T KNOW

Part III: Contact Information

PRIME: We are done with the survey part. Now we just want to make sure we have the correct contact information. We may want to talk with you again in the future. The following information is needed so that we can reach you in the future and so that we can send you your check. This information will be kept confidential.

1. Your full name:

2. Your current address:

City State ZIP

3. Your current telephone number: (_______) ________ - __________

(area code)

4. Your permanent address:

City State ZIP

5. Your permanent telephone number: (_______) ________ - __________

(area code)

6. Your e-mail address

Additional Contact and Tracking Information

In case we lose touch with you, please provide the names and contact information for three relatives or friends who do not live with you and who are most likely to know where to contact you in the future. Please include 2 people at different addresses.

1. Name:

Relationship to you:

Current address:

City State ZIP

Home telephone number: (_______) _______ - __________

(area code)

Name that number is listed under:

Work telephone number (_______) _______ - __________

(area code)

Name of organization that number is listed under:

2. Name:

Relationship to you:

Current address:

City State ZIP

Home telephone number: (_______) _______ - __________

(area code)

Name that number is listed under:

Work telephone number (_______) _______ - __________

(area code)

Name of organization that number is listed under:

ASK ONLY IF NOT COLLECTED: As I previously mentioned, we will want to interview you again in future years and because of that we may need your social security number in case we lose touch with you. What is your Social Security Number?

__ __ __ - __ __ - __ __ __ __

AmeriCorps is interested in continuing to follow AmeriCorps members over time, and may hire a different contractor for future follow-up studies. If this happens, will you allow your past survey responses and contact information to be transferred to another contractor?

• Yes

• No

Thank you, that is the end of my questions. We really appreciate your continued participation in this important evaluation of AmeriCorps and will be in touch with you again in a couple of years. If you have any questions about the study or its legitimacy, please feel free to contact the study team at servicestudy@abtassoc.com or 1-888-735-8598.

ONLY IF NECESSARY: This is a federally -approved study and is governed by the Federal Privacy Act. The information in this survey is to be used solely for research and for statistical purposes to help meet the requirements of federal law. No other uses will be made of this information.

ONLY IF NECESSARY: If the respondent feels they need to speak with someone at CNCS, they can contact Lillian Dote at 202-606-6984. If respondent asks about the education award, provide the phone number to the National Service Trust at 1-888-507-5962.

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