2 Member Experience Survey

CNCS: Understanding the Value of Service OMB Control Number: XXXX-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX Expiration

Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS)

Understanding the Value of Service in Participants’ Experience and Outcomes

Participant Survey

Project Overview

The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) engages more than five million Americans as community volunteers (i.e., service participants/members/volunteers) in service through our core programs such as Senior Corps and AmeriCorps. In CNCS’ 2011-2015 strategic plan, we commit to strengthening the national service experience. In order to better understand your experience with [service/volunteering], we have contracted with ICF International to gather specific information from you on your [service/volunteer] experience.

Survey Overview

To conduct this study, ICF is currently gathering data via this Web survey of mid-service (i.e., participants who are currently [serving/volunteering]) and post-service participants (i.e., participants who have [served/volunteered] in the past). Your insights will help to ensure this is a meaningful study and will also provide information that we can use to inform future program practices and improve the [service/volunteer] experience for participants. The survey is expected to take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Confidentiality

This survey guarantees respondent confidentiality. Confidentiality means that only the research team knows who responded to the survey. All data collected from you on this survey will be aggregated with data from other respondents. Therefore, data will only be used in a way that will make it impossible to determine the identity of individual respondents. The data will not be analyzed or reported in any way that compromises participant confidentiality. Raw data will only be accessible by ICF International employees directly involved in data analysis, will be stored in a secure folder, and any identifying information will be removed before data analysis begins.

Voluntary Participation

We know your time is valuable and greatly appreciate your taking this survey today. While we appreciate your participation, your participation and responses to any of these questions is voluntary and not required by CNCS. You are free to withdraw your participation from this study at any time. If you do not want to continue, you can simply leave this website. You also may choose to skip any questions that you do not wish to answer.

If you have concerns or questions about this study, please contact the survey hotline at 1-855-777-CNCS or CNCS.Study@icfi.com.

By beginning the survey, you acknowledge that you have read this information and agree to participate in this research, with the knowledge that you are free to withdraw your participation at any time without penalty.

Note: When [serve/volunteer] appears in a question, the survey will use “serve” for AmeriCorps members and “volunteer” for Senior Corps volunteers.

Demographic Information

1. Please indicate the AmeriCorps (e.g., VISTA, NCCC, AmeriCorps State, AmeriCorps National Direct) or Senior Corps (e.g., RSVP, Senior Companions, Foster Grandparents) program in which you [served/volunteered] (If you served or volunteered in more than one program, select the most recent). __________________.

[Note: This response will be used to auto-populate questions which refer to the participant’s program, noted by [program] in this document.]

2. Which of the following statements best describes your current situation?

• I have not yet started [service/volunteering]. [Note: Survey will be terminated if this response is selected.]

• I am currently [in service/volunteering full time (1700 hours/year)].

• I am currently [in service/volunteering half time (900 hours/year)].

• I am currently [in service/volunteering quarter time (450 hours/year)].

• I am currently [in service/volunteering minimum time (300 hours/year)].

• I have completed my [service/volunteering].

3. When did you begin [service/volunteering]? __/____ (MM/YYYY)

[Note: Item 4 will only be given to participants who responded in Item 2 that their service/volunteering has been completed (i.e., response option 4).]

4. How long did you [serve/volunteer]? (Enter 0 years and the applicable number of months if you served less than 1 year)

_______ years and ______months

5. What is your gender?

• Male

• Female

6. What is your birth month and year? __/____ (MM/YYYY)

7. Are you Hispanic or Latino?

• Yes

• No

8. What is your race?

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• White

9. Which of the following best describes your military status?

• Currently serving in one of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S Joint Forces, military Reserves, or National Guard

• Currently a Veteran due to prior service in one of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S Joint Forces, military Reserves, or National Guard

• Never served in one of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, U.S Joint Forces, military Reserves, or National Guard

10. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than high school

• High school diploma or GED

• Some college

• Associate’s degree

• Vocational/technical degree

• Bachelor’s degree

• Advanced graduate or Professional degree

11. Please check any of the following that apply to you

    • I am deaf or have serious difficulty hearing

    • I am blind or have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses

    • Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, I have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions

    • I have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs

    • I have serious difficulty dressing or bathing

    • Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, I have serious difficulty doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping

12. In the 12 months prior to joining [program], how frequently did you perform volunteer work, excluding previous service with [program]?

• Never volunteered

• Volunteered once

• Volunteered less than once a month

• Volunteered once a month

• Volunteered twice a month

• Volunteered once a week or more

• Volunteered in a year-long position for a different CNCS program

• Volunteered in a year-long position for a non-CNCS program

[Note: Item 13 will be given to only AmeriCorps members.]

13. Please mark YES if any of the following statements previously applied or currently apply to you:

• I dropped out of or did not complete high school. I do not have a high school diploma or have not acquired a GED.

• I was unemployed. Select YES if you were not in school and considered unemployed for any length of time. Do NOT select YES if you were unemployed while enrolled in school or took normal vacation breaks between years of high school or post-secondary education.

• I was in foster care or I lived with a relative through a state-supervised kinship or guardianship program.

• I have limited English proficiency because English is not my native language.

• I was homeless for any length of time. Select YES if for a period of time you lacked a fixed, regular, adequate night-time residence, or if you lived in a shelter or place not designated as a regular sleeping accommodation.

• I left home and remained away without parental or guardian permission for any length of time under the age of 18 years.

• I attended a continuation or alternative high school.

• I was enrolled in a program for students at risk of dropping out of high school.

• I was convicted of an offense as a juvenile or adjudicated as a juvenile offender.

• I received free or reduced school meals.

Do any of these statements previously or currently apply to you?

• Yes

• No

[Note: Item 14 will be given to all respondents.]

14. Which of the following best describes the community in which you [are serving/served OR are volunteering/volunteered]? (Mark all that apply)

• Urban

• Suburban

• Rural

Recruitment Experience

[Items 15-16 given to mid-service participants only]

15. Which of the following best describes how you initially found out about [program]? Please check one.

• Friend or relative who participated in [service/volunteering]

• Friend or relative who did not participate in [service/volunteering]

• Community organization

• Religious organization

• Researching [service/volunteering] opportunities

• CNCS/AmeriCorps/Senior Corps website

• Newspaper article

• Recruitment event

• Referred by another program (e.g., Job Corps)

• Other (Please list)

16. Please indicate how much you agree with each of the following statements:

	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neither Agree nor Disagree	Agree	Strongly agree	N/A
I was able to find all of the information I wanted before [applying to [program]/deciding to volunteer with [program]].	○	○	○	○	○	○
It was easy to find the information I wanted regarding [program].	○	○	○	○	○	○
Based on the available information, I knew what to expect during the enrollment/on-boarding process.	○	○	○	○	○	○
I was able to find answers to any questions I had about [program].	○	○	○	○	○	○
Based on the available information, I knew what to expect during my [service/volunteering].	○	○	○	○	○	○
Overall, recruitment to [program] was a positive experience.	○	○	○	○	○	○

Motivation for Serving/Volunteering in [Program]

17. Please indicate how important or accurate each of the following possible reasons for serving/volunteering is for you in doing work with [program].

[Note: Items g-i will not be asked of Senior Corps volunteers.]

	Not at all important/ accurate	Slightly important/ accurate	Somewhat important/ accurate	Moderately important/ accurate	Extremely important/ accurate
Protective (to reduce negative feelings or address personal problems)
By volunteering I feel less lonely.
Volunteering helps me work through issues I am facing in my own personal life.
Volunteering is a good escape from my everyday life.
Values (to express altruistic and humanitarian values)
I am concerned about those less fortunate than me.
I feel it is important to help others.
I can do something for a cause that is important to me.
Career (to gain career-related experience)
Volunteering can help me get my foot in the door at a place where I would like to work.
Volunteering allows me to explore different career options.
Volunteering experience will look good on my resume.
Social (to strengthen social relationships)
People I know share an interest in community service or volunteering.
Others with whom I am close place a high value on community service or volunteering.
Volunteering helps me make new friends or improve my relationship with others.

18. Please indicate how important or accurate each of the following possible reasons for serving/volunteering is for you in doing work with [program].

[Note: Items j-n will not be asked of Senior Corps volunteers.]

	Not at all important/ accurate	Slightly important/ accurate	Somewhat important/ accurate	Moderately important/ accurate	Extremely important/ accurate
Understanding (to learn more and/or exercise skills)
Volunteering allows me to gain a new perspective on life.
Volunteering lets me learn things through direct, hands on experience or utilize skills I have already developed.
Volunteering helps me learn how to deal with a variety of people.
Enhancement (to grow and develop psychologically)
Volunteering increases my confidence in my own abilities.
Volunteering makes me feel needed.
Volunteering makes me feel better about myself.
To pass time
Through volunteering I keep myself busy.
I like being active through volunteering.
It is a way of spending my time.
Extrinsic motivations
There were no better options available (e.g., could not find a job, did not have anything else).
This opportunity could lead to something better in my life.
My parents strongly encouraged me to join.
I wanted to earn the Eli Segal Education award.
I wanted to earn an education award and transfer it to a family member.

[Service/Volunteering] Experiences

19. Please indicate how much you agree with each of the following items regarding your [service/volunteering] experience.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I have/had enough information to do my [service/volunteering] well.
My [service/volunteering] gives/gave me a feeling of personal accomplishment.
I like the kind of [service/volunteering] I do/did.
I know/knew what is/was expected of me in doing my [service/volunteering].
I am/was constantly looking for ways to do my [service/volunteering] better.
I have/had sufficient resources (e.g., people, materials, budget) to get my [service/volunteering] tasks done.
My [workload/amount of effort] is/was reasonable.
I know/knew how my service/volunteering relates to [program]’s goals and priorities.
The [service/volunteering] I do/did is important.
Physical conditions (e.g., noise level, temperature, lighting, cleanliness in the workplace) allow [service participants/volunteers] to perform their [service/volunteering] well.
The people I [serve/served OR volunteer/volunteered] with cooperate to get the job done.
[Service participants/Volunteers] are recognized for providing high quality products and services.
[Program] is/was successful at accomplishing its mission.
My [service/volunteering] helped to make the community a better place.
I recommend [program] as a good place to [serve/volunteer].
My [supervisor or team leader/volunteer manager] provides/provided me with constructive suggestions to improve my [service/volunteering].
My [supervisor or team leader/volunteer manager] treats/treated me with respect.
I have/had trust and confidence in my [supervisor or team leader/volunteer manager].
Overall, my [supervisor or team leader/volunteer manager] does/did a good job.

Participant Satisfaction

20. Please indicate your level of satisfaction with each of the following related to your [service experience/volunteering]:

[Note: Item e will not be asked of Senior Corps volunteers.]

[Note: Item l will be asked only of VISTA members.]

[Note: Item m will be asked only of NCCC members.]

	Not at all Satisfied	Slightly Satisfied	Somewhat Satisfied	Very Satisfied	Extremely Satisfied	N/A
[Program]	○	○	○	○	○	○
Your [supervisor/team leader/volunteer manager]	○	○	○	○	○	○
The work tasks performed during your [service/volunteering] experience (e.g., tutoring, construction)	○	○	○	○	○	○
The stipend you received	○	○	○	○	○	○
The education award received/to be received	○	○	○	○	○	○
The hours served	○	○	○	○	○	○
The training received	○	○	○	○	○	○
Relationships with fellow [service members/volunteers]	○	○	○	○	○	○
Learning new skills	○	○	○	○	○	○
Providing services to the community	○	○	○	○	○	○
Gaining an understanding of the community where you [served/volunteered]	○	○	○	○	○	○
Pre-service orientation	○	○	○	○	○	○
The CTI, project transitions, and life after AmeriCorps trainings	○	○	○	○	○	○

21. Overall, how satisfied are/were you with your [service/volunteering] experience?

• Not at all satisfied

• Slightly satisfied

• Somewhat satisfied

• Very satisfied

• Extremely satisfied

Formative/Defining Experience

22. To what extent would you say that your [service/volunteering] experience was a defining personal experience? A defining personal experience is one that resulted in a change or shift in your beliefs, attitudes, and/or aspirations, or one that confirmed your beliefs, attitudes, and/or aspirations.

• Not at all defining

• Slightly defining

• Somewhat defining

• Very defining

• Extremely defining

[Item 22 given AmeriCorps participants only]

23. To what extent would you say that your service experience was a defining professional experience? A defining professional experience is one that resulted in a change or shift in your professional goals or one that confirmed your professional goals.

• Not at all defining

• Slightly defining

• Somewhat defining

• Very defining

• Extremely defining

Affective Commitment

24. Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I enjoy discussing my [service/volunteering] with people outside [program].
I think that I could easily become as attached to another organization as I am to [program].
I do not feel like 'part of the family' at [program].
I do not feel 'emotionally attached' to [program].
[Program] has a great deal of personal meaning for me.
I do not feel a strong sense of belonging to [program].

Development and Refinement of Personal Skills

25. Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements with regards to your [service/volunteering] experience.

[Note: Items a-g will be asked of only AmeriCorps members; items h-m will be asked only of Senior Corps volunteers.]

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I have/had an opportunity to experience personal growth.
I have/had the opportunity to enhance my interpersonal skills.
I have/had an opportunity to enhance my leadership skills.
I have/had the opportunity to further develop my communication skills.
I have/had the opportunity to further develop my problem-solving skills.
I have/had the opportunity to further develop my conflict resolution skills.
I have/had the opportunity to further develop my time management skills.
My volunteering is an opportunity to use interpersonal skills.
My volunteering is an opportunity to use leadership skills.
My volunteering is an opportunity to use my communication skills.
My volunteering is an opportunity to use problem-solving skills.
My volunteering is an opportunity to use conflict resolution skills.
My volunteering is an opportunity to use my time management skills.

Influence of Service on Outcomes

26. How much will/did your [service/volunteering] experience influence each of the following?

(Note: Items a-d will not be asked of Senior Corps volunteers.)

	Not at all	Slightly	Somewhat	Moderately	Greatly	N/A
Career choice
Directly led to a new job
Improved chances of getting a job
Improved performance at a future job
Educational goals
Increased likelihood to vote
Increased volunteering in the community
Increased commitment to performing service
Increased involvement in the community

(Note: Item 27 given to post-service participants only.)

27. What kinds of things have you been doing over the past month? (Mark all that apply)

• Working at a regular job full-time [If yes, go to Q28]

• Working at a regular job part-time [If yes, go to Q28]

• Looking for work

• Recovering from an injury or illness

• Unemployed and not seeking work

• Retired

• On vacation

• Taking care of my children, parents, or siblings at home

• Attending school full-time

• Attending school part-time

• Serving in the military or reserves

• Other (Please list) ____________________

(Note: Items 28-30 given to employed, post-service participants only.)

28. Which of the following best describes the organization where you currently work? (Please mark all that apply.)

• Business or for-profit organization

• Non-profit organization

• Local, state, or federal government

• Self-employed

• Public service-oriented job

29. In what field are you currently working? (Please select the best response option.)

• Not currently working/retired

• Accounting

• Administrative/clerical

• Agriculture/farming

• Arts (visual dance music performance)

• Athletics

• Automotive

• Banking/finance

• Biotech/science

• Business

• Computer/technical/scientific

• Construction

• Culinary arts/food service

• Customer service

• Design

• Distribution/shipping

• Engineering

• Environmental

• Facilities

• Grocery

• Health care

• Hospitality/hotel

• Human resources

• Information technology

• Installation/maintenance/repair

• Insurance

• Legal

• Legal admin

• Manufacturing

• Marketing

• Media/journalism/newspaper

• Military

• Nonprofit social services

• Nurse

• Pharmaceutical

• Professional services

• Public safety/law enforcement

• Purchasing/procurement

• Real estate

• Religious activities

• Research

• Restaurant/food service

• Retail

• Sales

• Skilled trades (masonry, carpentry, electrician)

• Social/community work

• Strategy/planning

• Teaching children/adults

• Telecommunications

• Training

• Transportation

• Warehouse

30. Please respond to the following questions about your current job.

	Not at all	Slightly	Somewhat	Moderately	Greatly
How much do you think that you are helping people in your current career?
How much positive impact do you think that you have on society due to your current job?

Influence of [Service/Volunteering] on Civic Participation

31. Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements.

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
My [service/volunteering] in [program] is helping/helped me see that I can have a positive impact on social problems.
My [service/volunteering] in [program] is giving/gave me confidence in my ability to help others.
My [service/volunteering] in [program] is helping/helped me see I can make a difference in my community.
My [service/volunteering] in [program] is helping/helped me see that each of us can make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate.

32. Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements, using this stem for each statement:

My [service/volunteering] experience in [program] has increased the amount that:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I am concerned about local community issues.
I feel I should volunteer my time to support my community.
I want to work toward equal opportunity for all.
I believe people should find time to contribute to their communities.
I want to support those less fortunate.
I believe my involvement in programs to improve my community is important.

33. Please indicate your level of agreement with each of the following statements, using this stem for each statement:

My [service/volunteering] experience in [program] has increased the amount that:

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither agree nor disagree	Agree	Strongly agree
I discuss and think about how larger political issues affect my community.
I try to find the time or a way to make a positive difference in my community.
I participate in events such as community meetings, celebrations, or activities in my community.
I lead community meetings, events, or programs.
I join organizations that support issues that are important to me.
I try to learn as much as I can about candidates or ballot questions before voting.
I keep informed about local or national news.

ICF International 18