PC-2148 Peace Corps Returned Volunteer Impact Survey

Peace Corps Returned Volunteer Impact Survey 2019 – Draft

[INTRO SCREEN]

Peace Corps Returned Volunteer Impact Survey

Thank you for your service. In order to support current and future Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), and in accordance with the Sam Farr and Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018, we are asking you to answer some brief questions to better understand how your experiences after Peace Corps service may have been impacted by your time spent as a PCV. 

 

This survey is conducted by the Peace Corps, and is entirely voluntary. Your responses will remain private to the extent permitted by law, as is provided for in the Privacy Act of 1974. This information is protected and maintained in the Peace Corps systems of record PC-17 for Peace Corps Volunteers, and PC-18 for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Your survey responses will be summarized in reports along with the responses of other returned Volunteers in aggregate form only. This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The OMB control number for this collection is #xxxx-xxxx, which expires on xx/xx/xxxx. For any questions, comments, or concerns that you may have, please email the Peace Corps Returned Volunteer Impact Survey team at RPCVsurvey@survey.peacecorps.gov.

[SURVEY BODY]

[SECTION 1. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SERVICE]

We would like you to think back to your Peace Corps service. If you served more than once, either as a two year Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) or as a Peace Corps Response/Crisis Corps Volunteer, you should refer only to your first service. Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability.

1. Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements related to your Peace Corps service.

[SCALE: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly disagree, Do not remember]

1. My Peace Corps service was personally rewarding

2. My Peace Corps service was professionally rewarding

3. I was able to transfer knowledge and skills to help individuals and organizations in my host country build their capacities

4. I was able to promote a better understanding of the United States and Americans among individuals and groups in my host country

5. I was able to promote a better understanding of my host country and its people among individuals and groups in the United States

6. I needed to spend a significant time away from my host community due to a personal health situation

7. I needed to spend a significant time away from my host community due to a safety and security situation (e.g., crime incident, political instability, natural disaster, etc.)

[SECTION 2. EDUCATION]

Now we would like to hear about some of your experiences both prior to your Peace Corps service and after your service ended.

2.1 What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? Select your expected degree, if you are currently enrolled in an education program.

1. Some college, no degree

2. Associate’s degree (for example: AA, AS)

3. Bachelor’s degree (for example: BA, BS)

4. Master’s degree ( for example: MA, MS, MEng, MEd, MSW, MBA)

5. Professional degree beyond a bachelor’s degree (for example: MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, JD)

6. Doctorate degree (for example: PhD, EdD)

7. Other (please specify): [open ended textbox]

2. In what year were you most recently enrolled in school?

[Select Year from Dropdown Menu]

[SECTION 3. CAREER/PUBLIC SERVICE ARC - BEFORE PEACE CORPS SERVICE]

3.1 What were you doing in the six months before your first Peace Corps service? Please select all that apply

1. Employed part-time or full-time, including military service

2. Enrolled in an education program part-time or full-time

3. Serving in a national service program (e.g., AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, NCCC, or VISTA)

4. Doing non-paid work, such as an internship or apprenticeship

5. Seeking work, providing caregiving, or occupied outside of the workforce

6. Retired

7. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

[SECTION 4. CAREER/PUBLIC SERVICE ARC - TRANSITION AFTER PEACE CORPS SERVICE]

1. What were you doing in the six months after your first Peace Corps service? Please select all that apply.

1. Employed part-time or full-time, including military service

2. Enrolled in an education program part-time or full-time

3. Serving in the Peace Corps or in a national service program (e.g., AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, NCCC, or VISTA)

4. Doing non-paid work, such as an internship or apprenticeship

5. Seeking work, providing caregiving, or occupied outside of the workforce

6. Retired

7. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

[If 4.1=Employed part-time or full-time, including military service ASK 4.2.1-4.2.8]

4.2.1 What type of organization were you working in, six months after your first Peace Corps service?

1. For-profit company or organization

2. Non-profit organization (including tax-exempt and charitable organizations)

3. Local government (for example: city or county school district)

4. State government (including state colleges/universities)

5. Active duty U.S. Armed Forces or Commissioned Corps

6. Federal government civilian employee

7. Self-employed (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

8. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

4.2.2 Did you supervise anyone in this job who was directly responsible to you?

1. Yes

2. No

4.2.3 How much do you agree or disagree that the following aspects of your Peace Corps service played a role in helping you obtain this job?

[SCALE: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly disagree, Do not remember]

1. Skills and experience that you acquired during your service

2. Connections that you made during your service

3. Connections and resources available to you after your return because of your service (e.g., networking opportunities, job fairs, NCE status, etc.)

4.2.4 How much of your previous work experience, including your Peace Corps experience, and/or job skills did you make use of in this job?

1. Almost all

2. A lot

3. A little

4. Almost none

5. Do not remember

4.2.5 For each statement below, indicate how much you agree or disagree that it applied to this job.

[SCALE: Strongly agree, agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly disagree, Do not remember]

1. My job was secure

2. My income was high

3. My opportunities for advancement were high

4. My job left a lot of leisure time

5. My job was interesting

6. I could work independently

7. In my job I could help other people

8. My job was useful to society

9. In my job, I had personal contact with other people

10. My job had flexible working hours

[If 4.1=Seeking work, providing caregiving, or occupied outside of the workforce ASK 4.3]

3. What job seeking or caregiving were you engaged in six months after your first Peace Corps service? Please select all that apply.

1. Unemployed, looking for work

2. Unemployed, not looking for work

3. Employed, but looking for another job

4. Staying at home to care for one or more family or household members

5. Not working because of a disability or health reasons

6. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

[SECTION 5. CAREER/PUBLIC SERVICE ARC – CURRENT STATUS]

5.1.1 What are you doing now? Please select all that apply.

1. Employed part-time or full-time, including military service

2. Enrolled in an education program part-time or full-time

3. Serving in a national service program (e.g., AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, NCCC, or VISTA)

4. Doing non-paid work, such as an internship or apprenticeship

5. Seeking work, providing caregiving, or occupied outside the workforce

6. Retired

7. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

[If 5.1.1=Employed part-time or full-time, including military service and 4.1=Employed part-time or full-time, including military service, ASK 5.1.2]

[If 5.1.1=Employed part-time or full-time, including military service and 4.1≠Employed part-time or full-time, including military service, SKIP 5.1.2, ASK 5.2.1-5.2.8]

5.1.2 Are the job and organization at which you worked six months after your first Peace Corps service the same as the job and organization at which you work now?

1. Yes

2. No

[If 5.1.2=YES SKIP to 5.3]

5.2.1 What type of organization are you working in now?

1. For-profit company or organization

2. Non-profit organization (including tax-exempt and charitable organizations)

3. Local government (for example: city or county school district)

4. State government (including state colleges/universities)

5. Active duty U.S. Armed Forces or Commissioned Corps

6. Federal government civilian employee

7. Self-employed (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

8. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

5.2.2 Do you supervise anyone in this job who is directly responsible to you?

1. Yes

2. No

5.2.3 How much do you agree or disagree that the following aspects of your Peace Corps service played a role in helping you obtain this job?

[SCALE: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly disagree]

1. Skills and experience that you acquired during your service

2. Connections that you made during your service

3. Connections and resources available to you after your return because of your service (e.g., networking opportunities, job fairs, NCE status, etc.)

5.2.4 How much of your previous work experience, including your Peace Corps experience, and/or job skills do you make use of in this job?

1. Almost all

2. A lot

3. A little

4. Almost none

5.2.5 For each statement below, indicate how much you agree or disagree that it applies to this job.

[SCALE: Strongly agree, Agree, Neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly disagree]

1. My job is secure

2. My income is high

3. My opportunities for advancement are high

4. My job leaves a lot of leisure time

5. My job is interesting

6. I can work independently

7. In my job I can help other people

8. My job is useful to society

9. In my job, I have personal contact with other people

10. My job has flexible working hours

[If 5.1= Seeking work, providing caregiving, or occupied outside of the workforce ASK 5.3]

5.3 What job seeking or caregiving are you engaged in now? Please select all that apply.

1. Unemployed, looking for work

2. Unemployed, not looking for work

3. Employed, but looking for another job

4. Staying at home to care for one or more family or household members

5. Not working because of a disability or health reasons

6. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

[SECTION 6. SOCIAL NETWORK AND ENGAGEMENT]

The following questions measure your social engagement and focus on your interactions with family, friends, neighbors, and members of your "Peace Corps network" in person, over the phone, or through the internet or social media. Your "Peace Corps network" refers to fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and other people you met or worked with during your Peace Corps service who you still engage with socially, professionally, or educationally.

1. In the past 12 months, how often did you talk to or spend time with the following people?

[SCALE: Basically everyday, A few times a week, A few times a month, Once a month, Less than once a month, Not at all]

1. Your friends and family

2. Your neighbors

3. Your “Peace Corps network” in the United States

4. Your “Peace Corps network” in your country(s) of service

2. In the past 12 months, how often did you and your neighbors do favors for each other such as house sitting, watching each other’s children, lending tools, and other things to help each other?

1. Basically everyday

2. A few times a week

3. A few times a month

4. Once a month

5. Less than once a month

6. Not at all

3. In the past 12 months, how often did you talk to or spend time with people from a racial, ethnic or cultural background that is different than yours? This may have been in person, over the phone, or through the internet or social media.

1. Basically everyday

2. A few times a week

3. A few times a month

4. Once a month

5. Less than once a month

6. Not at all

4. In the past 12 months, how often did you discuss current events or social/local issues with the following people?

[SCALE: Basically everyday, A few times a week, A few times a month, Once a month, Less than once a month, Not at all]

1. Your friends and family

2. Your neighbors

3. Your "Peace Corps network" in the United States

4. Your "Peace Corps network" in your country(s) of service

6.5 Think about your social engagement before you joined the Peace Corps. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

6.5.1 My Peace Corps service increased my social engagement.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

6.5.2 My Peace Corps service had no effect on my social engagement.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

6.5.3 My Peace Corps service decreased my social engagement.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

[SECTION 7. CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT]

The next few questions will ask you about your participation in your community.

1. In the past 12 months, did you attend a public meeting, such as a zoning or school board meeting, to discuss a local issue?

1. Yes

2. No

2. In the past 12 months, did you contact or visit a public official–at any level of government–to express your opinion?

1. Yes

2. No

3. People sometimes belong to different kinds of groups or associations. For each type of group, please indicate whether you: belong and actively participate, belong but don't actively participate, used to belong but do not any more, or have never belonged to it?

[SCALE: Belong and actively participate, Belong but don’t actively participate, Used to belong but do not anymore, Have never belonged to it]

1. National Peace Corps Association

2. An RPCV group

3. Trade union or professional association

4. Church or other religious organization

5. Sports, leisure, or cultural group

6. Other voluntary organization or association (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

4. In the past 12 months, did you spend any time volunteering for any of the following types of organizations? Please select all that apply, and include activities that you do infrequently or for children’s schools or youth organizations.

1. Peace Corps (e.g., Speakers Match program)

2. National Peace Corps Association

3. An RPCV group

4. Civic, political, or professional organization in the United States

5. Civic, political, or professional organization in your country(s) of service

6. Educational or youth service organization in the United States

7. Educational or youth service organization in your country(s) of service

8. Environmental or animal care organization in the United States

9. Environmental or animal care organization in your country(s) of service

10. Hospital or other health organization in the United States

11. Hospital or other health organization in your country(s) of service

12. Public safety organization in the United States

13. Public safety organization in your country(s) of service

14. Social or community service organization in the United States

15. Social or community service organization in your country(s) of service

16. Religious organization in the United States

17. Religious organization in your country(s) of service

18. Sport, hobby, cultural or arts organization in the United States

19. Sport, hobby, cultural or arts organization in your country(s) of service

20. Other international organization, not associated with your country(s) of service

21. Other (Please specify): [open ended textbox]

[If 7.4=one or more selected responses, ASK 7.5]

7.5 In the past 12 months, how often did you volunteer in each of the organizations you selected above?

[Every organization selected in question 7.4 will appear and have a dropdown with the following answer categories:]

5. Basically every day

6. A few times a week

7. A few times a month

8. Once a month

9. Less than once a month

10. Not at all

6. In the past 12 months, did you give money or possessions with a combined value of more than $25 to a non-profit organization, such as a charity, school, or religious organization?

1. Yes

2. No

7.8 Think about your participation in your community before you joined the Peace Corps. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. My Peace Corps service increased my participation in my community.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

7.8.2 My Peace Corps service had no effect on my participation in my community.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

7.8.3 My Peace Corps service decreased my participation in my community.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

[SECTION 8. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING]

Now, please answer a few questions about your physical and emotional well-being.

8.1 Would you say that in general your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?

1. Excellent

2. Very good

3. Good

4. Fair

5. Poor

8.2 Now thinking about your physical health, which includes physical illness and injury, for how many days during the past 30 days was your physical health not good?

[Select 0 to 30 in drop down menu]

8.3 Now thinking about your mental health, which includes stress, depression, and problems with emotions, for how many days during the past 30 days was your mental health not good?

[Select 0 to 30 in drop down menu]

4. During the past 30 days, for about how many days did poor physical or mental health keep you from doing your usual activities, such as self-care, work, or recreation?

[Select 0 to 30 in drop down menu]

8.5 Think about your physical and emotional well-being before you joined the Peace CorpsTo what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements:

8.5.1 My Peace Corps service increased my physical and emotional well-being.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

8.5.2 My Peace Corps service had no effect on my physical and emotional well-being.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

8.5.3 My Peace Corps service decreased my physical and emotional well-being.

a. Strongly Agree

b. Agree

c. Neither Agree nor Disagree

d. Disagree

e. Strongly Disagree

[SECTION 9. FINAL QUESTIONS]

To close, we would like to ask you three more questions.

1. Including yourself, how many people live at your residence?

1. Adults, 18 years of age or older [number entry textbox]

2. Children, under the age of 18 [number entry textbox]

2. Finally, can you describe one experience from your Peace Corps service that has guided you to where you are now?

[Open ended textbox]

[THANK YOU SCREEN]

Thank you for taking the time to participate in the survey. We truly value the information you have provided and experiences you have shared to better understand your Peace Corps service experience.

Please click the right arrow to submit your responses.

The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C § 552a) requires that the following notice be provided: The information requested in the Peace Corps Returned Volunteer Impact Survey is collected pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2501; Pub. L. 115–256, §1(a), Oct. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 3650 of the Peace Corps Act as amended. Purposes and Uses - The information requested is collected for the purposes of assessing the impact of the Peace Corps program on returned Volunteers. Routine Uses - Routine uses may include disclosure of the information to federal, state, or local agencies pursuant to lawfully authorized requests. The information will not otherwise be disclosed to entities outside of the Peace Corps without prior written permission. Effects of Nondisclosure - The information requested is not mandatory. For any questions, comments, or concerns that you may have, please email the Peace Corps Returned Volunteer Impact Survey team at RPCVsurvey@survey.peacecorps.gov.