Volunteering
Sending Questionnaires to Members
There’s a time and a place, and there are some pitfalls to avoid, but sending out a questionnaire to your members can give them the chance to express interest in a range of volunteering options in your Group or Area. Is it worth considering?
Previously we have focussed on the advantages of taking a
targeted approach for specific
volunteer roles, and in keeping volunteering opportunities in the
members’ awareness through various Group and Area publications. A
further trick up the sleeve of Area and Groups looking to recruit
volunteers may also be the questionnaire or survey to members.
Some careful thought is needed before embarking down this route. Three
specific pit-falls lurk.
The first of these is the low response rate. How many of us, when
confronted by the smile behind the clip-board in the High Street
actually do have a few minutes to spare to answer some questions? Market
researchers estimate that a 5% response rate to surveys counts as a good
result!
Second, the general nature of questionnaires means they are less likely
than a specific volunteer request to get a concrete response.
Questionnaires cast the net wider and go fishing for potential
volunteers who might be interested. The gap between “expressing an
interest to get involved” in principle, and actually doing so in
practice can be very wide indeed.
A third pitfall is that of soliciting responses that can not be dealt
with. It is tempting to ask people to indicate all sorts of information:
their interest in leading walks, in campaigning, in serving on the
committee, skills that they could bring, and the old catch-all, of any
other suggestions. However, unless a committee has the time to respond
appropriately to all the responses, a questionnaire can backfire.
Broadly speaking, then, questionnaires have the great potential to raise
expectations all round that either are not, or can not be fulfilled. The
overall result of this can be counter-productive.
Nevertheless, at certain times in a Group or Area cycle, a questionnaire
can be an effective way to identify potential new volunteers.
Fortunately, our experience suggests that the response rate from our own
members to Ramblers questionnaires is far better than 5%. This may well
be to do with the loyalty and commitment of our members. Sometimes too,
Groups have provided an added incentive to respond by securing a prize
as an incentive and conducting a prize-draw from all the returned
questionnaires. One Group was able to secure a dinner for two at a local
hotel. An other some walking gear. Whatever you do, however, a response
rate of over 15-20% would be pretty miraculous.
For Groups that are keen to give a broad boost to the numbers and
breadth of volunteers, or are keen to remind members of the breadth and
range of volunteering available, a questionnaire can be a good way to
gauge interest and invite a response from the membership.
Some Groups have certainly had success with questionnaires in the past.
We have posted a copy of one
particular questionnaire on the website in case of interest.
Remember too that Central Office can provide Groups with reply-paid
envelopes so that members don’t have to pay for the privilege of
responding to you.
Finally, for the internet pioneers, there is always the option of
devising a questionnaire online. One company used by many voluntary
organisations is Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com)
where for £10 p/month registration you can easily set up questionnaires
and subsequently analyse the results.