2 Early Terminator Survey

9 | Page Early Terminating Member Survey (03-27-2012)

VISTA EXPERIENCE – FEEDBACK FROM FORMER MEMBERS

Dear Former Members – We are evaluating VISTA training effectiveness in order to help the Corporation determine how best to support members’ success with the VISTA mission. We are hoping you will help us with this endeavor. Everything you say will be confidential, reported only in aggregate tables without names or former programs attached. We are also asking current members, sponsoring organization staff, and other former VISTAs for feedback; but we think you may have a special viewpoint. Please take a few minutes to answer the questions below, and add any comments you wish, to help us inform VISTA management how to improve training and orientation for members to support them in their service, and life thereafter.

A. Please give us your view about your VISTA Experience.

1. How were you recruited for VISTA?

􀂅 I was recruited locally, from within the sponsor organization.

􀂅I was recruited locally, from elsewhere in the community.

􀂅I was recruited from a neighboring community.

􀂅I was recruited nationally.

􀂅 Other (please specify): ___________________________________________________________

2. How many months did you serve in VISTA as a volunteer? ________ months

3. What was the main reason or reasons that you left VISTA before the official end of service? Please check what applies to you:

􀂅 Personal or Family health or other issue, unrelated to VISTA

􀂅 Economic issue, could not make it on VISTA stipend

􀂅 Had an opportunity and took it – e.g. for another better job

􀂅 Was dissatisfied with my VISTA experience

􀂅 Was dissatisfied with my VISTA sponsoring organization or supervisor

􀂅 Other VISTA-related issue – please comment: ______________________________________________

4. Did your VISTA experience help in either getting to do or doing what you are presently pursuing either for work or for life or both?

􀂅 Not at all

􀂅 A little

􀂅 Somewhat

􀂅 A lot

4a. If VISTA has helped you “Somewhat” or more, please tell us in what ways it helped
Please check any that apply to you:

VISTA helped me with…

􀂅 Getting a job

􀂅 Understanding how to work in organizations

􀂅 Understanding how to manage volunteers

􀂅 Understanding how to build capacity

􀂅 Improving the leadership skills that are required either in work or my life in general

􀂅 Developing technical or vocational skills I need to get ahead

􀂅 Moving toward further education

􀂅 Other (specify):______________________________________

B. Tell us about the training you received during VISTA.

5. Please tell us if you participated in the following trainings or used the following resources?

		Additional questions shown if respondent marks YES to the previous question:
	Did you participate in this training?	Was the training important for your success in VISTA?	Was the training personally useful to you?	Were you satisfied with the quality of the training?
Pre-service orientation (PSO)	Yes No Don’t remember	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure
Onsite orientation and training (OSOT)	Yes No Don’t remember	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure
VISTA Campus	Yes No Don’t remember	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure
On-line VISTA forums	Yes No Don’t remember	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure	Yes No Not sure

6. Was there anything missing from PSO that would have helped you be more successful in VISTA?

No 􀂅 Yes – Please comment: ___________________________________________________

7. Was there anything missing from onsite training and orientation (OSOT) that would have helped you be more successful in VISTA?

No 􀂅 Yes – Please comment: ___________________________________________________

8. Was there any training content that was particularly valuable for your VISTA service?

􀂅 No 􀂅 Yes (please describe): _________________________________________________________

􀂅 Not sure

9. Do you feel that your supervisor knew enough about VISTA to help you with your work?

No 􀂅 Yes – Please comment: ___________________________________________________

10. How much did you use the VISTA Campus after PSO?

􀂅 Not at all

􀂅 Very little

􀂅 Some

􀂅 A lot

C. Please tell us about your VISTA assignment.

11. During your time at VISTA, did you meet with any of the following about the work you were doing and how it was going?

	Less than once a month	About once or twice a month	More than twice a month	I don’t remember
a. I met with my supervisor alone, in-person or on the phone.
b. I met with my supervisor along with other VISTA members or staff, in-person or on the phone.
c. I met with other VISTA members, in-person or on the phone, without my supervisor.

12. Which of the following tasks were significant parts of your assignment during your term of service? Please check the tasks that best describes your activities:

During your term of service, were your responsible (either by yourself or as a significant part of a team) for:	YES This was a significant part of my assignment.
a) Planning, coordinating, managing events
b) Facilitating meetings
c1) Presenting to other staff or groups inside my Sponsoring organization
c2) Presenting to organizations or community groups outside my Sponsoring organization
d) Writing manuals or guides
e) Creating or updating web pages
f) Developing electronic spreadsheets or databases
g) Creating print materials (e.g., flyers, brochures)
h) Developing training or education curricula
i) Planning, coordinating, managing events
j) Recruiting and/or managing community volunteers
k) Raising funds through grant writing
l) Soliciting funds or in-kind resources from the community
m) Building and maintaining community partnerships
n) Developing new programs/services, or enhancing existing programs/services
o) Increasing community awareness about the organization and its activities
p) Assessing the needs of the community or evaluating project activities
q) Other (please specify)

D. Please tell us about the skills you needed for VISTA.

For the questions below, check the skills that were VERY IMPORTANT for your VISTA assignment. Think about your VAD and the organization in which you served, and how important these skills were to conduct VISTA activities, build capacity, and make positive changes in the community.

13. Interpersonal Skills	Which, if any, of the following were very important for your VISTA assignment? (check all that apply)	[For skills marked as very important:] How did you do in these areas?
a. Working well with diverse people and respecting individuals with different backgrounds and interests	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
b. Supervising people	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
c. Helping others work effectively by managing priorities and resolving conflicts	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
d. Participating in or managing (small or large) meetings	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
e. Networking and collaborating	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
f. Actively learning from others	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor

14. Managing Personal and Organizational Workload	Which, if any, of the following were very important for your VISTA assignment? (check all that apply)	[For skills marked as very important:] How did you do in these areas?
a. Setting reasonable objectives by balancing competing priorities in the face of limited resources	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
b. Planning	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
c. Working independently	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
d. Leveraging contacts by acquiring needed information from persons in the organization and the community	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
e. Adapting by modifying one’s personal style and work activities in response to changing situations	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
f. Assessing progress by accurately evaluating the efforts of oneself and others	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor

15. Managing Information and Using It to Solve Problems	Which, if any, of the following were very important for your VISTA assignment? (check all that apply)	[For skills marked as very important:] How did you do in these areas?
a. Figuring out which information you need to work effectively	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
b. Securing the information you need	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
c. Evaluating and organizing information	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
d. Understanding and using mathematical information	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
e. Deploying general or theoretical information to help oneself and others better do their work	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
f. Sharing information effectively by summarizing it so that others will listen and understand	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor

16. Leadership, and Communication Skills	Which, if any, of the following were important to the work you did? (check all that apply)	[For skills marked as important:] How did you do in these areas?
a. Listening actively, accurately and respectfully to a wide range of opinions and suggestions	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
b. Demonstrating integrity by being accountable and by dependably fulfill obligations	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
c. Persuading by convincing others to join in advancing toward his or her objectives	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
d. Negotiating to resolve conflicts between competing objectives and groups	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
e. Expressing oneself by helping audiences understand ideas that he or she wants to convey	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
f. Explaining by conveying ideas and work objectives to a range of individuals, groups, and organizations	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor

17. Specific Skills for Working in the VISTA Project	Which, if any, of the following were important to the work you did? (check all that apply)	[For skills marked as important:] How did you do in these areas?
a. Teamwork	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
b. Mobilizing resources through proposal-writing, advocacy with funders or potential partnering organizations, or through presentations	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
c. Navigating the organization by working within a framework of policies, rules and regulations	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
d. Reporting as required by CNCS and your organization in ways that convey what the member has done and what he or she needs	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
e. Working across the spectrum by understanding the “big picture” and helping to make initiatives, organizations, and services sustainable	􀂅	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor

18. How would you describe your ability to do each of the following during your VISTA service?

a. Work independently	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
b. Meet deadlines	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
c. Set priorities for multiple tasks	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
d. Communicate with people in my Sponsoring organization	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
e. Communicate with people in other organizations	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
f. Communicate with people in the community	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
g. Adapt to new situations and respond to unexpected challenges	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
h. Address community issues like poverty in a constructive manner	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor
i. Meet and work with people different from myself	􀂅 Excellent 􀂅 Good 􀂅 Fair 􀂅 Poor

E. Tell us a little about yourself (Answers to questions 19 – 22 are entirely optional and are for statistical purposes only).

19. What is your age (optional)? _________ years old

20. What is your gender (optional)? _______________

21. How do you identify yourself in terms of ethnicity/race (optional)? Please check the one which best applies to you:

􀂅 a. African American

􀂅 b. American Indian/Alaskan Native

􀂅 c. Asian/Pacific Islander

􀂅 d. Caucasian/White

􀂅 e. Hispanic/Latino

􀂅 f. Multi‐racial (specify): __________

􀂅 g. Other (specify):_________________

22. Please check the HIGHEST level of education you completed? Please check the one which best applies to you:

􀂅 a. High School degree (HS Diploma or GED)

􀂅 b. Some College

􀂅 c. 2-year College degree (AA)

􀂅 d. 4-year College degree (BA, BS)

􀂅 e. Some Graduate School

􀂅 f. Technical or Vocational School degree or certificate

􀂅 g. Graduate School degree (MA, MS, Ph.D., etc.)

􀂅 h. Other (specify):_________________

23. BEFORE you joined VISTA, had you done any of the following for 6 months or more?
Please check the column in each row that best describes your experience:

For at least 6 Months, I…	NO	YES
a) Worked /volunteered in a small non-profit organization (e.g. with 50 people or less)
b) Worked in a for-profit company
c) Worked in developing and managing people
d) Worked in an issue area directly related to my VISTA service
e) Worked or lived in another community very much like the one(s) I served with VISTA
f) Served with other CNCS programs, such as AmeriCorps, or another VISTA program
g) Regularly found resources from the internet for work or school
h) Worked/volunteered with community leaders to develop strategies to solve or address community issues
i) Volunteered in my own community or elsewhere in the U.S.
j) Volunteered outside the U.S.

24. What are you doing now?

􀂅 Working in a not-for profit organization

􀂅 Working in a for-profit organization

􀂅 Working in government or politics

􀂅 Making plans to attend school

􀂅 Attending school to complete a degree

􀂅 Attending technical or vocational school to complete a degree or certificate

􀂅 Volunteering

􀂅 Other (specify): __________________________________________________________________

F. Concluding

25. In general, how do you feel about your VISTA experience.

How do you feel about:	Very Negative	Slightly Negative	Neutral	Slightly Positive	Very Positive
a. The success you had in fulfilling your VAD (to the point when you left)
b. How well PSO prepared you for VISTA service
c. Access to meaningful and useful supervision at the organization where you served
d. Access to tools, resources and information on the VISTA Campus to help you with your VISTA assignment
e. Access to other tools, resources and information (not on the VISTA Campus) to help you with your VISTA assignment
f. How well VISTA service prepared you for life after VISTA

26. If there is anything you feel strongly about in terms of your experience, we’d love to hear it

Please Comment:______________________________________________________________

Thanks so much!