Form 1 AmeriCorps Exit Survey

AmeriCorps Member Exit Survey – FINAL 12/01/14

Thank you for your commitment to service. As part of this commitment, we are asking you to answer a few brief questions so that we can better understand your AmeriCorps service experience. This is an opportunity for your voice to be heard. Your responses to this survey will remain private to the extent permitted by law. This survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete.

Section 1: Motivations for Joining

Question 1

People join AmeriCorps for a variety of reasons. How much do you agree that each of the following reasons motivated you to join? [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

1. To gain general skills or competencies that would be useful in school or work.

2. To have a chance to work with people who share your ideals.

3. To fulfill your duty as a citizen.

4. To receive an education award.

5. To gain direct experience in a specific career and/or future profession.

6. To help in solving a community need or challenge.

7. To make friends and meet people.

8. To do something while also enrolled in school.

9. To do something during a break in school or work.

10. Other(specify__________)

Section II. Service Experience

Question 2

What were the main focus areas of your AmeriCorps service experience? Please check all that apply.

[Education, Healthy Futures, Disaster Services, Veterans and Military Families, Environmental Stewardship, Economic Opportunity, Not Sure/Does Not apply]

Question 3

The next two questions ask you about the training and resources you received during your service experience. The first question asks about the training and resources you received from AmeriCorps, while the second question asks about additional training and resources you may have received from your specific program site(s) or project sponsor(s). [Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, I did not receive any]

1. Overall, how well did the training and resources you received from AmeriCorps prepare you and support you in having a successful service experience?  Training might include orientation (PSO, Orientation, or CTI), online tutorials and resources, NCCC transition/mid-year/Life After AmeriCorps training, webinars, blended courses, and social media forums presented by AmeriCorps (including AmeriCorps NCCC, FEMACorps, and AmeriCorps VISTA)?

2. Please explain [optional text box]

3. Overall, how well did the coaching, on-the-job training, supervision, and professional support you received from your program/project sponsor prepare and support you in having a successful service experience? This might include an orientation to the organization and the community, supervision and training from your sponsor, one-on-one meetings and team meetings, and general guidance throughout the year. 

4. Please explain [optional text box]

Question 4

During your AmeriCorps service, how frequently did you do the following activities listed below? [Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often]

1. Solve unexpected problems or find new and better ways to do things.

2. Lead or facilitate a meeting or event.

3. Lead a team.

4. Help other individuals learn a new skill.

5. Support a meeting, activity, or event through planning or coordinating.

Question 5

During your AmeriCorps service, how frequently did you do the following activities listed below? [Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often]

1. Gather and analyze information.

2. Set priorities for multiple tasks.

3. Meet deadlines effectively.

4. Work independently.

5. Work on a team for a common purpose.

Question 6

During your AmeriCorps service, how frequently did you do the following activities listed below? [Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, Very Often]

1. Listen to other people’s suggestions and concerns.

2. Negotiate and compromise with others.

3. Decrease conflict between people.

4. Work with people different from yourself.

5. Form organizational partnerships.

6. Identify or leverage community resources.

Question 7

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

1. I enjoy exploring differences between co-workers and/or friends from different cultures or backgrounds and me.

2. I enjoy interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds

3. I respect the values of people from different cultures and backgrounds.

4. I feel confident when interacting with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

Question 8

How much do you agree or disagree that each of the following statements describes you? [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

1. I can always manage to solve difficult problems if I try hard enough

2. If someone opposes me, I can find the means and ways to get what I want

3. It is easy for me to stick to my aims and accomplish my goals

4. I am confident that I could deal efficiently with unexpected events

5. Thanks to my resourcefulness, I know how to handle unforeseen situations

6. I can solve most problems if I invest the necessary effort

7. I can remain calm when facing difficulties because I can rely on my coping abilities

8. When I am confronted with a problem, I can usually find several solutions

9. If I am in trouble, I can usually think of a solution

10. I can usually handle whatever comes my way

Question 9

Thinking about your AmeriCorps experience, please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statements. [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

1. I felt I made a contribution to the community.

2. I re-examined my beliefs and attitudes about myself.

3. I was exposed to new ideas and ways of seeing the world.

4. I felt part of a community.

5. I learned more about the "real" world or "the rest" of the world.

6. I gained an understanding of the community(s) where I served.

7. I gained an understanding of the solutions to the challenges faced by the community(s) where I served.

8. I spent a lot of time doing meaningless “make work” tasks

9. The majority of my work did not make a difference in the community.

10. I felt I made a difference in the life of at least one person.

11. I did things l never thought I could do.

12. I did not get along well with my supervisor and/or my teammates

13. I figured out what my next steps are in terms of educational goals.

14. I figured out what my next steps are in terms of career/professional goals.

15. I felt defeated by the scope of the problems I worked on.

16. I re-examined my beliefs and attitudes about other people

Question 10

All things considered, how satisfied are you with your overall AmeriCorps service? [Very Dissatisfied; Dissatisfied; Neither Satisfied Nor Dissatisfied; Satisfied; Very Satisfied]

Please explain [optional text box]

Question 11

Think about how likely you were to participate in the following activities before you did AmeriCorps, and how likely you are now. Would you say that your AmeriCorps experience has made you more or less likely to: [Much more likely, Somewhat more likely, No effect, Somewhat less likely, Much less likely]

1. Participate in community organizations (school, religious, issue-based, recreational)

2. Vote in elections

3. Keep informed about news and public issues

4. Help to keep the community safe and clean

5. Volunteer for a cause or issue that I care about

6. Donate money or goods to a cause or issue that I care about

Question 12

In the last 12 months, how often did you discuss and think about how political, social, local, or national issues affect the community? [Basically every day, a few times a week, a few times a month, once a month, less than once a month, not at all]

Question 13

Generally speaking, would you say that you can trust all the people, most of the people, some of the people, or none of the people in your neighborhood? [All of the people, most of the people, some of the people, none of the people]

Question 14

For each of the following institutions, would you say you have a great deal of confidence, only some confidence, hardly any confidence, or no confidence at all in them to do what is right? [A great deal of confidence, some confidence, hardly any confidence, no confidence at all]

1. Corporations

2. The Media

3. Public Schools

Question 15

Did you vote in the last presidential election? [Yes, No, No I was not eligible to vote, Don’t Know]

Question 16

Were you registered to vote in the last presidential election? [Yes, No, No I was not eligible to vote, Don’t Know]

Question 17

If you found out about a problem in your community that you wanted to do something about, how well do you think you would be able to do each of the following: [I definitely could do this; I probably could do this; Not sure; I could not do this; I definitely could not do this]

1. Create a plan to address the problem

2. Get other people to care about the problem

3. Organize and run a meeting

4. Express your views in front of a group of people

5. Identify individuals or groups who could help you with the problem

6. Express your views on the Internet or through social media

7. Call someone on the phone you had never met before to get their help with the problem

8. Contact an elected official about the problem

Question 18

How much do you agree or disagree with the following: [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

1. I have a strong and personal attachment to a particular community

2. I am aware of the important needs in the community

3. I feel a personal obligation to contribute in some way to the community

4. I am or plan to become actively involved in issues that positively affect the community

5. I believe that voting in elections is a very important obligation that a citizen owes to the country

Question 19

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statements: [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

1. Participating in AmeriCorps was a worthwhile experience in terms of furthering my educational goals and future educational endeavors.

2. Participating in AmeriCorps was a worthwhile experience in terms of furthering my professional goals and future professional endeavors.

3. Participating in AmeriCorps was a worthwhile experience in terms of furthering my personal goals and future personal endeavors.

Question 20

How much do you agree or disagree that your AmeriCorps service was a defining personal experience? A defining experience is one that confirmed your beliefs and aspirations, or one that resulted in a change or shift in your beliefs and aspirations. [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree Nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree]

Question 21

In what ways was it defining? [Text box]

Question 22

How much do you agree or disagree that your AmeriCorps service was a defining professional experience? A defining experience is one that confirmed your professional goals or one that resulted in a change or shift in your professional goals. [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree Nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree]

Question 23

In what ways was it defining? [Text box]

Question 24

If a good friend or family member told you he or she was interested in joining AmeriCorps, would you advise against it, have second thoughts about recommending it, recommend it, or strongly recommend it?

• Advise against it.

• Have second thoughts about recommending it.

• Recommend it.

• Strongly recommend it

Question 25

How closely do you associate your AmeriCorps service with each of the following? [Very closely; Closely; Somewhat; Not much; Not at all; Not applicable]

1. AmeriCorps

2. NCCC, FEMA Corps, VISTA, or AmeriCorps State and National

3. The agency or nonprofit that operated your program

4. The specific organization or site where you served

5. Other - please specify [open-ended text box]

Question 26

What do you plan to use your AmeriCorps education award for? Please select the option that best describes your plans. [Select one]

• To attend college

• To repay student loans

• To attend graduate school

• To attend a technical or vocational training program

• Transfer education award to a family member

• I do not qualify to receive an education award

• I chose to receive a stipend instead of an education award

• I do not have any plans to use my education award

Question 27

What are you planning to do in the next six months after your AmeriCorps service? Please select the option that best describes your desired plans. [Select all that apply.]

• Get a job in the private sector

• Get a job in the nonprofit or social service sector

• Get a job in the public/government sector

• Enroll in a vocational/technical training program

• Go to college

• Go to graduate school

• Enroll in the same AmeriCorps program

• Enroll in another AmeriCorps program

• Pursue another service experience such as the Peace Corps

• Start a small business

• Start a nonprofit or social entrepreneurship venture

• Serve in the military

• Do not know

• Other - describe what you plan to do: [Text box]

Section III. Alumni Activities

Question 28

If you plan to include AmeriCorps on your resume, in which section of your resume will you include it?

☐ Professional or work experience
☐ Volunteer or community service

☐ I may do either of the above, depending on the particular use of the resume

☐ I do not plan to include AmeriCorps on my resume

Question 29

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with the following statement: I feel that I received adequate training to describe my AmeriCorps experience on a resume, college application, or job application. [Strongly Agree; Agree; Neither Agree nor Disagree; Disagree; Strongly Disagree].

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