Professional Development Experience Host Survey

Mandela Washington Fellowship Evaluation: Survey 4 – Professional Development Experience Hosts

Introduction *FOR ELECTRONIC SURVEY INTRODUCTION*

Thank you for taking the time to participate in the Mandela Washington Fellowship evaluation!  The purpose of the independent evaluation is to review the Fellowship’s effectiveness in meeting its goals and objectives during its first five years of implementation, 2014 - 2018, assess the Fellowship’s impact on Alumni and other stakeholders, and determine areas for improvement and growth. We are not affiliated with IREX.

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Your participation in this survey is voluntary. You may opt to withdraw from the survey at any time, choose not to answer select questions, or choose to not submit your survey responses.

By selecting the “I consent to participate in this survey” below, you are consenting to the following:

• Aggregated responses or de-identified qualitative insights from open-ended questions may be included in the final report or publications resulting from the evaluation.

• De-identified data files will be submitted to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State upon completion of the evaluation (without names or any contact information).

• The data you provide may be reanalyzed at a later date for a follow-up study or other purpose approved by ECA.

 

Your contributions are confidential and no individual identities will be used in any reports or publications resulting from the evaluation unless the individual provides consent to the Evaluation Team. 

If you have any questions or concerns about this survey or the Mandela Washington Fellowship evaluation more broadly, please reach out to the Evaluation Team at [email protected].

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Notes *INTERNAL ONLY*

Survey Scope: Approximate completion time is about 30 minutes [estimate]

Logistics: Distribute Word version with email, so that respondents can see the survey questions in advance

Survey Navigation:

• Skip Logic: Respondents may not see all questions in this survey. Some questions use “skip logic”, where the question being posed to the respondent is dependent on their response to the previous question. The jumps between questions will be a seamless process for respondents.

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Questions
Section 1: Background
1	What is the name of your organization/business/agency? Answer type: Short answer field
1a	What is the sector of your organization/business/agency? Answer type: Short answer field + Multiple choice (select one) Options: Educational or Academic institution Large-for-profit business or corporation Small/medium business International multilateral organization (e.g. UN, World Bank, etc.) International non-governmental organization (NGO) U.S. Non-profit/NGO Government agency/public department (local or federal) Medical facility Self-employed Other (please describe)
2	Briefly describe the mission of your organization. Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
3	In which city and state did the Professional Development Experience (PDE) take place? If there was more than one, please list all locations. Answer type: Short answer field
4	To the best of your knowledge, what year(s) has your organization hosted Fellows? Select all that apply. Answer type: Multiple Selection 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
5	To the best of your knowledge, what is the average number of Fellows that your organization has hosted each year? Answer type: Drop-down menu Options: 1 2 3 4 5 More than 5
6	In the last year your organization hosted Mandela Washington Fellows, which country/countries did the Fellow(s) that you hosted come from? Select all that apply. Answer type: Multiple selection Options: All Sub-Saharan African countries, I’m not sure/I don’t remember
7	Select the capacity(ies) in which you have interacted with one or more of the Mandela Washington Fellow(s). Please select all that apply. Answer Type: Multiple selection Options: Supervisor Mentor (Peer or Senior) Colleague Collaborated on joint research Community service (volunteer work) Reciprocal Exchange award recipient Other (Specify)
Section 2: Impact of the Professional Development Experience (PDE) on the Fellows
8	Briefly describe the responsibilities or tasks the Fellows had within your organization during the PDE. Answer type: Open ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
9	To the best of your knowledge, which of the following activities did the Fellows participate in during their PDE with your organization? Select all that apply. Answer type: Multiple selection Options: Taking organization-sponsored training Presenting on topics directly related to organization mission Researching on topics related to organization mission or project objectives Projects outlined in their PDE Work Plan Participating in meetings with organization staff Collaborating/working with organization staff on projects Participating in organization social events Participating in organization networking events Attending/participating in conferences related to the organization’s mission Obtaining career advice or counseling with staff Discussing/developing future partnerships with organization staff Grants, proposal writing and fundraising Event planning and management Financial management Informational interviews with organization staff and others in the field Site visits to other organizations Other (Specify)
9a	Of the activities selected above, which did the Fellows on average seem to find beneficial for their professional development? Select all that apply. Notes: Options are carried forward from the previous question. Professional Development is defined here as the development of professional knowledge, skills, competency, and effectiveness as a professional or leader. Answer type: Multiple selection Options: Taking organization-sponsored training Presenting on topics directly related to organization mission Researching on topics related to organization mission or project objectives Projects outlined in their PDE Work Plan Participating in meetings with organization staff Collaborating/working with organization staff on projects Participating in organization social events Participating in organization networking events Attending/participating in conferences related to the organization’s mission Obtaining career advice or counseling with staff Discussing/developing future partnerships with organization staff Grants, proposal writing and fundraising Event planning and management Financial management Informational interviews with organization staff and others in the field Site visits to other organizations Other (Specify)
10	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “In general, the PDE contributed to the professional development of the Fellow(s) my organization hosted.” Note: Professional Development is defined here as the development of professional knowledge, skills, competency, and effectiveness as a professional or leader. Answer type: Likert scale Options: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree I don’t know / can’t ascertain
10a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
11	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “In general, the PDE contributed to the professional and personal goals of the Fellow(s) my organization hosted. Note: Professional and personal goals are defined as the objective the Fellow(s) expressed interested in achieving when undertaking the PDE. Answer type: Likert scale Options: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree I don’t know / can’t ascertain
11a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
Section 3: Host Organization, Community & Public Diplomacy Impact
12	To the best of your knowledge, did the Fellow(s) provide any contributions to your organization? These could be cultural, academic, business or other types of contributions. Answer type: Multiple choice (select one) Options: Yes (if selected, go to Question 12a) No (if selected, skip to Question 13) I don’t know (if selected, skip to Question 13)
12a	If “Yes”, please give an example of one or two of the Fellow(s)’s most significant contributions during their time with your organization. Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
13	Did you learn anything from your engagement with the Fellow(s)? Answer Type: Multiple choice (select one) Options: Yes (if selected, go to Question 13a) No (if selected, go to Question 14) I cannot remember (if selected, go to Question 14)
13a	If yes, select all options that best represent what you learned from your engagement with the Fellow(s) during their PDE. Select all that apply. Answer type: Multiple selection Options: Gained new practical knowledge or skills Enhanced my understanding of the culture(s) and customs of Fellow’s home country Shaped my understanding of the religious and/or ethnic diversity of the Fellow’s home country Enhanced my understanding of the business and economic context of Fellow’s home country Influenced my understanding of professions in countries other than the U.S. Influenced how I do my own work at my organization Learned how to work better in multi-cultural teams Affected my interaction with people from other cultures/countries Influenced me to encourage my and/or other organizations to host international Fellows or students Other (please describe)
14	To what extent did the activities of the Fellow(s) have any impact on the organization and its ability to execute its mission? Answer type: Likert Scale Options: Significant Positive Impact Some Positive Impact No Impact Some Negative Impact Significant Negative Impact I don’t know/can’t ascertain If 1 or 2, go to Question 14a. If 3, 4, 5, or 6,go to Question 15
14a	Please give one or two highlights on the key areas of impact on the organization and its ability to execute its mission. Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
15	How could the PDE have a stronger impact on your organization? Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
Section 4: Network and Relationships
16	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The PDE benefited the local community.” Note: Local community is defined here as the community in which your organization resides. Answer Type: Likert Scale Options: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree I don’t know / can’t ascertain If respondent answers 1 or 2 – move to Question 16a If respondent answers 3, 4 or 5 – move to Q 17
16a	To the best of your knowledge, how did the PDE benefit the local community? Select all that apply Note: Local community is defined here as the community in which your organization resides Answer type: Multiple selection Options: Fellows shared information about their culture with community members Fellows provided new political or economic perspectives with community members Fellows shared strategies, tools and/or models from their work in their home country that were useful for you and/or your community PDE led to the creation of new opportunities for your organization/agency/business that have benefited the broader community Fellows engaged in volunteer activities in the community Fellow connected your organization/agency/business to other Fellows that the organization/agency/business could partner with to benefit the community I don’t know / can’t ascertain Other (please specify)
17	How could the PDE have a stronger impact on the local community? Note: Local community is defined here as the community in which you organization resides Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
18	Were you a mentor to one or more Fellows? Answer type: Multiple choice Yes (if selected, skip to Q18a) No (if selected, skip to Q19) Unsure
18a	If yes, please describe your role as a mentor and the impact mentoring had on your experience with the PDE. Answer type: Open ended (Character limit: 1,000 characters)
19	Have you stayed in touch with the Fellow(s) you have met at your organization? Answer type: Multiple Choice Options: Yes (if selected, go to Question 19a) No (if selected, go Question 20)
19a	If “Yes”, select how frequently you stay in touch with the Fellow(s). Answer type: Multiple choice. Options: Several times a month Once every other month A couple times a year Once a year Once every few years Other (please describe)
19b	Select the ways in which you stay in touch with the Fellows. (Select all that apply) Answer type: Multiple choice. Please select all that apply Phone calls Email Personal SMS Group SMS WhatsApp Facebook LinkedIn Twitter In-person visits Other (please specify)
20	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “Hosting a Fellow helped my organization build lasting and productive relationships with individuals and/or organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Answer type: Likert Scale Options: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t Know If respondent answers 1 or 2 – move to Q 20a If respondent answers 3, 4, 5, 6 – move to Q 21
20a	Describe or give an example of any new formal relationships between individual/organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa and your organization. Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
Section 3: Support of U.S. Foreign Policy Goals
21	To your knowledge, did the PDE result in any type of collaboration between personnel from your organization and the Fellows your organization hosted? Answer type: Multiple choice Options: Yes (if selected, go to question 21a) No (if selected go to question 22) I don’t know (if selected go to question 22)
21a	If you answered yes to the previous question, select from the following types of collaboration that resulted from the PDE between personnel from your organization and the Fellows your organization hosted. Select all that apply. Options: Visit to Alumni’s home country and/or workplace Developed a joint program or project Signed MOU between an Alumni’s home organization and your organization Developed a joint program or project Alumni became a consultant or employee of the Host back in their home country Collaborated on a Reciprocal Exchange with the Alumni Collaborated on joint publication of articles or research Collaborated on joint grant applications or other complementary funding opportunities Commercialization of a product resulting from joint research Requested additional funding for a collaborative project Presented at a conference Alumni hosted Americans in their workplace Your organization hosted Alumni after the Fellowship Collaborated on joint seminars, courses, trainings, etc. Other – Please describe
22	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The PDE enhanced cross-cultural exposure within our local community.” Note: Local community is defined here as the community in which your organization resides Answer type: Likert Scale Options: Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Don’t know
22a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer Type: Open-ended
23	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The PDE increased interest in international exchange/opportunities within our local community.” Note: Local community is defined here as the community in which your organization resides Answer type: Likert Scale Options: Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Don’t know
23a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer Type: Open-ended
24	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The PDE increased interest in international exchange/opportunities within our organization.” Answer type: Likert Scale Options: Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree Don’t know
24a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer Type: Open-ended
25	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The PDE helped strengthen relations between U.S. residents and citizens of African nations”. Answer type: Likert scale Options: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
25a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer Type: Open-ended
26	Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “The PDE helped Fellows to build their leadership skills that can be applied across government, civil society, and/or business.” Answer type: Likert scale Options: Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know
26a	Optional: Explain the key reasons for your selection in the previous question. Answer Type: Open-ended
Section 4: Next Steps, Suggestions, Recommendations
27	Does your organization want to, or plan to, host a Fellow(s) next year? Answer type: Multiple choice Options: Yes (if selected, go to Question 27a) No (if selected, go to Question 27b) Unsure (if selected, go to Question 28)
27a	If “Yes”, please describe your organization’s reason(s) for wanting to, or for planning to, host Fellow(s) next year. Answer type: Open ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
27b	If “No”, please describe your organization’s reason(s) for not wanting to, or not hosting, Fellows next year. Answer type: Open ended Character limit: 1000 characters
28	Rate your overall experience with the external management of the PDE component of the Fellowship. Management actions include: Professional interactions Promptness and effectiveness of managing problems Quality of the solutions to problems Clarity of goals and objectives Answer type: Likert Scale Options: Excellent Good Neutral Poor Very poor Don’t know
28a	Please use the comment box below to provide any additional details related to the external management of the PDE component of the Fellowship. Answer type: Open ended Character limit: 1000 characters
29	Do you have any suggestions for improving or changing the PDE for Fellows? Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
30	Do you have any suggestions for improving or changing the PDE for your organization? Answer type: Open-ended Character limit: 1,000 characters
30a	Please feel free to use the comment box below to share any web links (e.g., URLs) that will help further illustrate your survey feedback (e.g., news articles, videos, etc.) Answer: Comment box
30b	Please feel free to upload any media that will help further illustrate your survey feedback (e.g., news articles, Institute artifacts, social media posts, etc.) Answer: File upload option
Section 5: Basic Demographic Information
31	Check the option that best describes your gender: (OPTIONAL) Answer type: Drop-down menu Options: Male Female Non-binary I do not wish to respond
32	What is your current title and/or role in the organization? Answer type: Short answer field
33	What department/division do you work in? Answer type: Short answer field
34	Has your role changed since working with the Fellows? If so, please explain how. Answer type: Short answer field
35	Which of the following best describes your current position? Answer Type: Multiple choice Options: Entry level Mid-level, non-supervisory Mid-level, supervisory Senior-level Executive-level Retired Other (please describe)
36	The Guidehouse Evaluation Team will be conducting follow-up one-on-one interviews and group discussions with PDE Host Organization supervisors and staff. If you are interested in participating, please provide your name and email address. Answer type: Three short answer fields Surname/last name(s) Given/first name(s) Preferred email address
37	The Guidehouse Evaluation Team is seeking feedback from all individuals and teams within PDE Host Organizations that hosted or interacted with Fellows. If you have colleagues who may be interested in providing feedback on their experiences with the Fellowship, please copy and share this survey link with them: Survey Link.

Thank you for your participation in the Evaluation of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders! We greatly appreciate your time. If you have any questions about this survey, please reach out to [email protected].

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