Identifying community needs with an informal opinion poll
Abstract
When undertaking community service, it is important to identify the most critical community problems before deciding which one to take on. Creating and conducting an informal opinion poll is one way to identify relevant need. This effective practice is based on the citizenship lesson plans developed specifically for AmeriCorps, A Guide to Effective Citizenship through AmeriCorps, by the Constitutional Rights Foundation (2001).Issue
Every community has problems that need to be addressed. It is incumbent on those in national and community service to determine the most crucial difficulties, so as to provide services that will be truly beneficial.Action
It is important to take an opinion poll before doing service in the community. Steps to take when creating and conducting this type of informal survey include:
1. Create a Survey.
- Make most of your questions multiple choice and yes/no. This will make your survey easy to tabulate.
- Keep the survey short and simple. This will encourage people to actually take it.
- Be sure that your questions do not force particular answers. They must be unbiased. Otherwise your survey results will be open to criticism.
- Test your survey. Before conducting the survey, ask someone to check it for clarity. Revise as necessary.
- Determine the population. What will your poll results represent? The opinions of everyone in the community? Of a section of the community? Select the population you want the poll to cover.
- Select a sample. You don't have to poll the entire population to get a good idea of how people in the population feel. Try to get a random sample of the population. This means that every person in the population has the same chance of taking a survey. For example, telephoning the fifth person on every page of the phone book would be a random sample.
- Prepare and practice a brief introduction. When approaching a stranger, introduce yourself, tell what group you are from, explain the survey's purpose, and ask whether the person would mind spending a few minutes answering it.
- Be polite. People who answer your survey are doing you a favor. Don't badger anyone into taking the survey.
- Tell all interviewees that they do not have to put their names on the survey. Results will be reported anonymously.
- Be as organized as possible. Use a clipboard to hold the surveys and bring extra pens or pencils.
- Wait for each survey and check it. Make sure the information is complete. If you read the survey to the respondent and fill it in, write exactly what the person says.
Context
In 2001 the Corporation distributed to AmeriCorps programs two different citizenship lesson plans created specifically for AmeriCorps: A Facilitator's Guide for By the People and A Guide to Effective Citizenship through AmeriCorps.
A Guide to Effective Citizenship through AmeriCorps is a handbook divided into ten two-hour modules based on four elements essential to active citizenship: knowledge, skills, attitudes, and action. Each module has two sessions: a content session provides activities to help members delve into the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of effective citizenship; an action session that guides members through a service project in their community.
Constitutional Rights Foundation (CRF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, community-based organization dedicated to educating America's young people about the importance of civic participation in a democratic society. Under the guidance of a Board of Directors chosen from the areas of law, business, government, education, the media, and the community, CRF develops, produces, and distributes programs and materials to teachers, students, and public-minded citizens all across the nation.