Questionnaire I: Voluntary / Community Organisation

ABOUT YOUR ORGANISATION

1. Is your organisation?
A national organisation A branch of a national organisation
A local independent organisation A neighbourhood/community group
Other________________________________________________________

2. How long has your organisations been in existence (in years)? __________________
3. Who are the main clients/beneficiaries of your organisation ( all that apply)
Older people Young people
Children and families People with learning difficulties
Physically/sensory disabled Mentally ill/mentally distressed
Women Ethnic minority group(s)
Drug or alcohol users Community in general
Refugees Unemployed people
Homeless people People suffering from illness
Carers Victims of crime
People in other countries Other (please specify) _______________

4. What is the main work of the organisation?

Support / home visits Day care
Residential care Advice/information
Counselling/therapy Transport
Healthcare Advocacy and campaigning
Referrals and placements Education and training
Practical services Housing assistance
Community work Social and recreational activities
Other (please specify)

5. What population does your organisation seek to serve?

Immediate neighbourhood Local community
County and region National

(Profile of volunteers (please estimate numbers if you do not know the exact answers)
6. How many volunteers do you have registered with your organisation presently?
None 1-5 6-10
10-20 Over 20

7. In a typical year, how many volunteers

Join your organisation? __________ Leave your organisation? __________

8. How many volunteers do you need in any given year? _______________________

9. What is the composition of your volunteer body? (in numbers)
Age:
Under 18 18-30 30-50
50-64 65-74 75+

Gender: Male____________ Female_______________

Employment (all that imply)

Employed Unemployed Retired
Full-time student Home-worker Other

(Involvement of volunteers)
10. How many paid staff, if any, work in your organisation? ___________________
11. Could your organisation function effectively without volunteers?
Yes No
Recruiting and supporting volunteers
12. What types of activities are your volunteers involved in? ( all that apply)
Committee work Administrative support
Administering the org Providing or seeking information
Providing advice or guidance Advocacy
Campaigning or promoting Visiting/befriending people
Practical household jobs Therapeutic services
Personal care Counselling
Fundraising Training or teaching
Leadership (e.g. scouts) Providing transport/driving
Recreational activities Other (please specify)
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13. Have you tried to target/recruit any particular type of people to become volunteers?
Yes No
If yes, give details: _____________________________________________________

14. How do you usually recruit volunteers? (all that apply)

Personal contacts Own membership
Paid work/occupation networks Ads, articles, programmes
Newspapers Radio/television/internet
Volunteer centre(s) Leaflets/posters
Churches / religious organisations Volunteer fairs / stalls
Public institutions (doctors, library, social workers) Other (please specify)

15. Which method(s) do you find most effective? _________________________________

16. Are your volunteers:
Interviewed Asked to provide written references
Subject to Garda checks Provided with a job description
Required to sign agreements or contracts

17. Are your volunteers given induction training/orientation to the organisation and its work?
Yes No

18. Are your volunteers offered:

Regular support and supervision A regular programme of training
Access to external training

19. Does your organisation have anyone responsible for:

Volunteer recruitment Volunteer training
Volunteer support and supervision

20. Are your volunteers offered out-of-pocket expenses?

Yes No

21. Does your organisation have an unwritten volunteer policy?

Yes No

22. Please give the three major advantages to your organisation of involving volunteers:
1.___________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________________
23. Please outline, in order to importance, the major problems or issues affecting your
organisation concerning the involvement of volunteers:
1.___________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________________
Issues in volunteering
24. Has your organisation ever experienced difficulty in recruiting volunteers?
Yes No

If yes, please give details _____________________________________________________

25. Would your organisation like more support around training and support for its volunteers?
Yes No

26. Have you ever used the services of a volunteer centre?

Yes No

27. If a volunteer centre was operative in your area, do you think your organisation would
consider making use of its services to recruit volunteers?
Yes No

28. In your view, what are the three (3) major issues facing voluntary organisations in the next
three to five years?
1.___________________________________________________________
2.___________________________________________________________
3.___________________________________________________________
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