Benefits of a Community Survey

How the community benefits:

·        The detailed and comprehensive analysis of the needs of a community helps ensure those needs are met;

·        Through the survey process, people feel they are being heard, and they are inspired to become more involved in the affairs of their community;

·        There is increased attendance at meetings, greater volunteer participation on committees, and an atmosphere of cooperation and inclusion. More volunteers means less volunteer burnout;

·        Community leaders benefit, as the more people become involved in the development and growth of their community, the more they can accomplish together;

·        New business ventures can be started in the community, as the survey would identify businesses desired by the residents.

How the survey volunteers benefit:

·        The people who volunteer for the community survey are often unemployed or on social assistance when they are recruited and many have few or no job skills. While working on the survey, they learn new skills, such as:

o       Computer and technical skills;

o       Interpersonal skills, through the canvassing and interview process;

o       Organizational and time management skills;

o       A strong, self-motivated work ethic.

·        The volunteers earn income through honoraria paid for their work;

·        The survey volunteers earn the respect of their community for their hard work and dedication, and have increased self-respect, as the value and importance of their work is recognized.

How the client organization benefits:

·        Through greater access to relevant, reliable information on which to identify the needs of the community;

·        Accurate information on which to base its programs to best serve the community and optimize limited resources;

·        Opening channels of communication by establishing direct connections with community members;

·        A tracking survey performed a set time after the initial survey, enables the client to monitor their programs and ensure their success by obtaining further feedback from the community;

·        Two or more organizations can contribute questions to a survey and share the cost of gathering the information;

·        The visible and measurable results of policies and programs based upon accurate survey information will meet public demand for accountability and effective action.

How the funding organizations benefit:

·        Increased public awareness of serious social issues is leading to increased demand for effective action to address those issues.

·        Although more public and private funding is being channeled into inner-city programs, these programs must be based on real facts and real needs as identified by the people in these communities. The public demands accountability for how tax payers' dollars are spent.

·        Delivering on both programs and accountability will help governments and other funding agencies fulfill their mandate, justify their budgets and ensure their continued operation, through increased public support.