Volunteer Survey Preliminary Results
We’re eager to share the preliminary results of the Volunteer Survey sent a couple weeks ago in preparation for the Strategic Plan process. When we sent the survey, we indicated the results will remain confidential. So we are aware of maintaining confidentiality as we share these results.
Below are bar graph results for each question, with the bar graph indicating the percentage of each “Answer Choice” and the number of actual responses indicated below.
We have done an initial review of the comments and grouped many of them to create themes to give a general sense of the replies. In several instances, we are reserving comments at this time to maintain confidentiality. We plan to study the data in more depth later.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact our Administrative Director, Marcia Hodges at marcia.hodges@sfcp.org.
Question One
Question One: Please tell us which membership category you belong to.
There were no comments.
Question Two
Question Two: Have you ever volunteered for SFCP?
There were no comments.
Question Three
Question Three:
What inspired you to volunteer for SFCP?
There were 11 respondents with comments.
Themes:
- To promote psychoanalysis
- To learn how the organization is run
- To demonstrate my loyalty to the organization
- A commitment to seeing representation of all groups among volunteers
- Zoom enabled me to volunteer remotely
- To take advantage of being able to attend events for free
- To network with others
Question Four
Question Four: If you have stopped volunteering for SFCP, why did you stop?
27 respondents commented on why they stopped volunteering for SFCP. They fell into these categories:
- The expectations were too great
- I experienced an unwelcoming environment
- My volunteer efforts were under appreciated
- My life circumstances conflicted with volunteering
- I do not appreciate the focus on DEI
- I have other interests and volunteer opportunities elsewhere
- My term was completed
- I am no longer interested in participating on Zoom
- I was replaced
Question Five
Question Five: Why have you not volunteered?
10 respondents commented on why they have not volunteered. They fell into these categories:
- I volunteer elsewhere
- I do not know what the opportunities are for volunteering
- I did not know I could volunteer virtually
- I am too busy to volunteer
Question Six
Question Six: If you are open to volunteering, would any of the following be helpful?
27 respondents commented on what would help if they were open to volunteering. The comments fell into these categories:
- If a shorter time commitment were available
- If there was flexibility in how I approach the volunteer position
- If compensation was available for volunteer positions
- If mentorship for volunteer positions were available
- If volunteer positions were “advertised” or communicated
- If there were a more welcoming environment for volunteers
Question Seven
Question Seven: How many hours per week are you willing to volunteer at SFCP?
70 respondents commented on how many hours per week they were willing to volunteer at SFCP? Respondents were divided into the categories above and not put into themes for this report.
Question Eight
Question Eight: How many months per year are you willing to volunteer at SFCP?
The 81 respondents indicated how many months per year they would be willing to volunteer at SFCP. There were no comments.
Question Nine
Question Nine: If you would like to volunteer, what would you be interested in doing?
The 28 respondents who indicated an interest in volunteering, provided comments on what they would be interested in doing.
Themes included:
- I’m Interested in sitting on a committee, but not as chair
- I’m interested in contributing my skills as an individual, but not on a committee
- I’m interested in being an instructor
Question Ten
Question Ten: Members tend to volunteer more readily for teaching roles than for administrative roles, such as president, committee or division chairs, etc.. Do you have a preference and why?
60 respondents commented on why they might have a preference for teaching vs. administrative roles. The comments fell into these categories:
Some people prefer teaching roles because:
- Wasn’t approached to volunteer as admin role in the past
- Bad experience with admin role in the past
- Not trained for admin role
- No acknowledgement for admin roles
Some people prefer admin roles because:
- More satisfying
- More relevant to professional work
- Easier
- Like working with others
Question Eleven
Question Eleven: What can SFCP do to encourage more members to volunteer?
38 respondents commented on what SFCP can do to encourage more members to volunteer. The comments fell into these categories:
- Create more structure to communicate, recruit & train volunteers
- Emphasize SFCP is a volunteer organization
- Allow more freedom in teaching
- SFCP needs to be influenced by the changing times
- SFCP needs to stay analytic
- Create an environment of appreciation
Question Twelve
Question Twelve: Would you support volunteering as an expectation of members?
The 114 respondents indicated whether they would support volunteering as an expectation of members with approximately 60% supporting and 40% not supporting. There were no comments.
Question Thirteen
Question Thirteen: Would you support participation in running the Center be part of a candidate’s experience?
37 respondents commented on whether they’d support participation in running the Center be part of a candidate’s experience. The comments fell into these categories:
- Yes, if there was support and structure
- Yes, candidates need to know that SFCP is a volunteer organization
- Yes, for a portion of their training
- I think candidates should be encouraged but not required to participate in running the Center
- Yes, it should be incorporated as part of their training
Question Fourteen
Question Fourteen: Would you be willing to participate in a one-time, one-hour facilitated focus group discussion about Volunteerism to help us learn more about members’ views on volunteering for SFCP?
Of the 114 respondents who responded, 45 said they are willing to participate in a one-time, one-hour facilitated focus group discussion about Volunteerism to help us learn more about members’ views on volunteering for SFCP. They will be followed up with as we are ready for these focus groups.