April 2009 E-bulletin

FEATURE ARTICLE
Online Survey Design and Analysis
RELATED RESOURCES
Program Evaluation and Analysis - Ideas and Resources
SPECIAL EVENTS
Survey Design and Analysis Workshop
Preparing Press Releases that Get Noticed
Community Disaster Preparedness - Tools & Templates
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
Highlighting a Few 2008 Award Winners - continued
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Dinner Ticket Order Forms Available for Awards Dinner
Canada Revenue Agency launches new Project Trident website
Canadian environmentalists encouraged to apply for community award
Imagine Canada announces winners of partnership awards
MAVA Survey
EIA Disability

FEATURE ARTICLE

Online Survey Design and Analysis
Written by Erik Butenschon, Community Outreach Coordinator

Whether looking to determine the level of satisfaction of previous clients, performing a needs assessment, evaluating the effectiveness of a new program, or just collecting information, surveys can be an invaluable resource.

When administered properly, surveys provide a direct link between your organizations services and your clients and partners needs. This is a great tool towards becoming client/community driven! Thankfully, several online resources that make gathering information as easy as possible are available. These online templates make delivering surveys and collecting and reviewing results straightforward and cost effective.

Online surveys are not always the most comprehensive and ideal tools for every organization. For instance, if an organization was dealing with a client base that had difficulty accessing computers or the internet an online survey would not be acceptable. However, online surveys are a great tool for collecting informal information quickly and easily.

Some of the easiest and most cost effective online resources are:
• SurveyMonkey (http://www.surveymonkey.com/)
• Zoomerang (http://www.zoomerang.com/)
• SurveyGizmo (http://www.surveygizmo.com/)
• PollDaddy (http://www.polldaddy.com/)

More advanced survey design tools (for more rigorous research) are:
• Key Survey (http://www.keysurvey.com/)
• QuestionPro (http://www.questionpro.com/)
• LimeSurvey (http://www.limesurvey.org/)
• SurveyZ (http://www.qualtrics.com//)

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RELATED RESOURCES

Program Evaluation and Analysis - Ideas and Resources

Program Evaluation and Analysis Resources Available in Volunteer Manitoba’s Resource Centre Resources from Volunteer Manitoba's Resource Library:

• Festen, M., & Philbin, M. (2007). Level best: How small and grassroots nonprofits can tackle evaluation and talk results. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Contains sample forms, checklists, materials, and sample meeting agendas to help gather data and develop evaluation plans for strengthening organizations.

• Hale, J. (2002). Performance-based evaluation: Tools and techniques to measure the impact of training. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.
Shows real-life case examples with tips and techniques on how to collect and analyze data to measure and improve the effectiveness of training and employee relations programs.

• Measuring program outcomes: a practical approach. (1996). Alexandria, VA: United Way of America.
Members of United Way of America’s Task Force, as well as program and research directors from 23 national organizations, share information, materials and insight related to program evaluation activities.

• Stevens, J. (1995). The complete guide to assessing and improving your volunteer program. Vancouver: Volunteer Vancouver. Contains assessment and planning tools for volunteer organizations, such as checklists, questionnaires and record keeping tips.

For a list of books available to borrow from our resource library, plus other websites, go to http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/recognition_resources.htm

To borrow any of our resources, contact our Resource Coordinator at 477-5180 ext. 223, or Toll-free at 1-888-922-4545 ext. 223, or via e-mail , vmresource@mts.net)

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SPECIAL EVENTS

Survey Design and Analysis Workshop

April 14 & 16 (10:30am - 1:00pm)
cost is FREE (sponsored by Health In Common)
Volunteer Manitoba, together with Health In Common, will be holding a “Survey Design and Analysis” workshop in mid April. The goal of this workshop will be to increase community organizations capacity to conduct evaluations. The workshop will be facilitated by David Patton of the Manitoba Chapter of the Canadian Evaluation Society. Attend this workshop to:
- Increase knowledge of survey design principles;
- Increase knowledge and comfort with available survey design tools;
- Increase capacity to conduct simple quantitative statistical analysis;
- Increase opportunities for collaboration and partnership, and much more.
The workshop will take place over two days, April 14th and 16th, with the 14th, being at the Volunteer Manitoba training room, and the 16th taking place at the Millenium Library Computer Training Lab.

This class is now FULL.

Preparing Press Releases That Get Noticed
May 20 (12:00pm - 1:00pm)
cost is $10
For not for profit and diverse cultural groups - please watch for further information on this Brown Bag.

Community Disaster Preparedness – Tools and Templates
June 17, 2009 (12:00pm – 1:30pm)
cost is $10.00
This Brown Bag is being offered as followup to our March 4th event. On March 4th, over 100 organizations were offered opportunities to learn what disaster resiliency is and how disasters can impact the at risk populations they serve, as well as their staff, volunteers, clients, vendors and community stakeholders. Requests were made for a follow up session with more of a practical template/tools focus. This brown bag session will provide the tools needed to develop a written plan for disaster response and recovery.

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VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

Some Highlights of the 2008 Awards Recipients

PPREMIER'S VOLUNTARY SERVICE AWARD: Killarney and District New Facility Committee

Over the past 14 years, the dedicated volunteers of the Killarney and District New Facility group have worked towards building a new multi-complex for the Killarney and Turtle Mountain municipality.
With the old arena built in the 1940’s seeing better days, there was a need in the community to build a new complex that would serve the community for years to come. Recognizing the need for such a complex, a group of people volunteered their services to see the dream of a multi-use recreational complex become a reality.
Over the years, several charity fundraisers were held to raise money for the complex. In addition, through the dedication of volunteers pushing the town council to move forward, a $1-million grant was awarded to the municipality of Killarney/Turtle Mountain to help construct the complex.
Today, the shovels are in the ground and the volunteers who helped raise money to build the recreation complex are beginning to reap the rewards of their hard work and dedication. The impact of the committee’s work will be felt for generations as their work to build a multi-complex unlike any other will provide recreational opportunities in the community for the next 75 years.

MAYOR'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD: SWAT – Students Working Against Tobacco

Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) was formed in 2000 under the guidance and mentorship of Barbara Tascona. This volunteer student group was created to empower students to educate themselves and others about the health risks and addictive qualities of tobacco.
And what started as an education and support group for older students quickly grew in scope to become a preventative program aimed at younger students to inform them that tobacco was not an attractive or healthy lifestyle choice.
Through informative presentations, over 7,000 students have heard SWAT’s message about the perils of smoking and by the end of this school year another 2,000 students will hear SWAT’s presentation.
The SWAT students have created a program that uses “teen” language and facts to present a relevant message to peers and pre-teen students. And in doing so they have created an innovative and creative volunteer group that has the ability to reach students on a peer to peer basis.
Over 40 students volunteer their time with SWAT making anti-tobacco presentations at a number of schools within Winnipeg and across the province. The students have also created a “pink lung award” which goes to a movie that does not have tobacco or glamorize tobacco use. This student award garners national and local media attention.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S AWARD: Bert Hall

For over 50 years Bert Hall has been an outstanding volunteer in the community through his work on various boards and associations.
Bert’s ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life for those in the town of Manitou and surrounding area have left a lasting impact on the community and region.
Over the last five decades Bert has spent countless hours meeting with local groups and engineer in the construction of several buildings including the Health Centre, the local elementary school, a 55-plus life lease complex and arena.
During that time Bert also found the time and energy to deliver Meals on Wheels until he was in his mid-eighties, coached minor baseball and hockey and continues to audit books for local organizations.
Through his volunteerism, Bert has not only showed his commitment to the community but has also displayed true leadership and dedication to the town of Manitou. His work will not only benefit the community now but future generations will also have the opportunity to appreciate his hard work in the years to come.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Ticket Order Forms Available for Awards Dinner

Help us celebrate and show our support for Manitoba’s volunteers in by buying a Dinner Ticket for the 26th Annual Volunteer Awards Dinner on Wednesday, April 22nd at the Convention Centre in Winnipeg. The deadline for purchasing Dinner Tickets is April 10th, and the price is $45.00 per person. Reception begins at 5:00pm, with the dinner and awards presentation at 6:00pm.

for more information on our awards dinner, and to download dinner ticket order forms, go to: http://www.volunteermanitoba.ca/newsite/awards_dinner.htm

Canada Revenue Agency Launches New Project Trident Website

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), in their continuing crackdown on tax fraud, including charity-related tax fraud, announced their Project Trident initiative. Project Trident is an enforcement project that targets three types of fraud: tax preparer fraud, charity-related fraud, and identity theft. The CRA also created a new website for the project, where Canadians can access information on how to submit a complaint, how to correct information through voluntary disclosure, as well as listings of and news items related to charities that have had their status revoked or annulled. The CRA hopes that the site will assist Canadians in learning how to protect themselves from these types of fraud. For more information, visit: www.cra-arc.gc.ca.

Canadian Environmentalists Encouraged to Apply for Community Award

Earth Day Canada (EDC), in partnership with Cascades Inc., is searching for Canada’s 2009 Hometown Heroes Award winner. The Hometown Heroes Award program recognizes and encourages environmental leadership and achievement in local communities. Canada’s 2009 environmental hero will receive a cash prize of $10,000 ($5,000 to keep and $5,000 to donate to the environmental cause of their choice). The recipient of the award will be recognized as part of the 6th Annual Earth Day Canada Gala in Toronto, on June 10, 2009. The deadline for applications is Earth Day, April 22, 2009. For more information, and to submit a nomination for yourself or someone in your community, visit: www.earthday.ca.

Imagine Canada Announces Winners of Partnership Awards

Imagine Canada announced the year’s most outstanding partnerships between Canadian businesses and nonprofit organizations. The Canadian Business & Community Partnership Awards recognize innovative collaborations between leading businesses and their nonprofit partners. These partnerships, which involve more than financial support, demonstrate the leadership and commitment of everyone involved. Both parties engage in project design, oversight, and implementation. This year's winners are:

• Share the Warmth: Home Energy Efficiency Project, partnering SaskEnergy, The Salvation Army and Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology
• The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, partnering TD Bank Financial Group, Vancouver Aquarium, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
• The Red Cross Call Centre, partnering TELUS and the Canadian Red Cross Lower Mainland Region

For more information, including details about the winning projects, visit: www.imaginecanada.ca.

Financial Support for EIA Disability Recipients Who Volunteer

Effective Feb 1st, 2009 EIA participants in the persons with disabilities category with approved volunteer plans will be provided with a monthly financial support to help assist with the costs of volunteering.  Eligible volunteer placements will be through community bases not for profit that are recurring (ie minimum of four days per month) and where participants are not provided with any financial compensation for their services.  A volunteer log sheet needs to be submitted each month and participants are provided with $50.00 per month for 4 – 7 days of volunteering or $100.00 if volunteering eight or more days per month.

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