Volunteer Survey Report: August 2008

From May 1 to July 7 of 2008, volunteers had the opportunity to provide feedback on their volunteer experience and offer suggestions for improvement. The survey was a follow up to the May 2007 volunteer survey. The 2008 survey was initially only available as a web-based survey. Volunteers with email accounts were sent a link to the survey. A kiosk was also available in the volunteer check-in area for volunteers to complete the survey while at the museum. After the first month, the survey was made available in paper format in the volunteer break room to help increase the response rate. Paper surveys were also mailed to volunteers who did not have email and had not volunteered between May - July so that they could be sure to have an opportunity to offer feedback. Volunteers received an hour of volunteer time for completing the survey. Of the 480 active volunteers, a total of 221 filled out the survey, for a 46% response rate. This was a higher response rate than the 2007 survey (41%). In the report, the value for each table reflects how many volunteers answered that question. Some of the survey questions are similar to the survey administered in 2007, allowing for a comparison of responses. Each comparison is shared and discussed below. In addition, responses from volunteers to many questions were lengthy and detailed; separate appendices are attached containing all of the commentary provided by volunteer respondents to the open-ended questions on the survey. In this report, selections of sample responses were included after open-ended questions. Principal Findings. Volunteers' overall rating of their experience at SMM in 2008 is slightly lower than the 2007 rating, but not significantly. 2. The top two means of volunteer recognition were “informal acts from the Volunteer Department staff(42%) and lectures on topics of interest (37%). 3. Three-fourths of all volunteers attended at least one training in 2008. 4. Almost 90% of volunteers rated trainings as "exceptional" or "good". 5. A little over 90% of volunteers felt they were "prepared" or "somewhat prepared" to fulfill their duties because of the training they received. 6. Volunteers feel that they receive the best supervision and support from the volunteer department (78%) and the least from the curators (9%). 7. Most (84%) of the volunteers said they were "likely" or "very likely" to recommend SMM as a place to volunteer. 8. Over half of the volunteers (54%) are 60 or more years old. The appendix of this report includes the survey used in the study.

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