Method

Advantages

Disadvantages

Volunteer questionnaires

• Can be completed in private

• Large numbers can be distributed using email and post

• Can incorporate a variety of questions including tick box Yes/No answers and those more open in style

• Often have a low response rate

• Not good for volunteers with low literacy skills

• Can tend to reveal superficial information rather then in depth views

Online Survey (eg Survey Monkey

• As above

• Free (at a basic level)

• Professional appearance

• As above

• Only useful if you are sure all volunteers have internet access

Focus Group

• Can be useful for getting a range of views

• May not be a typical group as only those who are confident may take part or contribute

• Needs a facilitator and prepared questions

1:1 interview surveys

• Good response rate

• Good for volunteers with low literacy skills or fear of bureaucratic form filling

• Allows in depth discussion

• Expensive in interview time

• Will need to sample if organisation has large numbers of volunteers

Case studies

Video

• Good for "a day in the life of..." style presentations

• Not dependant on literacy skills

• Can involve volunteers in operating the equipment

• Some people are camera shy

• Can be intrusive

• May end up with large amounts of unedited material that is difficult to interpret

• Technical quality may be poor

Written diaries

• Can provide evidence of change over a given time

• Needs clear structure to obtain the right kind of information

Suggestions and complaints boxes

• East to organise

• Good for demonstrating commitment to obtaining volunteers views

• Comments can be anonymous

• Comments may be very wide ranging and difficult to interpret

• Often have poor response rate

Feedback forms

• Useful after volunteer events or training

• Can be intimidating

• Need to structure time for completion into the session

Exit interviews/questionnaires

• Essential to allow volunteers opportunity to feedback on their experience