STEP 1: Pre-Arrival Questionnaire

Most volunteer organisations already do pre-arrival and pre-departure/ ‘end-of tour’ questionnaires, and these are extremely useful M&E tools.

The focus of these questionnaires does, however, tend to be heavily oriented towards the personal development, enhanced life experiences and potential for increased employment opportunities upon his/ her return.

While this is completely understandable, it does not provide a useful baseline for volunteers or a particularly effective mechanism for learning about what works and what does not on the ground.

The 1-2-3 Method recommends that pre-arrival questionnaires should also include questions about volunteers’ understanding of the project and the assumptions underpinning it.

This understanding is likely to be low but questions which probe their thinking early on should help make them more ‘effective’ in the field and better able to offer lessons to future volunteers.

Click here to download a printable pre-arrival questionnaire which helps you to establish a baseline in terms of your activities, or at least your perception of those activities as a volunteer.

An addendum has also been added with questions specifically about your skills and qualities at the start of your trip. This provides a baseline on you and your level of competence in specific areas. To open the addendum, click below:

questionnaire addendum Download

Given that downloading such forms can sometimes be difficult when working in the field, a plain text version of both the questionnaire and the addendum is provided below.

PRE-ARRIVAL QUESTIONNAIRE

To be filled in by volunteer. Please tick only one box and share with your own voluntary organisation. Please discuss with your host organisation upon arrival.

1) What do you think the main purpose of your visit is:

Helping to reduce poverty
Provide training
Build capacity
Build community purpose
Personal development
Other. Please specify

Please state the reasons for your answer and the assumptions on which it is based:

______________________________________________________________________________

2) What do you expect to be the Most Significant Change you make?

______________________________________________________________________________

3) How will you make this change?

______________________________________________________________________________

4) What other changes do you expect to make?

______________________________________________________________________________

5) How far do you expect your voluntary service will contribute to sustainable solutions for local communities?

______________________________________________________________________________

6) What qualities/ experience/ expertise/ qualifications do you have that will help you in your role?

______________________________________________________________________________

7) What aspects of your role are likely to be the most challenging?

______________________________________________________________________________

8) What other obstacles do you expect to face?

______________________________________________________________________________

9) How will this volunteering experience contribute to your own personal development (learning, skills, career)?

______________________________________________________________________________

10) Please fill in any comments from your own voluntary organisation or host organisation

______________________________________________________________________________

ADDENDUM TO QUESTIONNAIRE: SELF-APPRAISAL

SELF-APPRAISAL: WHAT ARE YOUR QUALITIES AND SKILLS AHEAD OF YOUR TRIP?

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing the lowest score and 5 the highest, how would you rate the following:

COMMUNICATION	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to communicate effectively to different audiences?
Your capacity to listen?
Your capacity to communicate with people whose first language is not English
Your ability to understand people whose first language is not English
Your capacity to write clearly
Your ability to communicate using numbers/ numeracy
Your capacity to communicate using technological tools (e.g. social media)
Your appreciation of cultural barriers to understanding/ communication

TEAMWORK	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to work as part of a team

Your capacity to lead a team
Your ability to collaborate and cooperate
Your capacity to manage conflict
Your ability to inspire others
Your capacity to work with a diverse range of people
Your appreciation of cultural barriers to cooperative working

INITIATIVE	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to work independently
Your capacity to recognise and seize opportunities
Your capacity to generate new ideas
Your ability to solve problems
Your readiness to compromise
Your ability to make practical and creative suggestions

PLANNING & ORGANISATIONAL SKILLS	1	2	3	4	5
Your ability to develop plans
Your capacity to implement/ complete projects
Your ability to develop a clear vision/ strategy
Your ability to take (difficult) decisions
Your capacity to plan and organise workload commitments
Your ability to organise and use resources effectively

SELF-DEVELOPMENT	1	2	3	4	5
Your understanding of your own strengths and weaknesses
Your readiness to develop new skills and stretch yourself
Your ability to take on new roles and responsibilities
Your appreciation of the possible barriers to M&E
Your understanding of Research ethics
Your understanding of participant observation

SKILLS ACQUIRED	1	2	3	4	5

Your understanding of
Your ability to take on new roles and responsibilities
Your appreciation of the possible barriers to M&E
Your understanding of Research ethics
Your knowledge of Monitoring & Evaluation
Your understanding of Rapid Appraisal Techniques

The M&E toolkit & 1-2-3 Method

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing the lowest score and 5 the highest, how would you rate the following

	1	2	3	4	5
The usefulness of the M&E toolkit
The usefulness of the 1-2-3 Method
How transformative this method will be in your approach to your placement

Please can you comment on any ways that you might use the M& E website/ the 1-2-3 Method during your placement or in your own career

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Where to mext?

Click here to return to the top of the page.

Once you know the purpose of the pre-arrival questionaire, move on to Step 2.