A couple of weeks ago, Desirae O’Neill, Associate Director at the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, shared some of her best tips for administering surveys. We are THRILLED that she is back to share about the best part of NYOI- the celebration!
Congratulations! You made it to the finish line. Not only did you make it to the end of the race, but you’ve secured the gold medal for NYOI survey completion with a whopping 100% participation of your ADA, members ages 9 and up! Now it’s time to kick back, relax and wait for the next marathon—NYOI 2019!! Right? Not so fast . . . first its time to CELEBRATE!!!
Closing out the NYOI is prime time to celebrate, but also to reflect on the overall experience. How do members feel about it? What did they get out of the experience? Lets dive into some creative ways to keep the party going at your Club and to make the survey experience a meaningful one for your members and staff!
What’s in it for me? Raffles, prizes and pies OH MY!
Revenge never felt so sweet . . . who wouldn’t want to pie their favorite staff in the face?! Year after year, pie in the face is a major hit among our Club members and staff. We always do the reveal during a Club-wide assembly—great way to get the kids and staff together for some post survey fun. The members LOVE it and staff are always super STOKED about it each year!
Although not required, incentives can help keep the momentum going. Now don’t all jump at me at once and start throwing out the “B” word . . . BUDGET! Incentives don’t necessarily have to break the bank, you can get creative! The possibilities are infinite especially when we look to our members and YDPs for input. We’ve had some great ideas and recommendations come from members and staff at Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club. An example is the personalized chap sticks! They were a total hit- it’s a win-win for members and staff.
You can give each member smaller incentives, and also use more valuable items as raffle prizes, another great way to get the kiddos on board. It’s all about the presentation folks! Make the display eye-catching and appealing. This board is almost like being on a game show—who wouldn’t want to take a chance?? Check out some of the awesome options from this year- portable chargers, headphones, Bluetooth speaker, and gift cards. There’s something for all ages! Another great thing about the prizes from this year is that we surveyed our members and staff to see what items they would like best. It’s an awesome way to incorporate youth voice into what we do!
Follow Up Conversation with some FOOD
Don’t leave them hanging . . . always keep them wanting more. Ask members how it went – it’s so important to debrief afterwards. Find out if there are any lingering questions from your members. At our Club, debriefing activities are always a great way to wrap up the survey administration period. Format the conversation so it’s more personal and conversational than a lecture.
I can’t think of a better way to do this than over a nice bowl of ice cream during our Annual NYOI Ice Cream Social Party!
During part of the party, have staff and members engage in a light-hearted conversation. This helps the group as a whole learn how everyone feels after the experience and how staff can revamp the experience for the following year.
Some debriefing questions that allow members and staff to reflect include:
- How did you feel during the survey?
- Were you surprised by any of the questions?
- Why do you think it is important that we take this survey?
- What are some ways that we can improve the survey experience? (It is important to note that local Club staff don’t have control over the questions themselves, but we can adjust the environment we take the survey in.)
- Moving forward, how are some other ways we should gather your opinions and ideas?
Debriefing also helps with action planning and opening the group up to discuss future steps and suggestions for next year. There are so many great opportunities here to let your and members and YDPs know that their opinions matter, and that they are a valued member of the Club!
Recognition Is Key
Recognizing participation is so important, especially when closing out the survey with your members. And recognition includes both your members AND your staff. Everyone has done a lot of hard work!
One of the ways we recognize staff is a staff shout out board. At GCBGC we also love to display our record high ADA on our Rec Room bulletin board. It is a reminder of how far our influence reaches, and how our Club staff have created a space that our members want to come to. You could also start giving special staff raffle prizes to favorite restaurants, movie tickets, or other gift cards. A little goes a long way!
Along with incentives and parties, think about how you and your staff can continue to check in with your members throughout the year. The survey doesn’t have to be once per year, you can do mini surveys throughout and create visuals in your Club. This lets your members know that the questions they are asked are important, and that you care about their answers. For some ideas of ways to visualize goals, check out this post.
Looking forward to checking in again next year! Happy Surveying Friends!
You can find all the other NYOI posts, including an NYOI primer and tips for survey administration in our Let’s Talk Data! series here.
Desirae has been in the Movement for 9 years. Her favorite movie is The Great Gatsby!
How do you celebrate and recognize your members after completing the NYOI? Comment below or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org to share your best tips!
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