The center promoted the SEA activities during the weeks preceding the survey start date. Students were encouraged to participate as it provided them with an opportunity to provide critical feedback on their living and learning experiences. Center utilized data from past survey to improve on student services and shared progress made on those specific items identified on the surveys to show students that their opinions matter.
About two weeks prior to the survey, our dorm staff will start reminding students that the survey will be arriving in their email. Once the survey actually begins, dorm staff remind the students every day during dorm accountability meetings. Posters are put up around our center about a week before the survey starts. Our most successful activity has been to bring pizza/Soda to one of the dorm meetings during the survey period. The students are then told that they can have a couple slices of pizza and a soda if they complete the survey. We take the students at their word that they completed the survey when they come over for the snack. And, of course, new students who did not receive the survey also get the snack.
We made it a center-wide event, staff informed students about the survey, times and locations were set aside for individuals who wanted to complete the survey. We also had survey parties with pizza and snacks for the students.
Regular meeting and email updates on the survey time window and completion rate. Having student leaders and instructors assist students with logging in to their job corps email to access the survey.
Our center utilized everyone on center to talk to students and remind them about the importance of completing the survey. The survey was discussed in student business meetings, academic and trade classes, and residential during the roll call hour. Once students completed the survey, they would bring their confirmation email to the poc and their Name was entered in a raffle. Students understood that their completion of the survey was an opportunity for us to look at and review their concern based on their feedback. The bottom line is that we created an atmosphere of buy-in that is mutually beneficial.
