Collect demographics data about validation volunteers

[GigiUxR]

Context

We’d like to make informed decisions but the team lacks details about our data validation volunteers.

Goal

We need current demographic information on one of our major user group: data validation volunteers. Action steps TBD after a discussion the below point with team leads.

• - What do we already know?
• - What kind of information do we collect when volunteers sign up to the Saturday session?
• - Does LA Works have access to such info through account profiles for example?
• - Can we implement a tool in place to collect such info - perhaps as part of a follow-up process to the Saturday session?

[GigiUxR]

@GigiUxR: Hi Bryan, do we have any info, from previous efforts , about our data validation volunteers? Like a profile or sample description of this group? From my card sort they all seemed to be similar to internal volunteers in many ways. But I understand we also have many coming in to collect community hours — do these include people who are facing some penalty with the law? Would they be different in major ways? Do we collect this sort of info when they sign up to the session — how they heard about us and why they are signing up today sort of quick survey?

@fancyham: That’s a great point — @entrotech [John] probably has the most info in his head but my understanding is that it ranges from court-assigned community hours to students getting community service credit to companies doing team building/volunteering (we recently got $500(!) from one company for this via LA Works — total surprise. That was very nice ), as well as folks who are doing it as their own self-directed volunteering. I’m sure there are other variations, too.
So yes, probably very different contexts and reasons. Asking would be a great idea, and also I’d ask how many FOLA a sessions they’ve done — like are we getting repeats who become experts?

[staceyrebekahscott]

@GigiUxR @bkobak33 I am working on connecting with Jordan at LA Works (via text, sent yesterday) as well as cultivating other contacts there. I will ask him about this process when I connect with him.

[staceyrebekahscott]

Approving issue and moving to In Progress. This will likely be part of an Epic re: volunteer engagement. I am adding the Partnership Engagement milestone for now, as that is the milestone I am using for #1296 Partnership with LA Works, but I am discussing with Gigi on a larger strategy so this milestone may change.

[staceyrebekahscott]

@GigiUxR @bkobak33 I have a meeting with Rachel and SJ, our new contacts at LA Works, on Tues Nov 15.

What questions do we need answered to help with this research? I'll ask for access to any data they have on volunteers that they can share, but it would be helpful to have an explanation for why we are seeking this data. Also, it would be helpful for my own understanding, so I can help support the research process.

[bkobak33]

Survey draft for collecting demographics here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hstDlnosNr1Tc-pzi0scCS1FLhJHOLCiUqNZ4gnL1i8/edit

[staceyrebekahscott]

@bkobak33 @GigiUxR Since we are now considering pursuing college students as our main data validation volunteers, I am considering reaching out to LA Works to "suspend" our partnership with them (I am working on a more elegant way of wording that). Given that, what else needs to be done here to tie up this research? It would be great to have documented the benefits and/ or limitations of working with LA Works- how can I be of support in completing this research?

[staceyrebekahscott]

@GigiUxR Checking in on my comments above re: what is next with this issue.

Re: LA Works- we are not actively working with them for data volunteer recruitment, however we can reengage with them whenever we choose. You can review my notes in issue #1296 for more context on the current status of our partnership.