Alexandria Quality of Life Initiative: Calling All Surveys/Collecting Data Across Departments & Nonprofits

Alexandria Quality of Life Initiative Lunchtime Workshop Series Cosponsored by ACT for Alexandria ■ City of Alexandria ■ Partnership for a Healthier Alexandria ■ Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy

The Alexandria Quality of Life (AQOL) Lunchtime Workshop Series bring people together around the key questions and challenges involved in further enhancing our great community.  How do we measure Alexandria’s Quality of Life?  How can agencies, nonprofits, businesses and community groups use this data to make our community an even better place to live, work and play?

In a conversational setting, we’ll discuss best practices and key insights about using community indicators to make meaningful community change, including ‘lessons learned’ from colleagues and peers.

Join us for a stimulating discussion!  The workshops are free and open to the public; lunch is provided (*FREE PIZZA*) for the June 9 program courtesy of Virginia Tech.  For more information, contact Beth Offenbacker, Ph.D., Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy at boffen@vt.edu or 703 623 4811.

Calling All Surveys: Collecting Data Across Departments & Nonprofits

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Noon -1pm

A key challenge in improving the Quality of Life in Alexandria is considering ways we can leverage data collection across the community.  Too many surveys can create ‘survey fatigue’ among stakeholders and can lead to lower response rates overall.  Surveys also can be costly for public agencies and nonprofits to conduct, especially in these economically turbulent times.

This program will focus on how to best map and collaborate on data collection via surveys across departments and organizations in support of the Alexandria Quality of Life project.  We’ll start off by asking participants to tell us how their organizations are collecting, reporting and using data today.  

Susan Willis-Walton/Virginia Tech and Jim Spengler/RPCA will then informally present on several important questions about community data collection, including:

-       What new and emerging techniques can be used for survey data collection?

-       What are the ‘lessons learned’ for how Alexandria organizations are collaborating today on survey data collection?

-       What strategies can be used to obtain the best survey data for the most reasonable cost/effort?

Speakers include:

□       Susan Willis-Walton, Ph.D., Director, Center for Survey Research, Virginia Tech

□       James Spengler, Director, City of Alexandria Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs (RPCA) Department

LOCATION: Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street, Alexandria, Va. 22314 Street parking nearby and also accessible via Alexandria’s DASH bus service

No charge to attend.  Seating is limited; please RSVP by Wednesday, June 8 at  http://tinyurl.com/43o282r