Позитивные изменения. Том 4, №1 (2024). Positive changes. Volume 4, Issue 1 (2024)

• What resources do we have, and what are we lacking?

• Who else in the community may be interested in these changes?

Not every participant will act upon the discussed ideas. Some will say immediately after the workshop that the role of a local activism coordinator is not what they have dreamed of. Recognizing this promptly is valuable.

Others may decide to pursue their specific initiatives and projects, preferring to take action themselves rather than motivate others. This is also a good result, which means that future coordinators already have someone to rely on.

Inevitably, some individuals within the group will reinforce their resolve to be catalysts for developing local engagement. These people are poised to become pivotal agents of change in their living environment. The size of each group differs by region, but it is estimated that at most 25 percent of members typically assume such proactive roles.

Two full days are recommended for the length of the orientation workshop. If led by a single facilitator, the group should not exceed 25 individuals. Ensuring that the workshop environment is optimized for group activities is essential. Creating an atmosphere conducive to networking and interaction is key, hence incorporating interactive engagement is advisable.

The orientation workshop aims to achieve the following objectives:

• Clarify for the initiative group members the goals and anticipated outcomes of the planned activities, and how these results will be utilized.

• Acquaint the participants with the survey questions, ensuring clarity on the intentions behind each inquiry.[57]

• Conduct a briefing on the questionnaire process.

• Engage in a practical run-through of a sample questionnaire, mirroring what will later be conducted in their respective communities. Participants may pair up and conduct mock interviews amongst themselves during the workshop. This exercise will help pinpoint any challenging questions and clarify any ambiguities.

• Provide guidelines on how to analyze the gathered information and consolidate it into an aggregate table. It has been shown that initiative work flows more smoothly when a group member is pre-designated to handle the compilation of data from all surveys into a table. This approach will minimize errors or at least standardize them, making them easier to identify and rectify.

• Prepare a comprehensive analytical report from the initiative group on their data collection methodology.[58]

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU; IT’S FOR THE COMMUNITY: THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT OVERLOOKING THE SURVEY

After the workshop, it is critical to avoid immediately jumping into social design activities and instead prioritize the collection of data about the territory’s residents. This is an essential consideration since leaders may have their vision for the community, which could differ significantly from the members’ perspectives. The aforementioned questionnaire, as discussed in the orientation workshop, will assist in this regard.

The interview questionnaire should be adaptable for use across all territories where the organizer is active. This facilitates not only the consolidation of data from a specific area but also enables comparative analysis across different territories. It is advisable to limit the questionnaire to 25–30 items to avoid complicating the process excessively. Yet, overly condensing the questionnaire should be avoided to maintain its informativeness.

Obtaining current demographic information about the gender and age distribution within each territory is also essential. This can be achieved by consulting regional statistical offices, local administrative bodies, or requesting information from local self-government entities. Understanding the demographic breakdown is crucial for grasping the resident dynamics of each territory. For instance, if you aim to gather 80 surveys with the demographic split of 53 % female and 47 % male in the area, accordingly, then the task would be to conduct interviews with 42 women and 38 men.

Questionnaires can be tailored by activists in each territory, adding questions they deem significant. Generally, the survey should reflect:

• The residents’ general satisfaction with their territory;

• A priority ranking of urgent and less pressing issues;

• Issues that residents believe they can address with their initiatives;

• Satisfaction levels with key aspects of life;

• Residents’ migration intentions and their attitudes towards their territory;

• A listing of active individuals, community groups, and non-profits active in the territory;

• The potential for civic engagement;

• Any consensus or discord among residents about the importance of local issues.

Subsequent analysis of the survey responses should proceed as follows:

1. Conduct a cumulative analysis of the data across all questions and territories. This process will yield average results.