Results from OSM e

Results from OSM e-link's "Two Minute Survey"

We thank all those who participated in the OSM e-link "Two-Minute Survey" - about 199 subscribers. The results for each question will be found below and will include total numbers for each response and a percentage where applicable. You will also find some very short comments in italics following each section.

Rest assured that the OSM staff will use the information obtained from the "Two-Minute Survey" in the future planning of events and in the development of e-link itself.

1. How often do you open e-link?

a. Every time I receive it - 151 or 77%

b. About every other time I receive it - 27 or 14%

c. One in a while - 10 or 5%

d. Hardly ever - 7 or 4%

It was encouraging to discover that 90% of respondents regularly open e-link.

2. What sections of e-link do you find most engaging? Please choose up to
     three.

The percentage in responses to question #2 reflects those responding to each section compared to the overall total responding to the survey.

102 or 50% a. The initial Remarks section (short reflection provided by OSM staff or related
                            offices)

107 or 52%    b. The diocesan-wide Upcoming Gatherings/Projects section (major gatherings
                            within the diocese)

71 or 35%     c. The Short Reports section (articles and reports on past gatherings and projects)

59 or 30%     d. The Advocacy Request section (requests to contact legislators and policy makers
                            on life and justice issues)

21 or 10%      e. The Advocacy Reportback section (reports following advocacy activities)

29 or 15%     f. The Web and E-mail-based Resources section (web-based resources)

77 or 38%    g. The Local and Regional Events/Gatherings/Projects section (smaller gatherings
                            determined by locale or region)

61 or 30%       h. The ending Article/Statement section (longer article or statement of importance to
                             Catholics)

As the OSM is mandated to engage Catholics in transforming society and culture, it is good to note that both the "Upcoming Gatherings/Projects - b" and "Local and Regional Events/Gathering/Projects - g" sections were of such high interest to readers.

We were surprised to find that the "Web and E-mail-based Resources - f" section's response was not higher.

3. How many events highlighted in the diocesan-wide Upcoming
    Events/Gatherings have you attended in the past 12 months?

a. none - 80 or 41%

b. 1 to 3 - 91 or 47%

c. 3 to 5 - 12 or 6%

d. more than 5 - 11 or 6%

We are pleased to know that nearly 60% of subscribers have attended a diocesan-wide event in the past year, but we struggle with the fact that 41% have not.

4. What might be done to increase attendance at OSM-sponsored events?

Following are just a few of the many comments received. To read them all please go to:

http://www.osmelink.org/messages2005/_Two_Minute_Survey_ResultsA.htm

1. As with e-link --- just keep on sponsoring them --- eventually "they" will come..

2. Offer snacks, potluck meals, or brief social time for conversation among participants.

3. No time to attend due to being so involved at the parish level, but I like to at least be informed
    about what diocesan-wide events are happening and how they went.

4. Nothing. How can you make our lives less busy?

5. Are the events announced at Sunday Mass or in the parish bulletins?????

6. Do workshops in parishes with e-link being central to the message.

5. Do you appreciate reading about and/or seeing photos of OSM-sponsored events that you have attended?

a. very much appreciate - 91 or 48%

b. appreciate somewhat - 47 or 25%

c. appreciate very little - 9 or 5%

d. not at all interested 3 or 2%

e. I have not attended an event highlighted in e-link - 40 or 21%

It looks like 73% appreciate reading about past events. This is a positive sign, although we hope that reading about events that have already occurred will never become a substitute for participating in events when they are offered.

6. How many advocacy phone calls have you made in the past two years?

a. none - 78 or 41%

b. 1 to 5 - 71 or 37%

c. 5 to 10 - 16 or 8%

d. more than 10 - 26 or 14%

Nearly 60% of respondents have made an advocacy call. That is good news, but if an e-link subscriber had made every call requested over the past two years, the total number would have numbered more than 20. Also, the fact that 41% have not made advocacy calls motivates the OSM staff to look for a more effective way to in invite Catholics to express their values in the public arena. The responses to question #7 below seem to point us in a new direction.

7. How likely is it that you would participate in any of the following kinds of advocacy requests?

Possible responses: 1. very likely 2. somewhat likely 3. not too likely 4. not at all likely

A. a quick link from an e-link bulletin to a short online petition that would eventually be delivered in person to individual legislators by OSM staff – the online petition would take less than one minute to complete
1. very likely - 130 or 67%
2. somewhat likely - 39 or 20%
3. not too likely - 16 or 8%
4. not at all likely - 9 or 5%

B. a phone call made by you to a legislator’s office
1. very likely - 40 or 21%
2. somewhat likely - 60 or 32%
3. not too likely - 54 or 28%
4. not at all likely - 36 or 19%

C. an actual letter written by you and sent by you to a legislator’s office
1. very likely - 25 or 13%
2. somewhat likely - 55 or 29%
3. not too likely - 70 or 37%
4. not at all likely - 39 or 21%

D. an e-mail written by you and e-mailed by you to a legislator’s office
1. very likely - 78 or 41%
2. somewhat likely - 74 or 39%
3. not too likely - 26 or 14%
4. not at all likely - 11 or 6%

E. a personal visit by you to a legislator’s local office
1. very likely - 14 or 7%
2. somewhat likely - 24 or 13%
3. not too likely - 58 or 31%
4. not at all likely - 91 or 49%

Neither calls, visits, nor personal letters had a likelihood over 50%, indicating that we should definitely shift away from these avenues of communication. The quick online survey had a likelihood of 87%, with personally written e-mails receiving a lesser count of 80%.

The OSM staff is listening, and starting with this current e-link bulletin, online petitions to legislators concerning our issues will be made available to our readers. Depending on the issue, other types of online surveys may be offered as well.

8. Please use this space to make any general comments you think might help improve e-link.

Following are just a few of the many comments received. To read them all please go to:

http://www.osmelink.org/messages2005/_Two_Minute_Survey_ResultsB.htm

1. I think it's great. Keep up the good work.

2. EACH REPORT IS TOO LONG.

3. Excellent tool - keep up your excellent job.

4. I have only been on the e-link for a couple months, so I may become more involved as time
    goes by. Keep up the good work--this is definitely the way to reach people in this day
    and age!!!

5. The bulletin is too long. This is a complaint I hear from other parishioners. It is is a wonderful
    program and hope it grows throughout the parishes. It is a wonderful tool to make a difference
    and bring us all together.

5. OSM is going directly to the heart of the issues, what most Catholics would have missed. Keep
    Pressing on.

6. Keep up the GOOD WORK!!!! I look forward to reading each issue. It is a quick and neat
    way to keep informed of what is happening, what I might be able to do about it, and a source
    of information to disseminate to others.

Again, the OSM staff would like to thank all those who took the time to participate in the "Two-minute Survey." Over the coming months, we will take the time to respond to some of the wonderful suggestions that have come in through the survey.

God Bless