During the month of January 2005, the LifeRing Service Center is conducting a Participant Survey.  Everyone who participates in LifeRing is asked to complete a questionnaire.

The purpose of the survey is twofold. One, the survey results can help the organization better serve its membership.  The survey will collect a broad range of opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of LifeRing for the benefit of delegates to the upcoming 2005 LifeRing Congress.  Two, the survey results will provide a profile of the LifeRing membership that will form the basis of an article to be published about LifeRing in a peer-reviewed professional journal. The article will help LifeRing become better known among referral sources.

The survey consists of 30 questions. Some of the questions ask about the person's participation in LifeRing, what they like and don't like about it, and about their other recovery support resources. Other questions collect basic demographic data for a membership profile.

The survey is intended to be confidential.  People responding to the survey need not identify themselves in any way.  However, if people are interested in being contacted for a more detailed interview, they have the option to fill in their name and other contact information.  People who do not want to be contacted should leave these fields blank.  Only statistical summaries and anonymous excerpts will be published.

The purposes of the survey will be best served if every participant in LifeRing completes the questionnaire once.  The responses of people who are visiting LifeRing for the first time on the day of the survey are as important as those who have participated for many years. 

The survey needs to be completed during the month of January. 

Convenors of LifeRing face meetings are asked to please download the print survey and to make as many copies as necessary.  Please set aside time in your meeting for everyone to fill out the questionnaire.  It takes approximately ten to fifteen minutes.  It may be helpful to have a supply of extra pens or pencils for the purpose.  In meetings where you have high turnover please repeat the procedure in subsequent meetings during January as often as necessary to get the largest possible number of responses.  If you have just a few newcomers during January, please give them the questionnaire to fill out before or after the meeting, or direct them to the online survey if appropriate.  Please collect the filled-in papers, treating them as confidential, and get them to the LifeRing Service Center promptly.  If you need assistance with postage, copying, or any other aspect of administering the survey, please contact the Service Center at 510-763-0779 or by email.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Convenors of LifeRing online meetings are asked to please refer all participants to the online survey during January, and to be persistent in following up to make sure that as many people as possible have actually completed the survey.  Thank you for your cooperation.

The survey questionnaire was developed over the course of several months with input from members of the LifeRing Board of Directors, from members of the LifeRing convenor email list, and from noted recovery author William White (Slaying the Dragon).  White, who was featured guest speaker at the 2004 LifeRing Congress, will be co-author of the planned article reporting the survey results in a professional journal .  A pilot test of the survey was conducted by LifeRing convenor Craig O. at a meeting in Union City CA in September 2004, click for results.  A summary of the entire participant survey will be published on this web site as soon as available.

-- Marty N. at the LifeRing Service Center 12/30/04

P.S.  The survey closed at midnight PST January 31.