EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This report contains a preliminary analysis of the West Virginia Longitudinal Study of AmeriCorps data available to date—that is, data collected in surveys administered at the beginning and completion of AmeriCorps members’ short-term summer service or first full year of service. These findings will be integrated with data collected in the 24-month follow-up surveys to produce a final report in 2003.

Preliminary findings from the West Virginia Longitudinal Study of AmeriCorps are based on an analysis of pre- and post-service surveys of 339 members who served for 2-12 months beginning in the summer of 2000. These members are representative of the AmeriCorps members who were in their first year of service in 2000-2001.

The 2000-2001 first-year AmeriCorps members (referred to as “members” in this report) mirror fairly closely the West Virginia population in ethnicity and socioeconomic status. However, they are younger than the population as a whole and overwhelmingly female. Eighty percent were under the age of 25 and 82% were women.

Members participated in a variety of service activities, usually in their own communities. The majority of members reported exposure to new experiences and challenges during their service.

Overall, members expressed a high degree of satisfaction with their AmeriCorps service. A range of civic engagement attitudes and behaviors showed an increase after service. The AmeriCorps experience appeared to develop skills and competencies in diversity and problem solving, but not in communications and negotiations. A significant majority of members agreed that AmeriCorps had provided growth opportunities and expressed confidence in their ability to transfer their new skills to current and future jobs. The AmeriCorps experience also appeared to increase the educational goals of members.

Although, on the whole, it appears that the AmeriCorps experience had a positive impact on member knowledge, skills, and attitudes, there are a few findings that are troubling. First, members ended up more committed to “making a lot of money” than when they entered their service. Second, full-year members left their year of service with less commitment to “working to correct social and economic inequalities” than when they started. Third, despite increased diversity skills, full-year members reported increased levels of discomfort in working with individuals with diverse backgrounds from the pre- to the post- survey.

This report provides preliminary findings. Analysis of the 24-month follow-up survey data, which will be completed in 2003, will test to what extent the outcomes demonstrated in the pre- and post- surveys are maintained long-term. Furthermore, it is hoped that comparison data gathered at the national level will be helpful in determining the causality of the changes found in this study. Finally, the final report will provide more benchmark information, where possible, as well as recommendations for the Commission. (back to index)

PURPOSE AND PLACEMENT OF THIS REPORT

The purpose of the West Virginia Longitudinal Study of AmeriCorps, and of this report, is to help the Commission to assess the impact of the AmeriCorps experience on members’ skills and attitudes, determine how these relate to the Commission’s mission and outcomes, and identify how to increase the positive impact of AmeriCorps service on members.

This interim report contains partial findings from the West Virginia Longitudinal Study of AmeriCorps. It presents a preliminary analysis of the data available to date, that is, data collected in surveys administered at the beginning and completion of the AmeriCorps members’ short-term summer service or first full year of service. These findings will be integrated with data collected in the 24-month follow-up surveys to produce a final report in December 2003. (back to index)

PROCESS

This interim report provides a summary of the findings of AmeriCorps members’ pre- and post-service surveys. As national comparison data are not available, this report does not attempt to determine causality or to benchmark West Virginia AmeriCorps with AmeriCorps nationally. Furthermore, it does not include data from the 24-month follow-up survey that will capture long-term impact. These data have not yet been collected. The final report, to be completed in December of 2003, will contain these additional components.

This study surveyed West Virginia AmeriCorps members who started their service in the summer of 2000. The pre- survey was administered to these members at the initiation of their service, and the post- survey was administered at the completion of their service or of their first year of service, whichever occurred first. The members who did not complete the post- survey in 2000 or 2001 were called in 2002, in order to collect this data from them through a telephone survey. This study did not survey returning or two-year members.

This report is based on an analysis of the paired pre- and post- surveys of 339 members. In program year 2001, there were 566 first-year members. Thus, the response rate is 60% of 2001 first-year members. The exclusion of survey data from 40% of members is due to missing surveys and the inability to match some pre- and post- data. The survey instruments were developed by Abt Associates, under contract with the Corporation for National and Community Service.

There were two distinct groups of AmeriCorps members in this study: college students who served over the summer, primarily mentoring children in reading-related activities, and a broader variety of individuals who served for the full year in a variety of capacities. Seventy-five percent of respondents were summer members and 25% were full-year members. Recognizing that these two types of service were distinct, data for full-year and summer members were analyzed separately. This report presents the findings separately if there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups, and in aggregate otherwise. (back to index)

DEMOGRAPHICS

Race and Ethnicity

Based on the surveys, the 2000-2001 full-year and summer AmeriCorps members closely mirrored the state population in terms of race and ethnicity. The overwhelming majority (93%) were non-Hispanic Whites, as compared to 95% of West Virginia residents. One percent of AmeriCorps members were of Hispanic origin, as compared to 1% in the state as a whole; 4% of members were fully or partially African-American, as compared to 3% in the state. One percent of members were of another ethnicity, such as American Indian or Asian, compared to 1% statewide (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2000). (back to index)

Age

Although ages spanned from 16 to 55, members were for the most part young, particularly full-year members. Eighty percent of all members were aged 25 or under at the beginning of their service. The one major difference between full-year and summer members was in the age of the bulk of the members. Sixty percent of full-year members were between the ages of 16 and 18 versus 1% of summer members. Similarly, 64% of summer members were between the ages of 19 and 20, versus 12% of full-year members. (back to index)

Gender

Both full-year and summer members were overwhelmingly female. Eighty-two percent of members were women and 18% were men. (back to index)

Education

For both full-year and summer programs, virtually all (99% overall) members had a high school or GED certificate. Fifty-five percent had completed some college but without a degree, 3% had completed an associate degree, and 8% had completed a bachelor’s degree. (back to index)

Socioeconomic Status

Members came from the full range of socioeconomic conditions. Overall, 6% came from households with annual earnings of $100,000 or more, and 6% came from households with annual earnings of $10,000 or less. The median household annual income for AmeriCorps members was $45,000, compared to the state median of $27,000. The vast majority of members (80%) personally earned $10,000 or less in the year prior to their AmeriCorps service. Full-year members had a lower socioeconomic status. Twelve percent came from households with annual earnings of $10,000 or less, and their median household income was $35,000. (back to index)

Family

Both full-year and summer members were mostly single (82% overall). Fifteen percent were married and 3% were divorced or separated. Seventeen percent had children. Most (52%) lived with their parents just prior to joining AmeriCorps. (back to index)

DESCRIPTION OF THE AMERICORPS EXPERIENCE

Service Activity

The AmeriCorps members surveyed served for a length of time between 2 and 12 months before they completed the post-service survey (returning or two-year members were not included in the study). They participated in a variety of service activities:

• 95% tutored, mentored, or cared for children, teenagers, or adults


• 33% did environmental work


• 32% renovated, constructed, or cleaned buildings


• 20% cared for the sick, elderly, or homeless

Most full-year and summer AmeriCorps members did the majority of their service in the community in which they lived (68% overall).

Most full-year and summer AmeriCorps members served in groups for most of their service (71% overall). About half (54%) were in direct contact with service beneficiaries “very often” or “always.”

The AmeriCorps experience exposed both full-year and summer members to new experiences and challenges. The vast majority (79%) reported that they worked at least “sometimes” with members of different ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds from their own; 66% reported working with service recipients from diverse backgrounds. Eighty-six percent agreed that they had been exposed to new ideas and ways of seeing the world.

Most full-year and summer members felt that their primary association was with their local AmeriCorps program or host site (67% overall), rather than with the National AmeriCorps program (33%). (back to index)

MEMBER SATISFACTION

Quality of the Experience

For the most part, both full-year and summer members appear to have had a high-quality AmeriCorps experience. They reported satisfaction with the organizations and people with whom they worked:

• 95% reported being satisfied with their relationships with coworkers


• 89% reported being satisfied with their understanding of the organization with which they worked


• 86% reported being satisfied with their relationships with supervisors

(back to index)

Meaningfulness of the Experience

Both full-year and summer members appear to have found their service rewarding. Ninety-seven percent agreed that they made a contribution to the community and 96% agreed that they made a difference “in the life of at least one person.” (back to index)

Overall Satisfaction

Overall satisfaction was high for full-year and summer members alike. Ninety-four percent of members were satisfied with the overall AmeriCorps experience and 88% would recommend AmeriCorps to a good friend. Similarly, 94% were satisfied with the skills they learned while serving and 87% with the training they received.

(back to index)

MEMBER OUTCOMES

Member outcomes focused on three areas: Civic engagement and community involvement knowledge, behavior, and attitudes; job and other life skills; and personal aspirations and confidence. Members showed a number of positive outcomes in all three areas. All positive outcomes presented in this report proved significant at .05 level of significance.

Although virtually all members showed positive change in some specific outcome, only a minority of members showed positive change in the majority of the specific outcomes. This is not surprising, given that very few components of the AmeriCorps experience were standard across all programs or placements. This report presents as positive outcomes only those for which, in aggregate, there was a statistically significant net positive change in the cohort.

The pre- and post-service survey test used in this study, which was adopted from a national study, tested for some outcomes in which there was no significant improvement. It should be noted that the programs may not have had the intention of effecting these outcomes. Finally, there are a few findings that are of potential concern, such as net changes within the cohort in the opposite direction than desired.

Details follow on outcomes for each of the three areas: civic engagement and community involvement knowledge, behavior, and attitudes; job and other life skills; and personal aspirations and confidence. (back to index)

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT KNOWLEDGE, BEHAVIORS, AND ATTITUDES

Areas of Positive Change

• Beliefs changed (full-year and summer members). Seventy one percent of members said that the AmeriCorps experience made them re-examine their beliefs about themselves, and 68% agreed that it changed their beliefs and attitudes. Unfortunately, the post-service survey did not capture which beliefs respondents had in mind when they answered this question.
• Understanding of the community increased (full-year and summer members). Eighty-nine percent of members were satisfied with the way their AmeriCorps experience had helped them to gain an understanding of the community in which they served.
• Knowledge of social concerns increased (full-year and summer members). Members showed increases in knowledge of social concerns and problems on various indicators, listed below. The increases were more marked among full-year members.

• 34% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the concerns facing non-Latino Whites from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-nine percent showed no change and 17% showed a decrease.
• 40% of full-year members reported an increase in knowledge of the concerns facing African Americans from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-two percent showed no change and 18% showed a decrease.
• 40% of full-year members reported an increase in knowledge of the concerns facing Asian Americans from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-one percent showed no change and 19% showed a decrease.
• 55% of full-year members reported an increase in knowledge of the concerns facing Hispanics from the pre- to the post- survey. Thirty-eight percent showed no change and 17% showed a decrease.
• 32% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the concerns facing low-income individuals from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-seven percent showed no change and 21% showed a decrease.
• 33% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the environmental problems facing the community from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-eight percent showed no change and 19% showed a decrease.
• 36% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the public health problems facing the community from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-six percent showed no change and 18% showed a decrease.
• 37% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the literacy problems facing the community from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-two percent showed no change and 21% showed a decrease.
• 39% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the crime problems facing the community from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-four percent showed no change and 17% showed a decrease.
• 40% of all members reported an increase in knowledge of the “lack of civic engagement problems” facing the community from the pre- to the post- survey. Thirty-nine percent showed no change and 21% showed a decrease.
• 39% of full-year members reported an increase in knowledge of the concerns facing urban young people from the pre- to the post- survey. Thirty-eight percent showed no change and 23% showed a decrease.

• Commitment to community service increased (full-year and summer members). Seventy-nine percent of members said that their AmeriCorps experience would make it more likely that they will participate in community service in the future.
• Civic behaviors increased (full-year and summer members). A composite variable that measures civic involvement in members (e.g., voting, staying informed of local and national news, writing or emailing newspapers or organizations to voice an opinion) showed an increase from the pre- to the post-service survey. Fifty-seven percent increased, 15% did not change, and 27% decreased their civic behaviors.
• Attachment to community increased (full-year and summer members). A composite variable that measures attachment to community in members (e.g., emotional connection, awareness of problems and solutions, time dedicated to community problems, etc.) increased from the pre- to the post- survey. Forty-nine percent showed an increase, 19% showed no change, and 32% showed a decrease from the pre- to the post-survey.
• Importance given to civic responsibility increased (full-year and summer members). The importance given to civic responsibilities (e.g., serving on a jury, helping neighbors, helping the less fortunate) increased over the course of the AmeriCorps experience. A composite variable measuring the perceived importance of these civic behaviors showed an increase for 43% of members, no change for 34%, and a decrease for 23% from the pre- to the post- survey.
• Voting participation increased (full-year and summer members). Among those eligible to vote, there was an increase in voter registration from 50% to 75% and an increase in voting from 33% to 57% from the pre- to the post- survey.
• Confidence in ability to get an issue on a ballot increased (full-year and summer members). From the pre- to the post- survey, 30% showed an increase in confidence level in taking citizen action to get an issue on the ballot, 57% showed no change, and 13% showed a decrease.
• Confidence in ability to effect selected government actions increased (full-year and summer members). Although there was no increase in their reported ability to get the local government to “fix a pothole in their street,” there was in getting the local government to “build an addition to the community center”: From the pre- to the post- survey, 24% showed an increase in confidence level, 64% showed no change, and 12% showed a decrease. Year-round members, however showed a more dramatic increase: 42% showed an increase, 53% no change, and 5% a decrease.

(back to index)

Areas of No Significant Change

• Importance given to having a socially meaningful job did not change (full-year and summer members). There was no significant change in the pre- and post- responses regarding the importance of having a job that is of “direct service to people” in both full-year and summer members. Similarly, summer members showed no increase in the importance given to having a job that “corrects social and economic inequalities” (full-year members showed a decrease – see below). However, it should be noted that, given the high level of importance that members gave these factors in the pre-service test, it would be very difficult to show an increase. In the pre- survey, 50% gave “working to correct social and economic inequities” a three on a one to three scale (three being the highest level of importance), and only 2% gave it a one. Similarly, 68% gave working in a job where they are “in direct service to people” a three and only 2% gave it a one. Thus, the lack of change in these dimensions may be due to the high degree of importance that members gave a socially meaningful job initially, and not to programmatic weaknesses.
• Confidence in ability to effect selected positive citizen action did not change (full-year and summer members). A composite variable that measured respondent confidence to effect positive changes through citizen action, such as organizing an annual cleanup or getting the local government to fix a pothole, showed no change. The two exceptions, among six items, were confidence in the ability to put an issue on a ballot and get the local government to “build an addition to the community center” (see above). It should be noted that research in other service experiences shows that self-reported ability to effect change often decreases. Prior to their service experience, individuals often have an unrealistic sense of what they can accomplish. As their awareness of the necessary components of effective citizen action increases, their confidence decreases.
(back to index)

Areas of Potential Concern

• Importance given to financial remuneration increased (full-year and summer members). The AmeriCorps experience may have inadvertently heightened members’ belief in the importance of financial remuneration. There was an increase in importance given to “working in a job where I can make as much money as possible” over the course of the experience. From the pre- to the post- survey, 25% of members increased, 62% did not change, and 13% decreased the importance they gave to making money.
• Importance given to correcting social and economic inequalities through their jobs decreased (full-year members). There was a decrease in the importance that full-year members gave to “working to correct social and economic inequalities” over the course of the experience. From the pre- to the post- survey, 26% of members decreased, 64% did not change, and 10% increased the importance they gave to correcting social and economic inequalities.
(back to index)

JOB AND OTHER LIFE SKILLS

Areas of Positive Change

• Professional experience relevant to career goals increased (full-year and summer members). Seventy-one percent of members agreed they did things in AmeriCorps that they never thought they could do, and 63% agreed that they had the opportunity to explore a new career. Fifty-one percent reported that their service activities related “a lot” to their long-term job and career plans.
• Diversity skills increased (full-year and summer members). Many indicators of diversity skills showed statistically significant positive change:

• 70% of all members agreed that the AmeriCorps experience exposed them to groups of people different from themselves. Furthermore, 55% reported more frequent socializing with someone of another race or ethnicity from the pre- to the post-service test, 31% reported no change, and 13% reported a decrease.
• 71% of all members agreed that their AmeriCorps experience enhanced their understanding of people different from them.
• There was an increase in the degree to which full-year members encouraged different points of view from the pre- to the post- survey: 33% increased how often they encourage different points of view, 43% showed no change, and 23% decreased.

• Experience solving problems increased (full-year and summer members). Twenty-six percent of members reported an increase in their experience with solving problems from the pre- to the post- survey, 64% reported no change, and 10% reported a decrease.
• It appears likely that developing the new skills listed above will positively impact members beyond their service experience. Full-year and summer members alike reported significant confidence in their ability to transfer their new skills to current and future jobs:

• 76% of all members reported that their AmeriCorps experience would help them “a great deal” or “quite a bit” to improve their job performance


• 68% reported that their AmeriCorps experience would help them “a great deal” or “quite a bit” to find a job


• 55% reported that their AmeriCorps experience would help them “a great deal” or “quite a bit” to get a job promotion


• 45% reported that their AmeriCorps experience would help them “a great deal” or “quite a bit” to make a career change

Comparison group data are not available and thus these pre- and post-service skill increases cannot be attributed to the AmeriCorps experience. However, other research indicates that non-members typically do not develop skills at the rate and to the degree shown above.

(back to index)

Areas of No Significant Change

• Communication and relationship skills did not increase (full-year and summer members). There was no significant increase from the pre- to the post- survey in the degree to which members conducted positive communication and negotiation behaviors, such as “presenting your ideas without criticizing those of others,” “encouraging the participation of other team members and supporting their right to be heard,” and “negotiating, compromising and getting along with co-workers, supervisors.” It should be noted, however, that these questions had a three-point scale, which gives them little discriminating power and makes it difficult to detect changes. It is possible that the apparent lack of change in these skills is largely due to questionnaire structure.
• Attitudes in favor of diversity did not change (full-year and summer members). Although skills and behavior in favor of diversity increased, as covered above, pro-diversity attitudes did not. However, once again, this is likely a result of the high degree of pro-diversity attitudes that members had prior to their service. Attitude toward diversity was measured by a composite variable that measured level of agreement from one to five, where one is “strongly disagree” and five is “strongly agree,” to pro-diversity statements such as “if people from different backgrounds took the time to understand each other, there wouldn’t be many social problems.” In this composite variable, 77% averaged more than a four in the pre-survey. Clearly, starting from such a positive position makes it difficult to show further improvement.
• Interest in socializing and working in a diverse setting did not change (full- year and summer). Interest in social and work opportunities with those from a different race or ethnicity did not increase. Again, this may be due to the high degree of interest in diverse settings that members had to begin with. Members were asked to give their level of interest, where one is “not very interested” and five is “very interested,” to socializing and working with people from diverse backgrounds. In the post-service test, 83% responded with a four or five regarding their interest in socializing with people from diverse backgrounds and 80% gave this response regarding their interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds.
(back to index)

Areas of Potential Concern

• Comfort level with those of other racial or ethnic background decreased (full-year members). Although, as covered above, it appears that diversity skills increased, particularly in full-year members, full-year member comfort level in applying those diversity skills decreased. From the pre- to post- survey, 35% decreased their comfort level in “interacting with people from different racial or ethnic background,” 48% had no change in comfort level, and 17% increased their comfort level. Another question corroborates this finding. In a pre- and post- survey question that asked to what degree the member “felt comfortable belonging to groups where people are different than me,” 35% reported less comfort in the post- relative to the pre- survey, 52% showed no change, and 13% showed an increase in comfort level. (back to index)

PERSONAL ASPIRATIONS AND CONFIDENCE

Areas of Positive Change

• Educational aspirations increased (full-year and summer members). AmeriCorps service appears to encourage planning for increased educational achievement. Over half of the members (53%) reported that, because of their AmeriCorps experience, they were more likely to continue their education. Forty-four percent reported that the AmeriCorps experience had no effect and 3% that it decreased the chances of continuing their education. Indeed, 63% of members said the educational award was “very important” (a five on a one-to-five scale) for continuing their education.

Pre- and post- survey responses regarding the highest level of educational attainment members expected to achieve showed more modest but still significant changes: 25% reported a higher level of expected educational attainment in the post- than in the pre- survey, 63% reported no change, and 12% reported a decrease. (back to index)

Areas of No Significant Change

• Sense of control over ability to succeed in the job market was unchanged (full- year and summer members). Members showed no improvement from the pre- to the post- survey in their ability to negotiate the job market and secure the job they want. Again, this seems to be largely due to the positive attitude with which members started their service, which makes it very difficult to show increases. For example, coming into their AmeriCorps experience, 69% of members disagreed that there weren’t enough jobs for them to get the job they wanted, and 87% disagreed that the job market was unfair to them. In other words, members came in with a healthy sense of control about their job prospects and left with that same positive attitude.
• Sense of control over ability to succeed educationally was unchanged (full- year and summer members). Members showed no improvement from the pre- to the post- survey in their ability to succeed with their education. Again, this seems to be largely due to the positive attitude with which members started their service, which makes it very difficult to show increases.
(back to index)

Areas of Potential Concern

There were no areas of potential concern in the area of personal aspirations and confidence. (back to index)

CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS

This preliminary analysis of the impact of AmeriCorps on members’ behaviors, skills, and attitudes shows that members experience significant positive changes during their service experience. Although not all of the outcomes measured show positive change, there is evidence that members develop positive civic engagement behaviors and attitudes, increase their diversity and problem-solving skills, and increase their educational attainment goals.

This is an interim report, which will be incorporated into a final report in 2003. Analysis of the 24-month follow-up survey data, which will be completed in 2003, will test to what extent the outcomes demonstrated in the pre- and post-service surveys are maintained long-term. Furthermore, it is hoped that comparison data gathered at the national level will help to determine the causality of the changes reported above. Finally, the final report will provide more benchmark information, where possible, as well as recommendations for the Commission. (back to index)