Camping Survey?

[Keys4scout 2]

We recently went camping with our new "double in size" pack.  There was a huge difference camping with 30 families than the 15 families that went last year.

 

I felt like we did some things well, and we need to make improvements in other areas.

 

I would like to create an anonymous, voluntary survey for the parents but I'm not sure what kind of questions to ask.  I don't want to use leading questions, but I want to give useful information that I can use to plan our Spring camp out.

 

Any suggestions?  Am I asking for trouble?  Have you done a survey?

[blw2 433]

we tried surveys a couple of times, but it was more about ranking places to go..... finding where the most interest is.

I can't say that it really helped all that much..... most of our folks don't read emails or participate in stuff like that much.

and beside this would steer it to be to/from adults too much

 

I might suggest a 5 minute or less open discussion at a pack meeting, focusing on input from the scouts but to a lessor degree involving the parents in the discussion too....ending with an open invitation to approach any scouter with additional comments/feedback/emails....

[MattR 2659]

I wouldn't use a survey for one campout. We do something after every campout that we call roses, thorns and buds. The BSA calls it stop, start, continue. The idea is get everyone in groups of about 10 (we do it by patrol) to stand in a circle and politely talk about what went great, what went wrong, and what should be done in the future. By explicitly asking for examples of each of those the most important issues come up.

 

Asking for feedback is important. Your parents will really appreciate it. Doing it face to face should help tone down the snarky comments you might get with an electronic survey. It would be good to have at least one person in each circle that can encourage people and also keep things civil/not personal.

[CalicoPenn 729]

I like the idea of taking the pulse live at a Pack meeting.  I can see taking a few minutes right before the opening ceremony to do it.  Rather than do it by Den, I'd mix up the families that were there into groups - and have one person lead the discussion - asking the Boys for their opinions first, then asking the parents.  I would also get together as a group any families that did not make the camping trip and ask them questions about what prevented them from attending (scheduling? family emergencies? Never camped before? Unsure of the activities?) and what could the Pack do to help them attend the next one (loan of equipment, state park with flush toilets, etc.).