[Sust-mar] Eco-Employment, Internships & Volunteering in Canada -- GoodWork Survey Results
Peter Blanchard
p2 at planetfriendly.net
Wed Jun 28 11:07:33 EDT 2006
"GoodWork made me realize that I can work ethically, and that
there is a whole community out there dedicated to the same."
-- GoodWork Canada survey respondent
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GOODWORK SURVEY RESULTS
GoodWork Canada http://www.GoodWorkCanada.ca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you to everyone who responded to the GoodWork Survey.
Almost 1,400 of you took the time to share your thoughts and
experiences with us. Here are some highlights from both surveys,
from GoodWork readers, employers and job seekers.
-- Peter Blanchard, www.GoodWorkCanada.ca
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CONTENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) About GoodWork and the Surveys
(2) Reader Survey Highlights & Quotes
(3) Employer Survey Highlights & Quotes
(4) Sustaining & Improving GoodWork
(5) Supporting GoodWork
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(1) ABOUT GOODWORK and the Survey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GoodWork is Canada's gateway to employment and participation
in environment, peace, sustainable living and related themes.
It can be found on the web at www.GoodWorkCanada.ca
GoodWork is best known for its listings of jobs, contracts,
internships and other opportunities, from across Canada and
beyond. Postings are published on the web and by e-mail.
GoodWork also provides a unique collection of links, resources,
gateways and guides for anyone who wishes to explore the
possibilities.
THE GOODWORK SURVEYS
Two detailed surveys were sent out in early 2006. Over
1,200 people responded to the Reader Survey, while over
180 employers responded to the Employer Survey.
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(2) GOODWORK READER SURVEY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All GoodWork readers and subscribers were invited to participate
in the Reader Survey, in April and May 2006. Over 1,200 people
responded. Here are some highlights, grouped by theme:
== YOU & GOODWORK ==
* GoodWork ranked #1 in respondents' evaluation of job
websites, e-mail lists, media or other job search methods.
* Most of you are using GoodWork for more than one
reason: you're seeking paid employment... but you'd also
consider volunteer, board roles or internships... you're
also finding useful ideas, information, networking and
inspiration in GoodWork postings.
* The majority of those who responded (86%) say they
read GoodWork postings at least once a week, including
34% who read them daily.
* Hundreds of you have been hired for jobs or contracts
through GoodWork. Those of you who have not yet found
the work you're seeking have been making good use of
the job search tips, resources, links and listings at
GoodWorkCanada.ca.
* When asked, "How important is GoodWork to you in
other ways, not related to your job search?", 80% of
you said it was at least "somewhat important", including
30% who chose "important" and 15% who chose "very
important". People explained that they find GoodWork
to be a source of ideas, information, connections,
networking, community, inspiration and hope.
* Most of you (63%) _are_ making use of the links and
resources that come with many GoodWork postings.
You're using them for information, inspiration, networking
and the "hidden job search". The many resources at
GoodWorkCanada.ca are also being used. A much smaller
percentage chose "no" (6%) or "I didn't notice they were
there" (16%). (The GoodWork special edition, "The Hidden
Eco-Job Market", dealt with this topic in more detail.)
== YOUR INTERESTS & MOTIVES ==
* Your interests are diverse and cover all GoodWork
themes: environment, sustainability, peace, organics,
energy, global issues, and related themes.
* When asked "How important is it for you to find work
related to GoodWork themes?", most of you answered
"Very important -- I very much want to do this kind of
work" (48%); followed by "Critical - I will only accept
work that is related to these interests" (18%); and
"Somewhat important -- there are many other things that
interest me too" (17%). Only 0.6% of you answered
"Not important -- I just want to find a job".
* When asked "What is the most pressing reason that you
are looking for work?", the most common choice was
"I'm looking for more meaningful or important work"
(28%); followed by "I'm looking for work more related to
my interests" (21%); and "I need the money - I am or soon
will be unemployed (or out of school)" (19%); and a variety
of other less common answers.
* When asked "Why are you interested in work related to
environment, peace or sustainability?" most of you (61%)
chose "I want to help create a more sustainable/peaceful
world", followed by a variety of other answers.
== YOUR JOB SEARCH & NETWORKING ==
* Some of you are actively looking for work (41%), while
others are just keeping an eye out for the right opportunity
(35%), or preparing for a future job search (12%).
* The type of work you are seeking covers the full range of
options -- from project coordination, to organic gardening,
to activism, to writing and creative work, to scientific roles,
to small business, to senior management and more.
* When asked "Where would you seriously consider accepting
work?", 20% of you answered "anywhere in the world";
15% "anywhere in Canada"; 6% "anywhere in my province";
18% "only in my part of the province"; 16% "only in my
city or town".
* Many of you (at least 57%) are already participating in
groups, organizations or companies related to GoodWork
themes. Your roles include member, volunteer, employee,
board member, manager, entrepreneur, contractor, intern,
donor, investor and shareholder.
== YOUR BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE ==
* Most GoodWork readers live in Canada (81% of respondents)
with the remainder living in many countries around the world.
You live in all ten Canadian provinces and at least two of its
territories (there were no respondents from the Northwest
Territories).
* Most but not all of you have some degree of post secondary
education. (Bachelors 46%; Masters 24%; College or technical
Diploma 12%; Post-baccalaureate diploma 5%; Doctorate 3%;
High School 3%; Other 1%).
* Your field of study varied greatly. (The largest single
grouping of respondents, 34%, report having studied in
a field related to environment.)
* Some of you have lots of experience, while others are
just starting out: 26% have five or more years of related
experience; 28% have one to four years; 20% have relevant
education or training but little related work experience.
Yet others reported no related education or experience,
or did not answer this question.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SURVEY QUOTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"GoodWork made me realize that I can work ethically,
and that there is a whole community out there dedicated
to the same."
"GoodWork gives a global perspective to my field and
related fields of work and lifestyle. Connects me to my
community and larger community."
"I am continually given hope and have more than once
forwarded the postings to friends that have responded to
them with success, and I have kept many postings in my
inbox just for contacts for the future."
"GoodWork has inspired me to keep looking for a
worthy organization doing socially and environmentally
good work."
"GoodWork is a key component of my attempt at an
enlightened society/life."
"GoodWork has really had a positive 'snowball' effect
on my life, and I feel now that this momentum has begun
I am almost unstoppable!"
"Good things going on in this crazed world of ours."
"Great connections and ideas."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(3) GOODWORK EMPLOYER SURVEY & STATISTICS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Over 180 employers responded to the GoodWork Employer
Survey, in February 2006. This represents approximately
25% of the 700 employers who were invited, almost all of
whom have posted opportunities with GoodWorkCanada.ca.
* Number of opportunities posted to GoodWork, from
March 2001 to Feb 2006, inclusive: 2,001 -- including
667 postings in 2005 alone.
* Approximately 70% of GoodWork postings are paid employment
or contracts. The rest include internships (paid, unpaid, barter
or stipend) plus a variety of other opportunities.
* A majority of employers (64%) say that they've posted
with GoodWork "more than once", including 22% who
chose "every time we have an opening". A majority also say
they'll post with GoodWork again in the next few months.
The largest grouping of those who said they would *not* post
again soon cited infrequent openings, rather than any lack
of satisfaction with the service.
* When asked "What did you like about posting with GoodWork,
or the results of the posting?", the most popular answer (35%)
was "targeted / appropriate applicants", followed by "excellent
quantity of responses" (26%); "easy and convenient to post"
(13%); "high calibre of applicants" (12%); "diverse skills and
background of applicants" (8%); "affordable/pwyc/by donation"
(8%); and "fast distribution" (4%).
* When asked, "Have your posting(s) with GoodWork brought
in applications from qualified, motivated, suitable candidates?",
63% answered "Yes" or "Very much so"; 15% answered
"Somewhat"; and 4% "Not at all".
* Other benefits: "Were there any other results, successes, or
unexpected benefits from posting with GoodWork?" Answers:
"Increased awareness of our project or organization" (30%);
"Several or all of these benefits" (13%);
"Increased participation or volunteering" (7%);
"Valuable contacts, collaborations or spin-offs" (6%);
"Useful ideas, information or feedback" (3%);
"Increased membership, sales, donations or funding (1%);
"Don't know" or no answer (32%).
A remaining 8% reported no known benefits.
* "Do you feel that GoodWork is a good place to post
senior-level openings such as executive directors, managers,
senior campaigners, specialists, skilled consultants?"
Yes: 35%; Very much so: 18%; Don't know: 32%;
No: 9%; No answer: 6%.
* "Do you feel that finding excellent staff, management, or
other help is a key success factor for your organization?"
Three quarters of employers chose "Very much so" (75%),
followed by "Yes" (17%) and "Somewhat" (1%). Only
1% chose "Not at all". (A remaining 6% chose "don't know"
or did not answer this question).
* "Do you feel that networks, portals and shared infrastructure
-- such as GoodWork -- are essential to the success of the
environmental, peace or sustainability movement?"
57% chose "Very much so"; an additional 25% chose "Yes";
only 8% chose "Somewhat"; 1% chose "No".
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EMPLOYER QUOTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* "We post all of our positions with GoodWork."
* "The service is amazing. Sometimes we need to fill in a
position fairly quickly and sometimes, the turnaround with
GoodWork from the time of the posting to when the person
gets hired is less than one week."
* "Good Work -- like all of the People and Planet enterprises --
makes an invaluable contribution to the ability of socially
and environmentally concerned individuals and organizations
to find each other. ... It reaches into all the networks that
we want to connect with ... helping us to save time and money
in our outreach efforts."
* "We have had much success with the candidates that have
applied to our postings on your website. We have posted on
numerous websites and feel that the response we receive from
GoodWork is more targeted. The service is fast and efficient."
* "I'm very impressed by the additional information and links
that GoodWork provides. It's a true and valuable resource."
* I post [events] to People & Planet whenever I hold an
event, and so far the turnout has been spectacular. I have
asked some people how they found out and they respond
"People & Planet".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(4) SUSTAINING & IMPROVING GOODWORK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The surveys also solicited a variety of comments on the importance
of sustaining and improving GoodWork, People & Planet. To do
this, we need your support -- please see below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(5) HELP SUPPORT GOODWORK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GoodWork is a user-supported project, depending on contributions
from both readers and employers. Managing GoodWork is a
full-time effort. If you want to see it continue and thrive,
we need your support!
Please consider making a monthly or annual contribution:
http://www.planetfriendly.net/donate.html
...or consider another way to help:
http://www.planetfriendly.net/help/
For a healthier, more sustainable world,
- Peter Blanchard,
Founder & Coordinator,
GoodWork, People & Planet
--
GoodWork Canada
http://www.GoodWorkCanada.ca
People & Planet
http://www.Planetfriendly.net
Post a Job, Internship or Other Opportunity:
http://www.planetfriendly.net/goodworksubmit.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Disclaimer: This document is provided free-of-charge for your
interest. It is not intended to be a complete analysis, nor is it
guaranteed to be completely accurate -- although we have done
our best to ensure that it accurately represents the data. Any
corrections
will be posted here: http://www.planetfriendly.net/surveysummary.txt
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