Administer
Run your survey well, ensuring you include everyone
Your Church Life Survey process enables you to listen to your church attenders and discern priorities and directions for the future. So organise your attenders to complete your surveys, encouraging them to contribute their thoughts and feedback. You can select a survey day or a survey period, in which attenders complete their surveys.
Each participating church will receive a Survey Kit including a range of surveys, along with a Guide for the person coordinating the survey at the church and Instructions for completing the Attender Survey, as well as other optional surveys e.g. Child Survey and Local Community Survey.
1. How to coordinate the survey at your church
3. Other Surveys: Child Survey, Local Community Survey
4. Checklist of key tasks to Administer
1. How to coordinate the Church Life Survey at your church
Please refer to the Survey Coordinator's Guide, provided in your Survey Kit for the person coordinating the survey at your church. Also provided in your Kit are Site Instructions for Survey Day, displaying your NCLS Church Code, along with Instructions for other optional surveys including Child and Community Surveys (if ordered).
Churches can choose anytime to conduct the survey, either a survey week or a survey period of a few weeks. Churches normally select a 'survey week' or a time period free from special events e.g. baptisms. Survey all attenders at worship services, mass, small groups and activities during your chosen period.
Survey Coordinator's Guide
Read the Survey Coordinator's Guide for all you need to know to complete a Church Life Survey at your church.
Site Instructions
Distribute the Site Instructions, along with Attender Surveys and Collection Envelopes to church leaders at every church location or site where you will complete the survey.
Download Site Instructions (Sample only)
The Attender Survey
It is best to complete the Attender Survey together during a Worship Service, Mass, or activity of spiritual nurture. Options are provided for in-person gatherings as well as live online streamed services.
Each attender must complete the survey once only. The survey takes around 15-20 minutes to complete.
It is optional and confidential. Parents can decline the participation of their 15 year old child.
Online option: The Attender Survey can be completed on a paper survey form, or online at attendersurvey.ncls.org.au
Additional resources including Church Code Display Slides and images, the online survey QR Code, as well as Worship resources, are available to help run the survey at your church on your chosen survey day(s).
See Full Instructions for the Attender Survey
The Child Survey (if ordered)
If your church ordered Child Surveys for church attenders aged 8 to 14, you can view instructions and resources to help you complete the Child Survey, either alongside adult attenders in a worship service or Mass, or in a children's activity.
The Child Survey is for church attenders aged 8 to 14 years. It explores children's faith, spirituality and their experiences of church life. It is best to be completed together e.g. during a children's activity of spiritual nurture, Worship Service, or Mass. Options are provided for in person gatherings as well as live online streamed services.
Online option: The Child Survey can be completed via paper surveys or online at childsurvey.ncls.org.au
See Full Instructions for the Child Survey
The Local Community Survey (if ordered)
If your church ordered Local Community Surveys for people in your local community who are connected with your church in some way, you can view instructions and resources to help you run this survey.
Online only: The Local Community Survey can be completed online at communitysurvey.ncls.org.au
See Full Instructions for the Local Community Survey4. Checklist of key tasks in your chosen Survey period:
Before the survey:
1. Each church may nominate a person to coordinate the survey. When you receive your Survey Kit, check over the contents, reading the Guide for Church Survey Coordinators.
2. Remind your church of the date(s) that the survey will be held. Invite them to bring along their smart device if they would like to complete the Attender Survey or Child Survey online during church.
3. Provide Parent Information Sheets to parents and carers before the survey, for any child completing either the Attender Survey (aged 15) or the Child Survey (aged 8-14).
Completing the survey:
3. Circulate Site Instructions for the Attender Survey showing your NCLS Church Code, along with Attender Survey forms, Collection Envelopes and Survey Return Coversheet to leaders of each worship service, Mass and/or activity where you are completing the Attender Survey. (Multi site churches need to distribute materials to each church location or site.)
4. If your church ordered Child Surveys, circulate Child Survey Instructions showing your NCLS Church Code, Child Surveys and Collection Envelopes to leaders of each worship service, Mass or activity where you are completing the Child Survey. Ensure parents and carers have received the Parent Information Sheet prior to completion. (Multi site churches need to distribute materials to each church location or site.)
5. If your church ordered Local Community Surveys, complete the survey during your chosen survey period. Invite community contacts to complete the Local Community Survey online, providing them with your Church Code.
6. Collect completed Attender Surveys and Child Surveys in Collection Envelopes back from each worship service and group. The Survey Return Coversheet should be completed for each location and included with their completed surveys.
7. If your church completed any surveys online, track completion rates of surveys online using your Admin Key. Remind participants to complete their survey.
Within 2 weeks after completion of surveys:
8. As you gather all completed survey items, ensure that the Survey Return Coversheet has been completed to ensure all items are included. (Multi site churches will need to complete a Coversheet for every location or site returning surveys).
9. Place all completed survey items and the Coversheet/s into a post pack or box. Stick on the mailing label provided.
10. Post back to NCLS Research, PO Box 92, North Ryde BC, NSW 1670. Thank you for covering return postage.
