Strategic Planning Interview Results

In the fall of 2013, following up on a survey sent to over 900 ATD Fourth World Movement (ATD) members to help guide strategic planning for 2014-2017, we developed interview questions with the following three purposes:

1. Deepen understanding of survey findings – how and why people responded as they did, in addition to what they responded.
2. Generate ideas for how to build on and grow organizational strengths.
3. Engage diverse members in building ATD’s future from these strengths.

From the 19 interviews, the following themes emerged:Strengths:

•  People-centered approach (adaptive, mobile, warm)
•  First-hand involvement and experience produces learning and awareness
•  Creating spaces where members can connect and share strengths

Areas for improvement:

•  Developing fundraising and communication with people who don’t have experience of involvement with ATD projects
  •  Leverage the power of stories
•  Supporting many members’ employment training and pre-employment training needs, including accompanying and connecting with resources

New Ideas: 

•  Focus more on the criminal justice system
•  Launch entrepreneurial projects to help people living in poverty learn skills and earn money
•  Online People’s University

Interview sample:A team that included Anna Fagergren, Dave Meyer, Bruno Dabout, and our teams in Appalachia, New York, New Mexico, and New Orleans interviewed members, who were selected for their diverse experiences with ATD throughout the US.Eight (42%) of the nineteen interviewees were members who have lived in poverty, nine (47%) were supporters or friends of ATD, and two (11%) were current Volunteer Corps members (also called Volunteers, our staff). We consciously chose mainly friends and members who are not part of our staff since our staff will have other opportunities to give its input during the planning. We included people who have been involved with ATD Fourth World from between one and thirty years, people who live near to and far from local teams, and people who work on similar issues in their neighborhoods and their jobs.Interview Questions:These 18 members answered 16 questions in the following categories(see the full report for full interview questions):1.) Involving Current and New Members2.) Communications and Raising Awareness3.) Organizational Quality4.) Project ChoicesInterview Responses & Findings:The interview team recorded the responses in audio and writing and inserted the written responses, as close to word-for-word as possible, in a spreadsheet. Using a data analysis process that produced larger categories, called “codes,” for the full interview responses, the team analyzed these responses to find common themes.In cases where one interviewee gave more than one response to a question, the team separately coded responses that belonged in unique categories.You can download the full report and see how the responses stacked up by clicking here.