Thank you for writing to us with your question. We hesitate to provide a definitive response, since your best response will be shaped by local conditions particular to your survey. But we can offer some general observations that we hope might be helpful for you.
Ideally, we think you’d want a survey that everyone will feel good about and get behind – both parents, youth, and your agency – and that will also be used in actual practice to create better outcomes for your target group. You don’t want it to be a dust collector!
This suggests the value of outreach and discussion with all stakeholders before the survey actually begins, regarding survey purposes, specific content, and methods of administration. All of this should of course be as open, transparent, and responsive to input as possible. (It should actively solicit input as well.) We realize that while this may be conceptually easy, it can practically be more challenging.
Beyond that, since we are not familiar with your particular situation on the ground, we think it will help to consult with those who are, or who have more specific expertise in this area than we do.
More specifically, this would include your local IRB, whose general guidance could be useful to you, even though you state that IRB approval would not be necessary in your case (and we would double-check that assertion).
Regarding the legalities of consent, which might be governed by state or local laws or regulations, do you or your nonprofit have access to legal counsel?
And can you search for similar surveys that have been done with similar target groups, either inside or outside your area, and learn how they have dealt with the challenges you describe?
By taking these factors into account and resolving them as best you can, your survey will be more likely to make a positive difference in your community. We hope so. And we wish you great success as your work proceeds.
