Outcomes of survey of recipients of ARRCC Newsletters

ARRCC conducted a survey of supporters via our newsletter in August 2016. Altogether 79 people responded. Nearly all were people of faith and the majority were Christians. Overall, the results showed that respondents highly value ARRCC and have been prompted by ARRCC to take a range of actions. Most are connected with other environmental organisations.

Almost half of respondents described the newsletters as “often helpful” and a third described the newsletters as “very often” or “always helpful”. Over two-thirds of the people who responded receive newsletters from three or more other environmental organisations.

The following were some of the reasons given for why people value ARRCC’s role:

• “It operates in a different space to any other organisation in Australia and has a huge potential to make a difference to Australia’s (and Australians’) response to the challenge of climate change.”
• “Contributing moral authority to climate action, making clear the link between spirituality and the imperative to care for creation.”
• “The world needs the example of people of faith taking a lively interest in such affairs; people like William Wilberforce come to mind.”
• “The multi-faith aspect is spiritually and morally potent.”
• “A united response, modelling the unity that will be required globally to tackle this problem.”

Regrettably, there was a mistake in the construction of the survey at first. It had some questions allowing only one answer when we were seeking more than one.  46 people responded to this early version of the survey. They were asked, “Which actions have you taken because you were prompted by ARRCC?” 54% of respondents answered that they had taken more than one action because they were prompted by ARRCC, but those who chose just one action most often answered “writing to my local MP” (11%) and “animating my own community” (13%).

33 responded to the second version of the same survey which successfully allowed more than one answer to some of the questions. When they were asked, “Which actions have you taken because you were prompted by ARRCC?”

• The most popular form of action for this group was “attending events” (50%)
• 42% had written to their local MP
• 40% said they were reducing their meat consumption
• 9% had switched banks and super funds
• Over 45% said they had been animating their local community
• 9% had visited their local MP
• 40% had used public transport

Clearly, ARRCC is successful in engaging people, at least to some extent. 

by Thea Ormerod