DOI: 10.3886/icpsr38183
title: Y Strong Communities Study, United States, 2019-2020
title: Archival Version

description: In November 2019, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) launched the Y Strong Communities Study to explore how experiences with the YMCA (or "the Y") have affected the lives of Y participants and their communities. NORC fielded a survey with over 3,000 individuals who were Y members or who had participated in activities at the Y. Topics covered by the survey included Y engagement (duration and frequency of Y participation), reflections on the Y (e.g., whether the Y helps them develop connect to resources), community involvement, and health and well-being. Additional information collected by the survey includes work status, volunteer activity, attendance of faith-based services, gender identity, age, ethnicity, race, and educational attainment.
NORC also fielded two rounds of questions on the <strong>AmeriSpeak Omnibus survey</strong> in November 2019 and March 2020 to collect a general population comparison for the Y participant survey.
description: The goal of this study is to develop and implement an online, cross-sectional survey with a sample of Y participants, who are defined as individuals who are either members of a YMCA or have participated in activities at a YMCA. With this, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) is seeking to explore the role that Ys play in strengthening communities through youth and adult engagement. Data will be collected using a web-based survey, though respondents can request to be sent a paper survey if they prefer.
To compare the responses of Y participants to those of the general population, the study will also field several survey questions on the AmeriSpeak Omnibus survey. The AmeriSpeak Omnibus is a monthly survey of 1,000 nationally representative adults age 18 and older drawn from the AmeriSpeak Panel, a probability-based national online panel operated by NORC. AmeriSpeak panelists complete surveys online and by phone. All AmeriSpeak panelists will be asked about their Y participation in order to identify the general population comparison.
description: The <strong>AmeriSpeak Omnibus Surveys</strong> will cover the following domains:

Health and well-being
Involvement with YMCA

The <strong>Y Member Survey</strong> will cover the following domains:

<strong>Section 1: Y Engagement,</strong> including the duration and frequency of Y participation for the respondent and members of their household
<strong>Section 2: Reflections on the Y,</strong> including questions about how the Y has benefited the respondents and their communities
<strong>Section 3: Community Involvement,</strong> including questions about community participation and sense of community
<strong>Section 4: Health and Well-Being,</strong> including measures of physical, mental, and financial well-being
<strong>Section 5: Demographics and Other Activities,</strong> including contextual factors that can affect the ways that individuals perceive the strength of their communities (e.g., age and gender identity)
description: Weighting adjustments for Y participants were used to account for unequal selection probabilities, non-response, and associations that were not sampled. The AmeriSpeak sample was weighted to account for selection probabilities, non-response, and demographic benchmarks.
description: Response Rates: The overall response rate for the Y member survey was 28.50%
description: Presence of Common Scales: No common scales used.
description: For the <strong>Y Member Survey</strong>, researchers drew a sample of 30 Ys that were proportional to the spread of Ys across regions and operating revenue. The Ys provided contact information for their membership and 12,000 individuals from the data set were randomly sampled . After verifying addresses, they sent the survey to 11,990 individuals, and received 3,417 complete responses. Data were collected through self-administered web and mailed questionnaires.
The <strong>AmeriSpeak Omnibus Surveys</strong> were also used to collect data for a general population comparison. The Omnibus is a twice-a-month, multi-client survey using a probability sample that delivers 1,000 nationally representative adult interviews age 18 and older. Respondents are interviewed online and by phone from National Opinion Research Center (NORC)'s AmeriSpeak Panel.
description: Datasets: 
DS0: Study-Level Files
DS1: 2019 AmeriSpeak Omnibus Survey
DS2: 2020 AmeriSpeak Omnibus Survey
DS3: Y Member Survey
description: <strong>Y Member Survey:</strong> Adults aged 18 or higher who are Y members or participants of Y programs
<strong>AmeriSpeak Omnibus Survey:</strong> U.S. adults aged 18 or higher. Smallest Geographic Unit: region
description: computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI); mail questionnaire; web-based surveyFor additional information on the Y Strong Communities
Study, please visit the AmeriSpeak and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) websites.