Methodology of Voluntary Work Survey

Introduction.
First: Sope stage.
Second: Design stage.
Third: Organization stage.
Fourth: Collection stage.
Fifth: Disaggregation stage.
Sixth: Revision stage.
Seventh: Publication stage.
Eighth: Evaluation stage.
Ninth: Managment stage.

Introduction:

GASTAT implements all its statistical works in accordance with a unified methodology that compile with the nature of each statistical product. It relies on the Manual of the Statistical Procedures which conforms with the procedures adopted by the international organizations. The statistical product goes through eight connected stages, in addition to a ninth stage (the comprehensive "management" stage), which are as follows:

The first three stages (Scope, design, and organization) are collaborative stages between GASTAT and its clients from the different developmental entities. However, the fourth stage (Data collection) is a collaborative stage between GASTAT and the statistical community either households or establishments, in order to complete data and information. On the other hands, the rest of the stages are considered statistical stages carried out by GASTAT, including (Disaggregation, revision, and publication). After that, the eighth stage (Evaluation) is done through collaboration with clients again, whereas the (Management) stage is an administrative and organizational stage the is connected with all stages. These stages have been applied on the Voluntary Work survey as follows:

First Stage: The scope:

The first step in the process of producing (Voluntary Work survey), it is also the first collaborative stage between GASTAT and a number of relevant governmental and private sectors, such as the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Labour and Social Development and institutions and associations concerned with voluntary work. Many workshops and meeting have been held between GASTAT and these entities to understand their needs and requirements as they are considered the most important beneficiaries of the Voluntary Work results. Their views were taken into account to ensure that all the objectives of the Voluntary Work Survey were met, which are summarized as follows:

Supporting decision and policy makers, researchers, and those who are interested in getting up-to-date and comprehensive statistics related to voluntary work in Saudi Arabia.
Empowering the government and private sectors to investigate the voluntary work changes and get use of them in the preparation and planning of future social and economic development programs in Saudi Arabia, in addition to increasing the effectiveness of voluntary work.
Providing the academic sectors with the requirements of social and economic studies and research.
Providing up-to-date statistics on:

Estimating the percentage of volunteers during the last four weeks.
Estimating the percentage of volunteers during the last twelve months.
Estimating the average voluntary work hours during the last four weeks.
Estimating the average voluntary work hours during the last twelve months
Identifying the nature of voluntary work in terms of its frequency and fields through (institutions and individuals).
Providing detailed data on voluntary works by occupations and economic activity.

At this stage the statistics to be published were verified to make sure it meets the requirements of the Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, in addition to its coverage of regional requirements such as (the Statistical Center of GCC countries) and the international requirements of (ILO).

Second Stage: The design:

The stage of designing the statistical work as it is considered a whole product. Through this stage, the statistical community is determined, statistical framework, survey sample, and questionnaire are designed, methods and tools of data collection are identified, and sampling units are specified. Clients collaborate in all these procedures to benefit from their feedbacks, so that all requirements can be achieved within the statistical product..

2.1. Statistical community:

The most important outputs of this stage are:

Statistical community of the voluntary work survey consists of all individuals (Saudis and non-Saudis) who habitually live in Saudi Arabia.

2.2. Statistics sources:

It is based on the Household Survey (Voluntary Work Survey) conducted by GASTAT for the first time in 2018 as a source of data. It is also a household field survey that falls under the category of (Social Statistics) in which information is collected by visiting a representative sample of all administrative regions in Saudi Arabia and completing an electronic questionnaire containing a number of questions. This provides estimates and indicators related to volunteers from the population (15+) who settle in Saudi Arabia, as well as the most important indicators of voluntary work such as the percentages of volunteers, in addition to measuring opinions about volunteering.

2.3. Terminologies and Concepts in the Voluntary Work Survey :

2.3.1. Survey Sample: all household members who share the same dwelling including domestic workers and the like.

2.3.2. Household: An individual or a group of individuals - with or without kinship binding them to one another - who share residence and food during the enumeration. The household includes:

1Saudi individuals who usually live with the household but they were absent while the survey was conducted for being temporarily away (abroad). For example: businessmen, tourists, people who travel for medication, students studying abroad on a scholarship.
Individuals who usually live with the household but have been absent while the survey was conducted for taking shifts, such as guards, physicians, nurses, airport staff and fishers .
Domestic workers such as servants, drivers and the like who are living with the same household.
Individuals travelling inside Saudi Arabia.

2.3.3. Voluntary work: Any activity (or contribution) where an individual provides services for no financial gain to benefit another person or any (governmental, profit, or non-profit) organization, but not for any household member. The voluntary activity is not obligatory, it is optional.

Based on this definitions, a work is considered a voluntary one when:

It is not paid (excluding allowances of transportation, costs of living, or the like which are paid for an actual action performed by the volunteer).
It lasts for one hour at least during the reference periods.
It is not provided for one of the household members, for example, taking care of one of the household members, or teaching them is not considered a voluntary work.
The volunteer is not forced to work, but carry out this work with his /her own free will. The voluntary work can be done by (non-profit or profit governmental) institution, or by performed to serve someone, for example, (cooking or delivering food to poor people- helping a blind person- or taking care of a sick person).

It is worthy note that the time spent for entertainment or on social media is not included within volunteer work domain. However, the time spent on social media for social / developmental / human purpose is considered volunteer work.

The volunteer work can be expanded to include all unpaid works done by an individual in activities for the benefit of public, institution, individual, or individuals. Some domains related to volunteer work are humanitarian activities such as: providing relief and support for vulnerable groups or needy persons as well as improving aspects of life of those in need. Volunteer work also covers development fields, such as: )education, health, environment, etc.( and services provided to pilgrims and Umrah performers..

2.3.4. Volunteers: Population (15 years+) who provided assistance including any unpaid work or (contribution) done by the individual for serving others for at least one hour during the periods of reference, provided that it is an optional work and is not for the benefit of any member of the household.

2.3.5. Volunteers over the past four weeks: Population (15 +) who carried out, during the periods of reference (the previous four weeks), one of the following work:

Assisting and helping others for at least one hour for free, without salary or profit (cash or in kind) in the domains of business, industrial or agricultural work.

2.3.6. Volunteers over the past 12 months: Population (15 +) who carried out, during the periods of reference (the previous 12 months), one of the following work:

Assisting and helping others for at least one hour for free, without salary or profit (cash or in kind) in the domains of business, industrial or agricultural work.

2.3.7. Volunteers using the internet over the past 12 months: Volunteers (15 +) who used the internet while carrying out one of the volunteer works.

2.3.8. Average voluntary work hours during the last four weeks: An indicator measures the average voluntary work hours for volunteers (15 +) during the last four weeks. It is the total number of volunteer hours done in the last four weeks to the total volunteers (15 +) during the last four weeks.

2.3.9. Average voluntary work hours during the last 12 months: An indicator measures the average voluntary work hours for volunteers (15 +) during the last 12 months. It is the total number of volunteer hours done in the last 12 months to the total volunteers (15 +) during the last 12 months.

Examples of the voluntary work which is considered within or outside the scope of the recommended definition:

2.4. Indicators:

To calculate teh Voluntary Work Indicators, GASTAT relied on the following formulas:

2.5. Used Statistical Classifications:

Classification is identified as an organized group of related categories which are used to collect data according to similarity. Classification is the base for data collection and dissemination in various statistical fields, such as: (economic activity, products, expenses, occupations or health…. etc). classifying data and information helps to put them in meaningful categories to produce useful statistics. In fact, data collection requires an accurate organization and based on their common features to create reliable and comparable statistics. On the other hand, labor market statistics are based on the international standards of data collection and classification and rely on the following classifications:

2.5.1. The National Classification of Economic Activities (ISIC4)

It is a statistical classification that is based on the unified international industrial classification of all economic and productive activities. it can be defined as (all the works and services practiced or provided by the establishments whether these services have achieved a financial return or not as in the case of charity institutions which mainly depend on donations.

2.5.2. Saudi Classification of Proffessions:

It is a statistical classification which is based on ISCO that provides a system to classify and collect professions’ information where they can be obtained by statistical surveys and census.

This classification is used in the Labour Force Survey in order to classify employees based on their professions.

2.5.3. Classification of Educational Levels:

It is a statistical classification that is based on ISCED which is the reference for organizing educational programs and related qualifications based on the education levels and fields. It covers all the educational programs, levels and methods of learning as well as all the educational stages from kindergarten until higher education. This classification is used in the Labor Force Survey to classify individuals 15 years and above according to their majors and education levels .

2.5.4. National Guide for Countries and Nationalities:

It is an international and unified classification that covers countries and their affiliated territories, and based on ISO (country code 3166). The classification gives codes to countries and their affiliated territories. Using these codes and numbers instead of the country name is more beneficial for statistical purposes in which it saves time and avoids any errors.

2.6. Design of Survey Questionnaire:

the survey’s questionnaire was prepared and designed by voluntary work survey specialists in the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). When designing the questionniare, the international recommendations and standards issued by the International Labor Organization (ILO) in the field of voluntary work statistics were taken into consideration. The questionnaire was presented to the ILO experts during their visit to GASTAT and to the relevant bodies as well to consider their feedback and observations. The questions were formed in a specified and unified way between researchers.

The questionnaire was divided into five sections based on the topic to increase its efficiency in achieving the technical specifications of the field work stage

Cover page which includes the geographical information of the enumeration area

Basic data of the household

Voluntary work

Grants ( In-kind or money)

Feedback on volunteering and granting

The full questionnaire can be viewed and downloaded via the official website of GASTAT

https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/1030

Examples of what was included in the questionnaire of Voluntary Work Survey

Name of the individual, nationality, age, gender, relationship with the head of the household, marital status, educational status, occupation, income, volunteering activites performed by the individual and how many hours S/he spent in volunteering, type of voluntary organization, entity of voluntary work and its activity, reasons for not volunteering, Zakat performance, place and mechanism of Zakat payment, for whom Zakat is payed, amount of Zakat, fields of Zakat spending, donations, place and mechanism of donations payment, for whom donations are payed, amount of donations, fields of donations spending, reason for not donating, preferred fields of donations, difficulties and obstacles facing voluntary work, and reasons for volunteering.

The full questionnaire can be viewed and downloaded via the official website of GASTAT

https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/1030

After approving the survey questionnaire, it was transferred into an electronic questionnaire that can be processed through the improved data collection system by using (Tablet devices), which can:

Review the work area of the field researcher (Survey sample)
Give access to the sample (the household) by using a map in the tablet.
Completing data with a high quality by using the rules of data auditing and shifting (to automatically detect the non-logical data entry errors while completing data)
To facilitate communication between the supervisors while sending and receiving comments from and to the researcher.

2.7. Coverage:

2.7.1. Spatial Covergae:

Voluntary Work Survey covers data related to voluntary works of the (13) administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. The regions included in the survey are: (Riyadh, Makkah, Medina, AL-Qassim, Eastern Region, Aseer, Tabuk, Hail, Northern Boarders, Jazan, Najran, AL-Baha, and AL-Jouf). Households samples are selected for each region based on a scientific manner so that each household represents a certain region.

2.7.2. Temporal Coverage:

Time references of the survey’s data in terms of number of households’ individuals as well as economic, social, and population characteristics are as following:

Data of households’ individual number and their population characteristics are based on the date of the visit.
Data of volunteers are based on the four weeks prior to the visit, which means the last four weeks (from Sunday of the first week to Saturday of the last week).
Data of volunteers during the last twelve months are based on the twelve months preceding the month of the survey and household visit.

2.8. Statistical Framework:

The 2018 updated framework of the Housing and Population Census (1431H. – 2010) has been used as a list that includes all community particulars.
The lists, maps and analytical specifications of the units have been developed to select the data providers (households).
The required metadata has been identified in order to create the statistical framework and the testing framework, and to verify its validity and use for the current survey cycle.

2.9. Sample Design:

The survey community is divided into non-overlapping parts characterized by relative homogeneity in their units. Each part is a layer and each layer is treated as an independent community.
A random sample is drawn from each layer independently, and in the end, all the withdrawn sampling units are integrated to form the total sample.
The sampling units have been selected to cover the targeted statistical community. The selection process has been done through two stages:

In the first stage: the primary sampling units are selected which are the enumeration areas from the process of buildings and real-estate units coding and enumeration. (1100) enumeration areas were selected out of (36198) which are distributed across all classes in all administrative regions of Saudi Arabia by using the method proportional with the size weighting the number of Saudi households.

In the second stage: the final sampling units were randomly drawn from the statistical areas, which are the households in the enumeration areas that were selected in the first stage using the regular random sample. (18) households were selected from each enumeration area, totaling (19800) households kingdom-wide.

The optimal methodology to select the sampling units is prepared in order to provide satisfying outputs, with the quality required and the minimum efforts of data providers, by using known statistical methods such as the rotation and interference control methods.
The required metadata to apply the statistical framework and select the sample is identified.

Sampling Units of the Voluntary Work Survey:

The primary sampling units are the enumeration areas. They are sampling units that are withdrawn during the first stage of the Survey Sample design. However, (households) are considered secondary or final sampling units. They are sampling units that are withdrawn during the second stage of the Syrvey Sample design. Each sampli ng unit represents a part of the primary sampling units.

Third Stage: Organization:

It is the last stage of preparation stages that precedes the process of household visit and data collection. The work procedures required for the preparation of the Voluntary Work Survey have been prepared in this stage. They will begin from the next stage "collection stage" and will end with the “Evaluation stage”. In addition, the procedures are organized and collected and thier appropriate order is determined in order to reach a methodology that achieves the objectives of the Voluntary Work Survey. These procedures were also described and documented to facilitate the updates in the future cycles. Furthermore, the statistical work procedures were tested to ensure that they meet the requirements of the preparation of the Voluntary Work Survey in its final form. Then, the procedures of the statistical work are approved, and the road map of the implementation is developed.
Testing the efficiency of input systems and the process of transmission, synchronization and review of data, which is carried out through tablets or desktops of the Voluntary Work Survey, is one of the most important procedures at this stage.

Fourth stage: Data collection:

First: survey’s sample was selected by identifying 19,800 households to represent the survey’s community at Saudi Arabia’s level, which are distributed as following:

Second: selection of candidates as field researchers to visit households for (Voluntary Work Survey) data collection was based on a number of criteria that are related to the nature of work, such as:

Educational level
Experiance in field works
Personal qualities, such as: good behaviour and physically and mentally fit
Candidate must pass the training program of Voluntary Work Survey
Candidate’s age must not be less than 20 years’ old

Third: all candidates were well trained (GASTAT’s staff as well as co-operators from some governmental entities) and that was through special training programs, as follows:

Conduct a training program for the specialized staff at GASTAT’s headquarter for one week.
Conduct similar training programs for the co-operators of inspectors, monitors and researchers in various regions of Saudi Aribia.

The training programs offered to the field researchers in charge of collecting the Labour Force Survey data include practical and applied lectures on the technical, technological, administrative and awareness materials used in the data collection process. The field researcher is also acquainted with the objectives of the survey, method of data collection as well as how to use maps and access. The training programs also include a detailed explanation of all questions of the questionnaire, technical and administrative functions. Field researchers are also trained on ways to deal with the public and how to submit questions in record time .

In the beginning of the training program, all trainees were provided with tablet devices. Trainees with these tablet devices can do the following:

Read the instruction manual and identify its contents which will be a guide during the data collection process.
Check the survey electronic questionnaire and try to fill it out when applying that in workshops of the training program.
Access the "automated assessment system of the training program", where the trainee has the right to express his opinion on the level of the training program in order to improve the training programs quality in the future.
Access the " automated assessment system for trainees " in the end of the training program in which the trainees' understanding levels of the survey concepts and instructions can be determined.

Finally, the force labor are nominated to participate in the survey according to their results from the "automated assessment system for trainees" to ensure speed, accuracy and impartiality when determining candidates and their competencies.

Fourth: Direct contact with the household in the process of completing the survey questionnaire and data collection: Each field researcher visited the households within the sample of the survey after reaching them using the coordinates in the tablet and the guide maps. He also identified himself and presented the official documents proving his statistical identity. In addition, he explained the purpose of his visit and provided an overview of the survey and its objectives. Furthermore, the researcher filled in the electronic questionnaire orally from head of the household. In the absence of the head of the household, the data was collected from any adult member of the household who knows about the household affairs
. Fifth: All field researchers used tablets to complete survey questionnaire data based on the time reference specified according to the number of household members and their demographic, social and economic characteristics.
Sixth: Field researchers in different regions of the Saudi Arabia used the "synchronization" feature available on tablets to upload and transfer the household data directly to the database associated with it at the headquarters of GASTAT, where it is stored in a specific format for review and subsequent processing.
Seventh: (Auditing rules) are applied to ensure the consistency, accuracy and logic of the data on the Labor Force Survey questionnaire. This is done through an (electronic bases that detect the discrepancy of answers). These bases were built by linking the logical relationship between the answers of the questionnaire and its variables to help the field researcher to detect any error directly when completing data with the household. These bases will not allow the passing of errors if the answer conflicts with another information or answer in the questionnaire.
Eighth: The data collected was verified by reviewing the data through the same field researcher, his inspector and the supervisor on the survey in the supervision area. All the work areas were subjected to a process of monitoring and reviewing from the data quality room at the headquarters of GASTAT. This room also monitors and controls the performance of all working groups in the field in synchronization with the time of the data collection process implementation from the first day to the last day.

Data Quality Room

An operations room that synchronously works with the field works of surveys. It is equipped with electronic monitoring tools and tracking screens used by observers and quality specialists to review the consistency of data and to detect errors and extreme values during the data collection process in the field. This is done by immediately following up what is being filled out by the field researcher. However, this Room is responsible for checking the researchers’ commitment to the survey’s instructions during the visit, and the correctness and logicality of the data. It also ensures implementation of the visitation plan of households or establishments, and reviews some important indicators of the survey to ensure the data accuracy. The main tasks of the Data Quality Room are:

§ Reviewing the collected data and sending notes to the field operating teams of different levels through an automated desktop system that is linked with the tablets of the researchers, so they can access the feedback quickly at their working locations.

§ Making phone calls with the households in order to ask some questions of the form to check the accuracy of data completed by the researcher, and his commitment to the instructions during the visit. Also, to obtain the missing data that have not been received yet, and to thank the households’ heads for their cooperation.

§ Answering field inquiries received from field researchers or households’ heads.

§ Checking the form completion location by matching its coordinates with the registered ones in the sample file.

Fifth stage: Disaggregation of data:

During this stage, raw data are disaggregated based on the classification and coding inputs completed during the data collection process, according to the Saudi Vocational Classification based on The International Classification, The National Classification of Economic Activities, The National Manual of Countries and Nationalities based on The International Manual, and Majors and Education Levels Manual based on (ISCED). During disaggregation process, other classifications and coding are also used, such as: data distribution at administrative regions level, qualitative and descriptive classification in terms of gender determination, individual’s marital status, or quantitative classification such as income groups.
Data on Voluntary Work Survey are presented in right tables in order to summarize, understand, as well as extract their results. Moreover, to compare them with other data, and to obtain statistical significances about the selected community. However, referring to such data indicated in tables is much easier than going back to check the original forms that may include some data like names and addresses of individuals, which might violate the confidentiality of the statistical data. Through these tables, the required data will be easily accessible without having to check the administrative records data of the data source.
In this stage, data are processed according to the following steps :
First: Data logicality and comprehensiveness:
Data were revised in an appropriate way to ensure their comprehensiveness, logicality, and accuracy. After that, results will be extracted for final revision for more accurate statistics.
Second: Data Confidentiality:
To keep data confidential, GASTAT removed all identifiers from the entered dataset either data of field survey or administrative records. The name, address, and other identifiers of the individual will be hidden for individual’s privacy.

Sixth stage: Revision:

First: Data Outputs Validation:
In addition to the revision process applied to the collected data of Voulontary Work Survey, and data of administrative records in the fourth stage to check their accuracy, all the outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by GASTAT to be reviewed and processed by specialists in Labour Force Statistics through modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.
Secondly: Dealing with confidential data:
According to the Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07-12-1397, data must always be kept confidential, and must be used by GASTAT only for statistical purposes. Therefore, the data are protected in the data servers of the Authority.

Under no circumstances can that be allowed to disclose about any data of the households or their members. It is worth mentioning that the publications are statistical tables at the level of Saudi Arabia and its administrative regions and main cities by demographic characteristics.

Seventh stage: Data puplishing:

First: Preparation and Process of the Results Designed for Publishing:

During this stage, GASTAT downloaded the data’s results from the database of surveys of household culture and entertainment surveys. Then, publishing tables and charts of data and indicators, metadata, and methodology were all prepared and processed to be published in both languages English and Arabic.

Second: Preparing Media Kit and Announcing the Date of the Release:

The publication date of the bulletin is already set up by GASTAT on its official website at the beginning of the Calendar Year. During this period, the Authority is preparing the media kits to announce the date of releasing the bulletin through media, in addition to its various platforms in social networking sites. The bulletin will be published firstly on GASTAT’s official website in different formats, such as Excel format to be easily reached for all clients and those who are interested in voluntary work in general. . It will be uploaded on the website’s statistics library as well.

Third: Communicate with the clients and provide the bulletin to them:

GASTAT believed in the importance of communication with the clients, therefore, once the bulletin is released, GASTAT will communicate with the clients and provide them with the bulletin. GASTAT will receive the questions and enquiries about the bulletin and its results through its various channels. Requests and enquiries are received through:

GASTAT official website www.stats.gov.sa
GASTAT official e-mail info@stats.gov.sa
Client support’s email cs@stats.gov.sa
Visiting GASTAT head office in Riyadh or in one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
Official letters
Statistical phone (920020081)

Fourth: Preservation of published content:

The Bulletin’s data are preserved and archived by the documents and archives centre at the Authority to be used as a reference at any time. GASTAT carried out this step to preserve such data electronically to be used again when needed.

Eighth stage: Assessment:

All GASTAT’s clients who used the results of the Bulletin will be contacted again in order to assess the entire statistical process. This is done for improvement purposes in order to obtain high-quality data. The improvements include: methodologies, procedures and systems, statisticians’ skill level, as well as statistical work frameworks. This stage is carried out with data users and Authority’s clients according to the following steps:

First: Collecting measurable assessment inputs:

The most important comments and notes are collected and documented from their sources in different stages, for example comments and notes given by data collectors and their field supervisors. Also, notes written by specialists responsible for reviewing, auditing, and analyzing data collected from the field team or administrative regions. Finally, comments and notes collected and documented by data users after publishing the Bulletin, or social media comments and clients’ feedback that sent to the Authority through its main channels.

Second: the assessment:

It is done by analyzing thecollected assessment inputs,and comparing the results of this analysis with the ones predicted previously. Therefore, a number of possible improvements and solutions are identified and discussed with specialists, experts, and concerned partners. During this step, clients' performances and satisfaction levels of using the results of household culture and entertainment survey are measured. Based on these procedures, the recommendations for obtaining high quality data for the next statistics are all agreed upon

Ninth stage: Management:

It is a comprehensive stage that is required to carry out each phase of the Voluntary work survey production. During this stage, the plan was set , which includes the feasibility study, risk management, financing methods, in addition to expenditure mechanisms. The plan also covered the development of performance indicators, quality criteria, and manpower map required for production. Through this plan, the implementation process of the tasks assigned to different departments at each stage will be followed up and reported to ensure that GASTAT meets its clients’ requirements.