Shaping Our Future: 2025 Midland County Belonging Survey

Project Title:
We Hear You, Shaping Our Future: 2025 Midland County Belonging Survey

Principal Investigators:
Ken Jolly, Ph.D.; Evelyn Ravuri, Ph.D.

Funded by:
Midland Area Community Foundation

Purpose of the Study:

This survey is designed to assess your experiences with belonging and inclusion in Midland County. An initial study of Midland County was completed in 2021, and this current survey will help identify areas where our community has made progress since 2021 and help identify areas in need of additional improvement.

The survey asks demographic questions followed by brief questions about economic opportunities, housing, health and well-being. The survey then asks about Midland County’s response to the 2020 flood followed by questions about race and ethnic relations in Midland County. The survey concludes with questions about interactions with the police and criminal justice system in Midland County.

Each of these questions asks you to select an answer that best reflects your experiences specifically in Midland County.

The survey should take between 10-15 minutes.

You must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of Midland County to participate in the survey.

Possible Risks:
We anticipate risks to be minimal. In several cases respondents may feel somewhat uncomfortable answering a question. The respondent may skip any question which makes them uncomfortable. If the respondent still feels uncomfortable, the respondent may withdraw from the survey.

Participant Rights:
If you choose to be in this study, you have the right to be treated with respect, including respect for your decision whether or not you wish to continue or stop being in the study. You are free to stop being in the study at any time.

Benefits of Participating in Study:
By participating in the survey, you can relate your experiences and voice your concerns about obstacles to belonging and inclusion specifically in Midland County. Results of the survey will help guide Midland County agencies to reduce obstacles to reach Midland County’s vision as an inclusive community.

Confidentiality:
Your responses to this survey will remain anonymous. There is no identifying data to trace your responses on this survey back to you. “It is possible that the Institutional Review Board (IRB) may view this study’s collected data for auditing purposes. The IRB is responsible for the oversight of the protection of human subjects involved in research.”

Questions or Concerns about this Research Study:
If you have any questions concerning this survey, contact us promptly. You can email Evelyn (eravuri@svsu.edu), Ken (kjolly@svsu.edu), or Diane Brown Wilhelm (dbrown@midland-mi.org) with questions about this research. You may also contact the Chair, Human Subjects Institutional Review Board (989-964-7488; irbchair@svsu.edu) if questions or problems arise during the course of the study.