Volunteer Audio Skills Research 2026
Help us understand how practical audio skills are learned, developed and recognised in churches, community venues and grassroots organisations.
Inovaplus Ltd is conducting research into how volunteer and grassroots audio practitioners acquire skills, how organisations judge competence, what opportunities for progression are available, and what barriers can prevent people from developing further.
The research is concerned particularly with people who operate or support live sound systems in churches and places of worship, amateur arts, community venues, grassroots music and related organisations.
You do not need to describe yourself as an audio technician or have any formal technical qualifications to take part.
Why are we doing this research?
The research has been commissioned by the Association of Worship & Venue Technicians CIC (AWVT) and is being conducted by Inovaplus Ltd.
AWVT is currently developing the initial stages of a proposed competency framework for practical audio skills, beginning with Grades 1–3.
This research is intended to establish the evidence before assuming that a particular solution is needed. We want to understand how people currently acquire practical audio skills, how competence is recognised, what problems organisations experience, and whether existing training and development opportunities meet their needs.
Responses indicating that existing arrangements work well, that additional provision is unnecessary, or that a proposed approach would not be useful are therefore just as important as responses identifying unmet needs.
Who can take part?
You are welcome to complete the survey if you are involved with an organisation where volunteers or grassroots practitioners undertake live sound or other practical audio responsibilities.
This may include people who set up equipment, operate mixing consoles, work with microphones or wireless systems, support musicians and performers, troubleshoot audio systems, lead technical teams, train others, or have responsibility for the organisation in which this work takes place.
You may be a volunteer, paid practitioner, musician, performer, church or venue leader, trustee, educator or trainer. You do not need to regard yourself as a professional audio technician.
The survey is primarily concerned with UK organisations, although responses from outside the UK are also welcome.
Taking part
The questionnaire should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Most questions are multiple choice. A small number provide an opportunity to tell us about your own experience in more detail, but these are optional.
You do not need to provide your name or contact details to participate.
At the end of the questionnaire you can separately choose whether you are willing to be contacted about the research.
How will the information be used?
Responses will be analysed by Inovaplus Ltd and may be used in published research findings, technical briefings, funding applications and work relating to the development of technical skills and competency frameworks.
Results will normally be reported in aggregate. Where respondents separately give permission for an anonymised quotation to be used, individual comments may also be included.
Please avoid including names or other personally identifiable information when describing incidents or examples.