Inside your 2026 NCLS Survey Kit you will find:
Survey Coordinator's Guide
(one copy)
For the person coordinating the survey in your church or parish, to help organise completion of all surveys.
This Guide explains how to run the survey in your church or parish and return all completed items to NCLS Research. It displays the NCLS Church Code(s) to be used at all church sites or locations in your church or parish.
Site Instructions for the Attender Survey
(one per church location or Mass centre)
To be used by leaders of worship services, Mass or spiritual nurture activities to conduct the survey.
This Instructions Sheet displays the NCLS Church Code for a church location (page 1) to be written on all survey forms at that location.
N.B. Multi-site churches or parishes will receive one Site Instructions/ Mass Centre Instructions Sheet for each church location or mass centre, displaying their NCLS Church Code (see Guide for more details).
Other resources available online for use on Survey Day:
"On Your Survey Day" Video, Church Code Display Slide, Worship Service Resources, Activity Sheets for Young Children, Template Invitation Text and Reminder Text for people at home - coming soon
Your NCLS Church Code
(one per church location or mass centre)
To be displayed during the completion of surveys.
Your NCLS Church Code is found on the 'Guide for Church Survey Coordinators' and 'Site Instructions for Survey Day' provided in your Survey Kit.
A PowerPoint slide template will be available for church use to display your NCLS Church Code.
Church attenders need to write or enter their church's NCLS Church Code on their survey form, to identify each church location or Mass centre completing surveys.
N.B. In a multi-site church or parish, each church location or mass centre needs to use their own NCLS Church Code. The NCLS Church Code is shown on the Site Instructions for each church location or Mass centre (see Guide for more details).
View Sample PowerPoint Display Slide- coming soon
Attender Survey Forms
(multiple as ordered)
To be completed by church attenders aged 16 years and over, during worship service, mass or spiritual nurture activity.
Each attender must complete the survey once only. The survey takes around 20 minutes to complete.
Languages: The Attender Survey is available in English, Arabic, Burmese (Chin and Karen), Chinese, Korean, Sudanese (Dinka), Tongan and Vietnamese.
Online option: The Attender Survey can be completed on a paper survey form, or online at attendersurvey.ncls.au
Attender Survey Collection Envelopes
(one per 50 Attender Surveys)
To be used to collect surveys once completed.
Inside the envelope, place completed Attender Surveys, Child Surveys (if completed) and Reply Slips. Approx 50 surveys per envelope. Please seal the envelopes and do not read attender responses, to protect attenders' anonymity.
Child Surveys (Optional- if your church ordered them)
(multiple as ordered)
To be completed by attenders aged 8 to 15 years, during a worship service or children's activity.
Online option: The Child Survey can be completed on a paper survey form, or online at childsurvey.ncls.au
Child Survey Instructions
(one per church location or Mass centre is included in your Survey Kit - if your church ordered Child Surveys)
To be used by leaders of children's activities, worship services or Mass to conduct the survey.
This Instructions Sheet displays the NCLS Church Code for a church location (page 1) to be written on all survey forms at that location.
N.B. Multi-site churches or parishes will receive one Child Survey Instructions for each church location or mass centre, displaying their NCLS Church Code (see Guide for more details).
Parent & Carer Information & Consent Sheet
(a few copies per church location or Mass centre)
To be distributed to parents and carers before completion of the Child Survey.
N.B. Extra copies can be downloaded and either printed or emailed using the link below.
The interactive pdf version is editable- it can be typed into and signed digitally.
Leader Survey Forms - paper or online
The Leader Survey is for people aged 18+ in ministry/pastoral leadership roles e.g. senior minister, pastor, priest and anyone (lay or ordained, staff or non-staff) in a significant position of ministry. This includes any clergy, those who lead ministry to children or youth, people who serve on your church’s council or board etc.
It is optional and confidential.
- One paper copy will be included in your Survey Kit
- We encourage all leaders to use the online survey if possible.
- Leader Survey flyers will be available. Please circulate it to all those invited to complete the Leader Survey.
- Invite leaders to also complete the standard Attender Survey with the rest of the church.
- Leaders can complete this survey any time during your Survey Period.
- Paper surveys may be sealed in the Leader Survey Collection Envelope.
Leader Survey Collection Envelopes
(one per Leader Survey Form)
To be used by church leaders to seal and hand in their survey.
Leaders can return their completed survey, sealed inside the collection envelope, to their church survey coordinator or post it directly to NCLS Research.
New* Churches Survey
The New Churches Survey is for churches started from 2011 onward.
One leader may complete this short survey.
This short survey is to be completed by the primary leader in churches that started from 2011 onward.
Online option: Available as a paper survey or online.
Survey Returns Coversheet
(one per church location or mass centre)
To be completed by each participating church site or mass centre and included with their batch of completed surveys for return.
N.B. Multi-site churches or parishes should complete one Coversheet for each participating site or location and include with their batch of completed surveys on return (see page 3 of Guide for more details).
Return Address Mailing Label
(one copy)
For use on your postpack to mail your completed survey items back to NCLS Research.
Stick the return address label over the original postpack that your surveys arrived in, to mail your completed survey items to NCLS Research at Locked Bag 5010, Kingsgrove NSW 2208.
Please mail back within 2 weeks of completion. Thank you for covering the cost of postage.
Church Activities Survey- sent earlier for completion in August
(one copy)
The Church Activities Survey was sent to churches for completion in August. If your church hasn't yet completed this by the time you complete your other surveys in September or October, please feel free to complete it and return with your Survey Kit items. It is one survey to be completed by a senior church leader or administrator, to map the activities, resources and people in each local church.
Online option: The Church Activities Survey can be completed on a paper survey form, or online from August 2026.
Other resources online for use on Survey Day:
Play "On Your Survey Day" Video
to introduce and explain how to complete the Attender Survey during a worship service, mass or activity on the day of your survey.
Use worship resources
for prayers, readings and liturgy to help integrate the survey into a Worship Service or Mass.
Browse activity sheets for young children
for use with younger children during worship service, mass or activity while older attenders complete the Attender Survey or Child Survey.