EVELYN.THORN@cluthaleader.co.nz
A ‘‘community needs’’ assessment is under way to better understand the Clutha district.
Clutha Development, liaising with Sarah Wylie, of Social Research and Evaluation, was in the process of collating data and information to identify and ‘‘understand’’ aspects in the district, chief executive Linda Moore said.
‘‘The project will go forth by creating focus groups, hosting online surveys, phone calls, word of mouth and using different means of communication to collect the data across the entire district,’’ she said.
The three-month project includes a youth survey aimed at people aged between 12 and 25 and involves questions such as ‘‘What are the three hardest things about being a young person in Clutha district?’’.
Ms Wylie said the research would be ‘‘useful to the council in its planning, as well as lots of other groups and agencies in the Clutha district by exploring community strengths, needs, service and activity gaps and barriers’’. She said the youth survey had been ‘‘slow’’ to receive responses so far but it had been boosted on social media and in school newsletters to gain traction and gather more responses.
‘. . . we’ll be able to provide insight on migration, employment, ethnic groups, faith-based communities, socioeconomics, rural versus urban and all other gateways into the people of the Clutha district. ,
‘‘Once we get this information, we’ll be able to provide insight on migration, employment, ethnic groups, faith-based communities, socioeconomics, rural versus urban and all other gateways into the people of the Clutha district,’’ Ms Wylie said.
The research can become valuable in identifying community needs and services ‘‘throughout all towns in the district’’.
The youth survey runs until June 30 and can be found online.
A final report will be presented to Clutha Development at the end of July.
