What are participants telling us as we collect data for the next Quality of Life survey?
Date
2021-02-26
Authors
de Kadt, Julia
Hamann, Christian
Mkhize, Sthembiso Pollen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Gauteng City-Region Obervatory
Abstract
Data collection for our forthcoming Quality of Life 2020/21 Survey (QoL 2020/21) is now over two thirds complete. Along with the regular difficulties of data collection, such as ensuring everyone’s safety and negotiating access to conduct the survey, data collection has also had to navigate the challenges of COVID-19, and more recently, heavy rains and flooding due to Cyclone Eloise. We hope to complete data collection by the end of May 2021, and share preliminary results in July 2021. While data collection is still underway, our February Map of the Month shares some of the comments and feedback we’ve received from survey participants since we started conducting interviews in October 2020.
As part of our regular scrutiny of incoming survey data, we review comments shared by participants at the end of the survey interview. While the comments do not constitute representative survey data, and do not tell us about overall or localised levels of concern regarding particular issues, they do shed some light on the people behind the data we are collecting, and what is on their minds. We have identified some of the most prominent themes in these comments, and shared various colour-coded maps of the selected comments. We were struck that one of the strongest themes, shaded in green, was one of gratitude for the opportunity the survey provides for people to share their experiences and challenges. Many of these participants also expressed hope that their voices and concerns will be heard by the government, and will inform positive change. Other comments highlight issues or challenges that participants want to emphasize - key amongst these are crime and safety (yellow), unemployment (purple), governance (orange) and gender-based violence (red). These comments remind us of why we conduct the Quality of Life survey, and motivate us to do our utmost to ensure survey findings will influence decision making and action to improve living conditions in the Gauteng City-Region.
GCRO thanks the fieldworkers from GeoSpace International for their enormous contributions to making this survey possible. We also thank all the participants across Gauteng who have generously given their time to participate in the survey. Without their willingness to share information about their lives and challenges, we would not be able to conduct this survey. As we are still collecting data all across Gauteng province, there is a chance that a GeoSpace International fieldworker may still knock on your door. If they do, we hope you’ll be willing to allow them to interview you!
Description
Data collection for our forthcoming Quality of Life 2020/21 Survey (QoL 2020/21) is now over two thirds complete. As part of our regular scrutiny of incoming survey data, we spent some time reviewing comments shared by participants at the end of the survey interview. This map of the month is a compilation of some comments.