Launch of the National Survey for Wales (20.02.12)

 

Ever wanted to have your say on the issues that affect you and your local area? Well now is your chance. In January 2012 the Welsh Government launched their National Survey for Wales. The survey runs year-round and is conducted through a series of face-to-face interviews with a representative sample of 14,500 respondents across Wales (660 per local authority). 

 

The study has two main themes: public services and wellbeing, but the survey also contains other information of direct policy relevance. Over to the guys at survey HQ to explain a little more

 

 

Five wellbeing questions are included in the survey between now and March 2013. These have been developed by the Office for National Statistics as part of their programme to develop new measures of national wellbeing. The questions cover overall life satisfaction; satisfaction with different areas of life, such as personal relationships and health; feeling worthwhile and how happy and anxious respondents felt. 

 

There are other questions linked to wellbeing on the survey, covering: proximity to green spaces (e.g. parks and community gardens) and blue spaces (e.g. rivers and the sea); community cohesion; quality of local neighbourhood and environment; whether people are keeping up with bills and credit commitments at the moment; and use of debt advice organisations. From April, there will also be questions on whether people feel they belong to their local area; trust others in their neighbourhood; and whether people from different backgrounds get on well together.

 

During 2013, a set of wellbeing questions will be asked as part of an EU-wide survey (EU-SILC). To give detailed figures from Wales to compare with other parts of the EU, these questions will be included as part of the National Survey in 2013-14. 

 

 

The main public services covered in the survey currently are local authority services, the education system, health services, and the transport system.

 

There are also a number of demographic questions included which will allow us to carry out detailed analysis of the results. 

 

The results of the survey will help the Welsh Government tackle the issues that matter to people in Wales. 

 

So there we have it. The survey is a fantastic opportunity for people in Wales to voice their opinion on issues affecting them and their local area.

 

Hopefully, by all working together and listening to one and other, we can all help make Wales a world leader in achieving wellbeing. 

 

More information on the survey is available at www.wales.gov.uk/nationalsurvey , or please contact the Welsh Government team running the survey at surveys@wales.gsi.gov.uk or on 029 2082 1516.