Community invited to take part in second Tairāwhiti wellbeing survey

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The community is invited to participate in the second Tairāwhiti Wellbeing Survey (TWS), to help build comprehensive data about how the region is doing.

The survey was designed to improve local data to better understand the wellbeing and needs of people here.

Statistics New Zealand captures wellbeing data through their biennial NZ General Social Survey (NZGSS), but this data does not accurately reflect our region due to the small sample size.

The TWS is a condensed version of the NZGSS, with an additional module specific to this region.

“We’re aiming for 1000 respondents across a range of demographics which will give us a good sample size,” Trust Tairāwhiti data and impact lead Malcolm Mersham said.

“By running our own survey specifically for Tairāwhiti, we can feel confident that the data truly reflects our people. We encourage as many people as possible to participate so their perspective is captured.”

The TWS asks respondents a range of questions around their health and the wellbeing of their whānau. It asks about job satisfaction, perceptions about our environment and if you think your household earns enough money to live week to week.

The survey has gone through independent cognitive testing to ensure respondents fully understand the questions and can answer them accurately.

“The data will be combined to provide wellbeing insights and will be made available to everyone on the Tairāwhiti Data website. The insights will support local communities and organisations to better understand what the wellbeing of our region looks like at a collective level,” Malcolm says.

“The insights will also help us understand the needs of our communities and to make well-informed investment decisions. The trust’s ultimate aspiration is to enhance the collective wellbeing of Tairāwhiti and having accurate data is an essential foundation for this.”

The Tairāwhiti Wellbeing Survey is a longitudinal project, with the intent to roll it out annually or biannually.

“Over time, we will be able to see trends and if our regional wellbeing is improving.”

The survey takes about 10 to 15 minutes complete and is available here — https://www.tairawhitidata.nz