identify activities or services that could be provided at a local community ... requesting that Polish speakers give the
Strathfoyle Shared Communities Survey Full Report Produced by the Research Unit September 2013
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Housing Executive would like to express its gratitude to all those involved in the Strathfoyle shared communities' research and in particular to the residents of Strathfoyle who took the time to complete the survey and without whose co‐operation the survey could not have been undertaken.
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Contents 1.0
BACKGROUND TO SURVEY.............................................................................................................. 5
2.0
SAMPLE AND METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 7
3.0
RESEARCH FINDINGS ........................................................................................................................ 9
4.0
SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................................17
Appenidx 1: Tabular results
Appendix 2: Questionnaire
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1.0
BACKGROUND TO SURVEY
1.1 Strathfoyle is a residential area located on the outskirts of Derry City across the River Foyle from the settlement of Culmore. The present day Strathfoyle Estate is located in an area that combines local industry alongside a variety of residential areas. 1.2 At the time of the survey the Strathfoyle Estate and adjacent New Fort development had approximately 700 dwellings with a mixture of Housing Executive, housing association, private rented and privately owned properties. 1.3 There were four community groups in Strathfoyle at the time of the survey: Strathfoyle Community Association, Enagh Youth Forum, Strathfoyle Women’s Activity Group, and Strathfoyle Tiny Tots Playgroup. 1.4 The four community groups were already active in the local area delivering good relations projects that bring residents together to help celebrate diversity within their community. 1.5 For example, working with a community artist, part funded by Derry City Good Relations Department and Housing Executive’s Cohesion Unit, the groups, along with their community, successfully reimaged a wall on the estate by installing an entrance feature with the wording “Welcome To Strathfoyle” in English, Irish and Polish. 1.6 To further support this work, Strathfoyle was selected to participate in the Housing Executive’s Shared Community Programme in 2013, the overall purpose of the programme being to develop shared commun ities where people choose to live with others regardless of their religion, race or nationality in a neighbourhood that is safe and welcoming to all, and threatening to no‐one. 1.7 The programme is community led and provides an opportunity for residents to engage in good relations projects within their own area as well as neighbouring estates. Central to the programme for each area selected is a survey, designed by the Housing Executive’s Research Unit in consultation with the community group(s), to determine the needs of the community. 1.8 This report details the method by which the Strathfoy l e survey was conducted and resultant research findings.
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2.0
SAMPLE AND METHODOLOGY
2.1 Members of the Research and Community Cohesion units met with representatives from the four community groups in Strathfoyle Estate in January 2013. Following consultation with community representatives the questionnaire design and methodology for the survey were agreed. 2.2 The aims of the survey were to: •
measure satisfaction with local facilities/services;
•
identify activities or services that could be provided at a local community level;
•
identify areas within the physical environment of estate which may be of concern to residents;
•
assess attitudes to community relations and community safety in the area; and
•
identify areas of work needed in order to develop and implement a good relations plan.
2.3 A random sample of 170 properties was taken from approximately 700 properties of different tenure within the Strathfoyle Estate and adjacent New Fort development. Each of the 170 properties in the sample received a letter inviting the household to participate in the survey. Included with the letter was a copy of the questionnaire to be completed by the occupier and collected by Housing Executive research staff. 2.4 The questionnaire was designed for self completion; however res earch staff helped complete questionnaires with those residents who requested assistance during the fieldwork period. A copy of the questionnaire is included in Appendix 2. 2.5 Research officers carried out the fieldwork during May and June 2013. Up to five attempts were made to collect surveys. Carrying photographic ID at all times, it is Research Unit policy that visits by researchers are made at varying times of the day. However, in practice, every opportunity to call when passing an address is made. If, at the end of the fieldwork period, research officers have been unable to contact a household member the address is recorded as a non‐contact. 2.6 There were a number of Polish families/residents living in the area at the time of the survey so, to ensure they had the opportunity to participate, a paragraph in Polish was included in the cover letter
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requesting that Polish speakers give their name and a contact telephone number to Research staff at the door. With this information a member of the Research Unit could contact the household member via the Big Word interpreter service to seek agreement and arrange a time where a researcher could come and interview them with an interpreter p resent. 2.7 On completion of the fieldwork 5 addresses in the sample were identified as ineligible due to being vacant or non‐existent, which reduced the valid sample to 165 addresses. A total of 104 completed questionnaires were returned which yielded a response rate of 63 per cent. Table 2.1:
Breakdown of response rate
Number
Original target sample
%
170
5
165
100
Non contacts
47
29
Refusals
14
9
104
63
Vacant Revised target sample
Completed questionnaires
2.8 Due to rounding, some tables do not add to 100%. Also, for data protection purposes, and in particular where questions are considered sensitive, if the number of respondents is less than five the actual figures have been omitted and are shown as
