Census Rehearsal Jobs for West Edinburgh

Census rehearsal jobs for west Edinburgh

Around 100 temporary jobs are on offer as west Edinburgh takes part in the census rehearsal in March 2009, census regional manager, David Stevenson confirmed today.

28-year-old Mr Stevenson is Scotland’s youngest ever census regional manager. He was appointed to the post in August this year and brings with him considerable customer service and project management experience.

Mr Stevenson and his deputies, census district managers Katrina Barbour and Graham Torrie, will supervise eight team leaders and around 90 enumerators (census takers) in the distribution and collection of census questionnaires from more than 40,000 local households.

The rehearsal, on 29 March, aims to test the arrangements for Scotland’s next census set for 27 March 2011. It will offer householders the option to complete questionnaires online for the first time.

Mr Stevenson said: “This is west Edinburgh’s opportunity to help shape Scotland’s next census. Returning a questionnaire on paper or online will help us check whether the census questions and the delivery and processing arrangements need to be refined before the Scotland-wide census in 2011.

“Running the census rehearsal in west Edinburgh will test the arrangements for collecting information about people living in student halls, care homes, Saughton prison and temporary accommodation as well as every household in the area, including people from eastern Europe and other minority communities.

“The census is a snapshot of the number and characteristics of people in Scotland on census day. Its results help the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council to plan and fund our public services - health, education, transport - based on what we need.

“We want to build a reliable team of enumerators. We’re looking for candidates who enjoy helping people, because the work involves explaining to people on the doorstep why they should take part in the census rehearsal and answering any queries they may have.

“Enumerators will be able to manage their own workloads and, although census posts are temporary, they carry a high level of responsibility. Everyone working with personal census details is security checked and must sign an undertaking that they will protect the privacy of the information on the questionnaires.”

Mr Stevenson added: “Working as a census regional manager is a great opportunity for me. The census is a cornerstone of our society, providing the information required by government and businesses to have a positive impact on our lives. My role, although varied, will mainly involve recruiting, training and motivating a strong team and raising awareness of the census rehearsal within the local community.”

Notes to news editors

1. Every 10 years Scotland’s statisticians at the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) use the census to ask us about our circumstances – age, health, etc. The census is the only reliable measure of the entire population – every man, woman and child is included on census day.

2. Mr Stevenson will recruit his team in two phases starting with the eight census team leaders - who are needed from 6 January to 1 May. That will be followed by the 90 enumerators from 2 March to 27 April. The pay and hours vary according to the posts. Further details will be available at http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/census/censushm2011/census-vacancies/index.html

3. Residents in west Edinburgh and Lewis and Harris will be the first in the UK to test the new online census questionnaire option when they take part in the rehearsal. Householders can choose the method that is most convenient to them: a paper or online questionnaire. Taking part in the rehearsal is voluntary, however participation is vitally important to ensure that the census itself is right in 2011.

4. West Edinburgh’s rehearsal area covers the following 10 postcodes sectors: EH11 1 to EH11 4, EH12 5 to EH12 9 and EH14 4. It stretches from Haymarket and Viewforth in the city centre to the airport and the Riccarton areas towards the west of the city.

5. The rehearsal questionnaire will be published later this year.

For further information please contact:
David Stevenson 07766361810

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/census/censushm2011/index.html