Qualitative Research Study

1
Qualitative Research Study

•  
•  
• Ciara Ferguson
• Principal Engagement Officer
• Greater Shantallow Area Partnership
• Focus Groups
• 25th September 2009
•  

This project is commissioned by Ilex URC on
behalf of the Strategy Board
2
Qualitative Research Study Focus Groups

•  
• Section 75 Categories
• religious belief,
• political opinion,
• racial group,
• men women generally,
• marital status,
• age,
• persons with a disability,
• persons with dependents,sexual orientation
• Disadvantaged Areas
• 13 Focus Groups 192 Citizens
•  

This project is commissioned by Ilex URC on
behalf of the Strategy Board
3
Citizen Profile

• Gender (51) Males (141) Females
• Age (9) 11-15 years (5) 16-17 years (20)
  18-24years (104) 25-59 years (47) 60 years
• Marital Status (70) Married, (62) Single,(16)
  Divorced
• (25) Widowed (24) partner
• Community Background (101) Catholic, (45)
  Protestant
• (27) Neither

4
Profile Citizens

• Family Status (107) No caring
  responsibilities
• (48) Care for children
• (14) Care for relative
• (6) Care for others
• Disability (44) Yes (132) No
• Ethnic Origin (159) White (7) Irish
  Travellers
• (12) Chinese (2) Black African
• Sexual Orientation (152) Heterosexual (6) Gay or
  lesbian (3) Bisexual
• (19) Prefer not to say

5
Other Planned Focus Groups

• Political representatives
• Unemployed
• Young Children
• Men
• People affected by Drugs and Alcohol
• Parents
• Young Fathers  

This project is commissioned by Ilex URC on
behalf of the Strategy Board
6
4 KEY QUESTIONS

•  
•  
• 1) What would you say are the most important
  issues/challenges facing you?
• 2) What are the causes of these problems? (the
  barriers)
• 3) What steps do you think could be undertaken to
  overcome these
• barriers/problems?
• 4) Are you aware of any specific
  programmes/strategies in action to help
• address the barriers and meet these needs ?
•  

This project is commissioned by Ilex URC on
behalf of the Strategy Board
7
People with a learning disability

•  
• Challenges- Public transport, Personal safety,
  Income, Training, Lack of participation in
  decision making, Prejudice, Access to
  social/recreational activities
• Causes- No support offered by service providers
  
• No training/progression opportunities in
  workplace, Dependency on benefits,
• No late buses to get home
• Cant access services independently
• Cost social/recreational activities

This project is commissioned by Ilex URC on
behalf of the Strategy Board
8
People with a learning disability

• Solutions
• Education Awareness of needs
• Real jobs that pay real wages, Opportunities
  for progression in employment, More training made
  available, Participation in planning/consultations
  
• Offered support to register our vote yet for all
  other services there is no support offered
• Dependent on benefits-not economically
  empowered 
• No motivation-stuck in same job

This project is commissioned by Ilex URC on
behalf of the Strategy Board
9
Ethnic Minorities

• Challenges-Language barrier, Perceptions-media,
• Prejudice, Public transport, Suspicion of
  newcomers
• Causes-Weak integration, Lack of info, knowledge
• about different cultures, Lack of places to
  socialise, Inefficient
• public transport
• Solutions-Use of Media, Resources to help connect
  
• Cultures e.g. use of diversity ambassadors-Univers
  ity, More
• education/awareness, More Public Forums, More
  social
• spaces/activities

10
Ethnic Minorities

• Why is it cheaper to take private taxis than use
• public transport?
• Why can you not go from one part of the city to
• another without having to go the the bus station?
  
• Why is everything closing at 5pm? City is dead
  at
• Night
• Need architects with a soul not only with a
  wallet
• Focus more on people and less on cosmetic
  regeneration

11
Residents living within disadvantaged area
(Cityside)

• Challenges- Anti social behaviour/fear of crime
• Unemployment
• Alcohol Drugs
• Lack of opportunities/facilities for young
  people
• Access to social housing
• Education
• Income levels
• Care in the community
• Lack of policing in the area
• Employment opportunities
• Access to specific health services
• Safety within the city centre at night
• Poor sport facilities

12
Residents living within disadvantaged area
(Cityside)

• Causes- Parenting
• Education
• Children have nothing to do and nowhere to go,
  Lack of Respect, Cost 3rd level education,
• Low incomes, Health inequalities, Lack of
  Public
• Transport at night
• Solutions- Well paid jobs-manufacturing jobs
• More programmes and facilities for young
  people
• Investment in carers
• Affordable and accessible public transport
• Investment in local health services-cancer
  services, dentists, GP Out of hours returned
  to City side

13
Residents living within disadvantaged area
(Cityside)

• Need a taxi to Altnagelvin on a Sunday night but
  your pension does not come until Monday
• Nobody cares about youth drinking all night

14
Residents living within disadvantaged area
(Waterside)
Challenges- Lack of social recreational
activities-family activities Transport Effecti
ve Communication-services available Alienation
of young people and older people Little choice
of schools in Waterside Accessible health
services-transport, parking Causes No
aspirations, apathy Work life balance-lack
of family time Lack of somewhere to go at
night Cost public transport, no evening bus
service Lack of shared public spaces Lack of
community infrastructure, meeting
space- fragmentation
15
Residents living within disadvantaged area
(Waterside)

• Solutions- Build upon people (assets) in
  community -enable people to contribute to
  community e.g. Life skill programmes-work in the
  community
• More carers in the community
• Parenting skills
• Manufacturing jobs-better paid job created
  in Waterside
• DCC offices in Waterside used as a civic
  centre
• Healthy Living Centre Waterside
• Need a major attraction on the
  Waterside-wow factor.
• City centre-street entertainment-celebration
  of cultures-not just pubs clubs
• Drop in centres for young people to
  socialise

16
Residents living within disadvantaged area
(Waterside)

• The city is wider than just the West bank
• Chill factor in the city side-fear to go
  across
• Bring regeneration into the community
• Waterside should be complementary to the
  historic city not just an add on
• Waterside has opportunities to create space,
  accessible facilities and services
• Any brochures about the city-dont say anything
  about the Waterside

17
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender

• Challenges- No freedom of self expression,
  Fear of harassment, being attacked,
  bullying in school,
• homophobic attacks- health
• Causes- Invisible 364 days of the year,
• No gay sex education
• Religion
• Lack of support in school
• Solutions- More education Born that way,
• cant decide to be gay
• More visible-media/ getting involved
• public life ( feel safe)
• Safe social spaces

18
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender
Teachers would not stand for racism but do for
gay insults-equality of prejudices Young gay
people leave school early because of
bullying Different in bigger cities-People
first, gay just part of who you are

19
SENIOR CITIZENS

• Challenges- Access to Altnagelvin Gransha, GP
  Out of hours service,
• Public transport, Income, Personal safety,
  Antisocial behaviour,
• Causes- Access to public transport at night
  weekends Low incomes-high utility costs
• Cost for social/entertainment, Poor response
  PSNI
• Solutions- Better bus timetable, More concessions
  for pensioners (meals/entertainment)
• More social, recreational activities
• More youth services and facilties

20
YOUNG PEOPLE in disadvantaged area (WATERSIDE)

• Challenges- Employment opportunities,
• Education
• Community facilities
• Smoking, drugs and alcohol Public
  transport,
• Personal safety Road safety
• Conflict-interface
• Apprenticeships-placements
• Causes- Peer pressure, Hobby street
  walking cruising in car
• Boredom at school
• No local sport facilities e.g. rugby, boxing,
  cricket, football or social activities

21
YOUNG PEOPLE in disadvantaged area (WATERSIDE)

• Solutions More physical activities in school
• Less pressure put on exams/course work
• Football team stadium
• Help start up own business
• More youth/community projects /
  activities/facilities
• More meetings with young people
• More jobs
• Street clean ups-council workers out more
  often
• CCTV-personal safety
• City wide sport events
• More cross community programmes
• Road safety-lollipop man/ramps through
  estate

22
YOUNG PEOPLE disadvantaged area (CITYSIDE)

• Challenges Personal safety in community
• No community facilities
• Smoking, drugs and alcohol
• Teenage pregnancies
• Job opportunities
• Education
• Causes- Peer pressure, No where to go,
  Boredom, Lack of support in school, Alcohol

23
YOUNG PEOPLE disadvantaged area (CITYSIDE)

• Solutions Job centres for young people
• Somewhere to hang out- adventure-e.g.
  amusements, paintball, go-karting, gym, dance
  studio, state of the art swimming centre
  with slides
• Help to reduce peer pressure
• Spend more money parks play/peace park
• More support /varied activity in
  school-especially males

24
YOUNG PEOPLE disadvantaged area (CITYSIDE)

• Lower level pupils at school dont do
  anything-sitting
• bored whilst others are learning
• Girls enjoy school, boys do sometimes-feel girls
• benefit more
• When class is split into different levels harder
  to learn-not
• treated as an equal
• Drink Drugs-it is easily available

25
TRAVELLERS
Challenges- Education, Prejudice,
Communication, Health, Road safety,
Environment-Management of traveller
site Causes- Literacy numeracy skills,
Lack of support within schools, No
celebration of traveller culture e.g. in
schools Lack of representation Solutions-
Additional educational support in schools,
Gender specific educational training
outreach programmes Secure traveller site.g.
licensing system
26
WOMEN

• Challenges- Accessible Affordable Childcare
• Education
• Employment opportunities
• Work/life Balance
• Caring responsibilities
• Transport
• Training Progression in Employment
• Representation
• Income levels
• Domestic abuse
• Teenage pregnancies
• Stress
• Self esteem Confidence

27
WOMEN

• Causes- Lack of affordable childcare
• Low income
• Cost public transport,
• Education/training-fear, lack of ambition
• Lack of female participation in public
  life
• Lack of investment in womens sector
• Solutions- Investment in childcare women
  sector, Recruit more carers, More local,
  accessible training, More support to one
  parent families, More information, awareness
  of services, Bring back student grants-stay
  at school until 18
• Fully operational Domestic Violence Unit in
  City

28
Residents living within a rural area
Challenges- Public transport Antisocial
behaviour Isolation Underage drinking
Lack of Community services Access services
e.g. Altnagelvin Employment Opportunities
Representation
29
Residents living within a rural area

• Causes Lack of Activities for young people,
• Lack of consultation
• Inadequate community facilities
• Buses-Sunday, evenings
• Lack of support services for elderly
• Lack of adequate representation
• Solutions Consultations/public forums
• Investment in community services and
  facilities
• Investment in local/new companies
• Improved bus service evenings, Sunday
• Better public representation

30
Chinese
Challenges Language barrier (older
generation/parents) Physical/verbal attacks from
young people Lack of Integration Interpreting
only available for accessing health services Lack
of local political representation Safety at night
in city centre Causes Prejudice from young
people Alcohol/drugs city centre Lack of
multicultural meetings Poor Communication with
service providers Parks unused/quiet. Lack of
resources to celebrate/share culture in the
city Lack of safe social spaces-e.g
parks Suitable adult education English Language
classes
31
Chinese
Solutions Need for more education about
different cultures in schools More interpreters  
Volunteering programmes-to learn, share culture
and help Conversational English classes with
more practical learning Effective communication
from service providers More city wide
activities/events      More entertainment other
than bars and discos      Like to see a park
that is active all the time in the city Need
for ethnic minorities in politics    
32
People with a disability
Challenges-Built Environment Sport/Leisure
/Play facilities Social recreational
activities Transport Respite Care
Isolation/frustration Transition from
school Unwelcoming environments Causes-
Public bodies dont see support for people with a
disability as their responsibility- thrown
to the health service Accessibility
-services, facilities, public realm
33
People with a disability
Causes Lack of investment resources-housing
adaptations, nurses, respite,
Solutions Infrastructure for healthy living
Better customer care Available,
accessible, affordable transport
Recognition that people with a disability
deserve an equal service from every
one Encourage participation in public
life Investment in transitional
programmes, additional support,
resources e.g. carers, nurses

34
People with a disability
Transport starts at the front door Caring is
a vital job within the local economy Everything
centres around money not equality
35
Data Collectors Debriefing

36
Data Collectors Debriefing

37
Key cross cutting issues

• Antisocial behaviour
• Prejudice
• Youth programmes, activities, facilities
• Public transport
• Access to local availability of specific health
  services
• Involvement in consultations, public
  life/decision making
• Education Training
• Alcohol
• Social, recreational, sport, leisure and
  entertainment facilities

38
Key cross cutting issues

• Lack of Shared Spaces
• Effective Communication
• Personal safety
• Parks
• City Centre-safety at night
• Care in the community
• Community Policing- Response times
• Well paid, accessible jobs
• Community services

39
Citizens Voice

• Thank You