Developing a Local Poverty Profile

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Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• LAPS Capacity Building Seminars
• 2006

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What is a Poverty Profile

• A full and accurate picture of the nature and
  extent of poverty in the area
• Systematically identifying, gathering and mapping
  information on the social and economic need in
  the area
• Should identify the areas and communities that
  experience the highest levels of disadvantage and
  the nature of that disadvantage

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Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• By identifying local poverty issues, it can help
• Draw up a local needs appraisal
• Target resources in the most effective way
• Carry out follow-up action and evaluation
• Add to needs appraisal at national level

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Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• First step find out how much work has been done
  already, so as to avoid duplication and increase
  peoples understanding of the issues
• Keep the following questions in mind -
• Is the material valid and based on verifiable
  research?
• Is the material inaccurate or inconsistent?
• Are there gaps in datasets?
• Is the same definition being applied to
  particular terms or different terms
• Arte the research findings statistically
  reliable?
• Can the statistics or research results over time
  or between different geographical areas be
  compared?

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Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Remember the following-
• Information does not need to come solely from the
  local authority, use other sources
• Information gathered should be as IT friendly as
  possible (useful to have an IT staff member
  involved)
• Work with other stakeholders, many will have
  expertise across a number of themes and may be
  key sources of data

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Selection of Themes
• Selection of Indicators
• Data identification and gathering
• Basic data analysis
• Mapping, preferably using a Geographic
  Information System (GIS)
• Presentation and Review

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Themes/Domains These are the broad headings,
  policy areas or function areas that are used to
  organise information for the poverty profile.
• They typically include
• Housing Health Welfare dependency Educational
  disadvantage
• They may include
• Transport Community amenities Quality of Life
• Themes may also include specific target groups
  such as
• Women Older People Children Ethnic Minorities
  Travellers

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Indicators Most commonly a number, percentage,
  rate or ratio that shows the extent to which an
  event or phenomenon is present or absent.
• Examples-
• Welfare Dependency Number of recipients of
  Unemployment Assistance Number of Recipients of
  Lone Parents Allowance
• Housing and Accommodation Number assessed by
  local authority as being in housing need Number
  of population who are local authority tenants

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Selecting Indicators
• National policies and indicators, e.g. NAPS
  NESC NDP
• Local Authority databases
• Databases held by other national, regional and
  local organisations
• Previous local research studies
• National and international publications, e.g.
  DSFA, CSO, EU, UN

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Choosing the Right Indicators
• Easily understood
• Addressing priority issues
• Conceptually valid and analytically sound
• Measurable
• Available for the specific area
• Balance between too few and too many. All
  indicators should be reviewed regularly due to
  changing priorities and circumstances and the
  availability of data

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Identifying and Gathering Data Finding and
  gathering appropriate data is one of the key
  tasks of developing a local poverty profile. It
  takes a lot of time and should be planned
• Sources of Data Check out the most obvious
  sources of data on poverty and social exclusion
  first
• Geographic Area Consider which geographic area
  is most appropriate, District Electoral Division
  (DED) most common

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Basic Data Analysis Make sure the categories or
  groups are relevant. For example, a dataset on
  educational attainment grouped by gender tells
  little unless it also shows socio-economic status
  or labour market experience
• Mapping Data Clear picture, have more of an
  impact, easily understood. GIS possible to map a
  variety of datasets simultaneously

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Steps in Developing a Local Poverty Profile

• Presenting and Reviewing a Local Poverty Profile
• Description of the theme
• Description of the indicators and reason for
  choosing them
• Source and regularity of the data
• Baseline data collected
• Key issues or trends emerging
• Gaps in information