GCRO embarks on largest Quality of Life survey to date

The Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO) is partnering with ResearchGo, a University of Johannesburg organisation, to survey over 31 000 randomly selected Gauteng residents in their homes from August to December 2017. This partnership with ResearchGo and University of Johannesburg is aiming to build long-term capacity for large-scale quantitative research within UJ and the GCRO. The Quality of Life Survey (QoL) is the largest survey of social attitudes and quality of life in Gauteng, and the 2017 iteration will be the fifth in the series of biennial surveys.

The survey has been designed with input from a range of stakeholders, and gets to the heart of some of the key challenges facing the Gauteng City Region. It includes questions on basic services, satisfaction with government, transport and mobility, livelihoods, local community and neighbourhood dynamics, health, and political and social values and attitudes. The sample will be representative at ward level and aims to equip all spheres of government with critical, local-level targeting data needed to ensure the effectiveness of their programmes.

The data collectors are being contracted through Harambee, a youth employment accelerator, to work on the project. Through this initiative, 280 unemployed young Gauteng residents will not just gain work experience and an opportunity to earn an income, but will also receive extensive skills training.

The QoL survey is using innovative technology to enable live monitoring of data as it is collected. This enables rapid validation of sample points and data, ensuring the highest quality and accuracy. At the peak of data collection, the data collection team will be completing as many as 560 interviews per day.

Participation in the survey is an opportunity for residents to share their experiences of government services and their life in the province. Data collectors will be approaching randomly selected residents to participate in the survey. Data collectors will be carrying identification and can be verified through the QoL call centre. Responses to survey questions are confidential, and data is anonymised for use. Residents who would like further information on the survey are welcome to call the GCRO.

Quality of Life Survey call centre 1: 066 046 6889

Quality of Life Survey call centre 2: 066 050 1874

Quality of Life Survey call centre 3: 066 050 0482

Quality of Life Survey call centre 4: 066 049 9590

Quality of Life Survey call centre 5: 066 049 8201

Quality of Life Survey call centre 6: 066 048 5185

Quality of Life Survey call centre 7: 066 047 0754

Quality of Life Survey call centre 8: 066 050 2531