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West Dunbartonshire Citizens’ Panel (Appendix 4)

Key Features

 

Process

 

  • The Panel is run on behalf of all the community planning partners, co-ordinated by a  partner Steering Group and administered by Hexagon Research & Consulting.  Funding comes from the Community Planning budget.

 

Membership

 

  • The Panel is recruited from a random sample of residents (from the edited electoral register) and refreshed regularly.  It currently has over 1400 members.

 

Characteristics

 

  • The composition of the Panel reflects many of the characteristics of the West Dunbartonshire adult population, with re-weighting for geographical area and age. The age range is 18 upwards.

 

Boosted Regeneration Sample

 

  • The Panel was designed to have a boosted sample from Regeneration areas to allow robust reporting of results for these areas and comparisons with the rest of West Dunbartonshire.

 

Response Rates

 

  • Response rates are good (over past four surveys during 2009-2010 averaged 71% = 1017)

 

Surveys

 

There are up to 4 surveys a year (avoiding July and December).  Surveys can be used for a number of purposes:

  • To test out new ideas

  • To test awareness of services and new developments

  • To inform future planning of policies and services

  • To gain information about behaviours

  • To measure change

 

Focus Groups

 

  • Focus Groups can be commissioned directly from the Panel or via surveys (subject to budget availability)

 

Feedback and Evaluation

 

  • Quality feedback is provided via regular A4 summaries of surveys and via the Annual Feedback Newsletter.

  • The Panel is evaluated regularly for both panel users (commissioners of surveys and    questions and panel members ).  Feedback is very positive for both (for example, 74% of panel members agree the Feedback Annual Newsletter provides evidence that community planning partners listen to what they tell us in developing and changing the way we provide services)

 

What questions work best?

 

The Panel will provide the best volume of responses on questions which most people have knowledge about or an opinion on.  For subjects that fewer people are familiar with, responses will be lower and other methods are worth considering.

 

It can be useful for testing out awareness of services and for gauging interest/need for proposed new services.

 

Further Information

 

All surveys, the most recent feedback newsletter and a Questionfinder can be accessed here. 


 

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