To better understand the wellbeing and needs of local communities, Trust Tairāwhiti captures and analyses comprehensive data through the annual Tairāwhiti Wellbeing Survey (TWS). This data is benchmarked against He Rangitapu He Tohu Ora, the Trust’s wellbeing framework, and is used to help inform the Trust’s operations and investment decisions. It’s also freely available as a resource for local and national organisations and communities.
While Statistics NZ already collects wellbeing data through their biannual NZ General Social Survey (NZGSS), this doesn’t accurately reflect our region due to the small sample size from Tairāwhiti.
The TWS is a condensed version of the NZGSS, with questions around life satisfaction, income, health, business opportunities, connectedness in the community and perceptions of the environment.
This is a longitudinal project, and has now been conducted two years in a row. Over time, we will be able to see patterns and trends. The Trust’s ultimate aspiration is to help enhance the collective wellbeing of Tairāwhiti, and having accurate data provides an essential foundation.
Insights are supporting our whānau, communities and organisations to better understand what the wellbeing of our region looks like at a collective level. The survey findings are helping Trust Tairāwhiti to understand the needs of our communities and to make well-informed investment decisions. The Trust's ultimate aspiration is to enhance the collective wellbeing of Tairāwhiti and having accurate data is an essential foundation for this.
Previous survey data has been used by a range of local and national organisations, including Trust Tairāwhiti, Gisborne District Council, Manaaki Tairāwhiti, Te Whatu Ora, New Zealand Treasury, Auckland University, Kāinga Ora, New Zealand Institute of Economic Research and Wellbeing Alliance Aotearoa.
2023 Wellbeing Survey Numbers
- The survey ran for eight weeks from 26 October to 19 December 2023.
- There were 833 weighted results from people right across Tairāwhiti.
- Compared with the 2022 survey, there was a significant increase in the percentage of people concerned about the economy and the environment.