Focus on: Jobs with Census

Date: 1 Nov 2010

Azra Tariq wants to make a difference to her local community.

The mother of two is a community advisor for the 2011 Census in East London. Her job is to reach the Pakistani community in Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest. She got the job after working with her local authority on social inclusion programmes for the past two years, after studying community development at college.

She says: “Before I had my children, I ran a Pakistani clothes store for women in Newham, which is now one of my areas for my role on the census. My local knowledge of the community and East London from this time – the people, the community groups and mosques – is going to be invaluable in my role as a census community advisor.

“This specialist knowledge is very important as I understand how to reach the Pakistani community and can relate to their needs. For example, some people may be reticent to complete the census questionnaire, but when I explain it helps ensure enough hospital beds for their family and neighbours they can see how it will benefit them.”

Azra is one of a huge team of people working to deliver the 2011 Census, many of them working mums. The Census team is offering 35,000 part-time and full-time job opportunities offering flexible working patterns over the next few months.

Click here for Census opportunities available

The main qualifications necessary are great communication skills and a good knowledge of the local community.

The Census takes place only once every 10 years and is the official method for gathering information about households for policy and planning purposes. It dates back many centuries. The Domesday Book of 1086 in England contained listings of households, but it did not cover all households and its aims were not the same as those of the modern Census since it was sparked by William the Conqueror's desire to assess the extent of land and resources owned in England at the time and the extent of the taxes he could raise.

The modern-day Census of England and Wales is conducted by the Office for National Statistics which posts the information on its website while Scotland and Northern Ireland's Censuses are carried out by different organisations.

However, all are conducted on the same day - 27th March 2011. The Census has adapted over time, with the last Census, for instance, including questions on religion for the first time. This time round the 2011 Census for England and Wales has set up a 2011 Census Family History on Facebook group to help people share how they have used Census data to help track their family history and find their roots.

There are several different posts that the Census organisers are looking to fill. The majority of vacancies are for Census Collectors who contact householders to collect completed census questionnaires and assist where required with filling in information. Over 29,000 of these roles are available across England and Wales.

The roles provide flexible working hours as collectors have the choice of working 15, 25 or 37 hours a week, depending on their availability, so Census work can be fitted around other work or caring responsibilities.

Other roles include Census Coordinators who lead and motivate a team of up to 15 field staff and Special Enumerators who deliver questionnaires to organisations such as care homes, hotels and prisons and collect completed forms.

Depending on the role, the job can last from a couple of months to six months. Collectors, for instance, are needed from early April to early May; Special Enumerators are needed from early March to mid April and Census Coordinators are needed from 7th February to mid-May.

There are different rates of pay for different roles, with £7.71 an hour being the lowest rate and £19.91 the highest. The first interview is done over the phone after an application form has been filled in. Successful interviewees will be invited to take part in an online training session.

“It's a great job for working mums as it's a chance to have a positive impact on their community,” says a spokeswoman for the Census. “They know a lot about their local community because they live in it and the job is on their doorstep.”

For more information and to apply, visit the Census recruitment website www.censusjobs.co.uk.