A social survey to better understand communities and project outcomes

From 26th to 28th November 2024, five student enumerators from UNITAL's Department of Fisheries Technology, and Marine Sciences and the Blue Ventures Timor Leste team conducted a social survey with 31 households in Arlo, Beloi Village, Administrative Authority of Atauro. Prior to this, the students received intensive training from the Blue Ventures Timor Leste team to prepare them for their roles as enumerators.

The objectives of a social survey typically focus on gathering information to understand various aspects of society, behaviors, opinions, or conditions within a specific population.

The objectives of this social survey are to:

• To collect demographic information (age, gender, education, income, etc.) to understand how different groups experience or are affected by social conditions, and to track demographic changes over time.
• To compare different groups, regions, or time periods to highlight variations and similarities in social behavior, conditions, or attitudes.
• To assess the effectiveness of existing services or programs and identify gaps where improvements or additional services may be necessary.