This year sees the once in a decade census take place where all residents are required to fill in details about their homes and family life.
Creating a snapshot of society every ten years, the census surveys a variety of aspects of how people live.
More importantly, the answers are used to inform national and borough decision making on vital services. It ensures millions of pounds are invested where it is needed in emergency and health services including mental health care, school places and housing.
Information from the census is also important in helping charity organisations do their work. Charities and voluntary organisations often use census data as evidence to get funding. It also helps businesses to understand their customers and decide where to open new services for example.
With its historical roots in the 11th century Doomsday Book, some Slough residents may have discovered how their ancestors lived during genealogy research due to the existence of past census documents. Future generations will also be able to assess the information about how their ancestors live today. Each census is anonymised for 100 years.
Census 2021 takes place on Sunday March 21 and is overseen by the Office for National Statistics, the ONS.
Some people may require additional help filling in the survey, which asks questions from number of children in the house to how many cars the family has, and the ONS is recruiting across the south east to bolster its workforce.
Charlotte Spear, Slough’s census 2021 engagement manager, said: “The ONS is hiring thousands of people in a range of exciting temporary roles to make Census 2021 a success.
“I would love the census field force to include people from every community across Slough.
“Around 300 community engagement staff have been employed countrywide and recruitment has now begun for a whole range of field staff which will peak at over 30,000 jobs at the height of the census operation in the spring of 2021.
“These roles will be perfect for those who enjoy talking to people and working in the community, and every post filled will help ensure communities across the length and breadth of Slough are represented.”
“It is crucial everyone – from people living in the whole of Slough from Cippenham to Colnbrook, from Langley to Britwell, all generations and every community – takes part to give the best picture of the needs of us all.”
Operating in line with the Government’s latest Covid-19 guidance, census officers will be deployed across the borough to contact those who have not responded to the survey in the first instance. They will offer help and advice to those who need it.
They will also remind people that their census response is required by law.
Flexible hours are available, although some evening and weekend work is expected.
To register interest in a role and for more information on all the census jobs, visit https://www.censusjobs.co.uk/.