Canal & River Trust launches first Boater Census

[Hudds Lad]

I was going to say i've still not had an email, but thought i'd check the old spam filter first, and there it was at 9:04am this morning from an Eleanor Bridgwood-Hill.

No link to the actual census as yet...

 

Dear Hudds Lad

 

The Canal & River Trust is launching a boater census survey to help understand more about boaters on its waterways, their needs, and challenges. Through the boat licensing and boat safety scheme processes, we know quite a lot about the 36,000+ boats that are on our network, for example the size, type and even the age of boats. However, we don’t know very much about the people using the boats on our waterways and what they are using them for.

 

We have worked closely with boaters on our Navigation Advisory Group and our elected boater representatives to design questions that will help us understand more about those on boats on our waterway and the challenges they face for example, raising a family on the waters, boating with disabilities or how to access services such as health services. The responses will help inform the work of the Canal & River Trust and help us understand our different customers’ needs. It will also help others, like local authorities and health service providers, to understand and ensure your needs are met.

 

It’s not obligatory to complete the census, of course, but we are hoping that all boaters will respond positively to make this a worthwhile study, which will be invaluable in informing the Trust's future planning and co-operation with other agencies who may not be familiar with the practicalities of life afloat.

 

You will be sent a link to the SNAP survey that is unique to you, but your answers will be anonymous; we won’t be able to link response to individuals or boats, so please do answer as fully and honestly as you can.

 

Completing the survey should take about 15 minutes, but you don’t have to complete it in one go. Provided you save the last bit you’ve completed (by clicking on the ‘next’ button) you’ll be able to return to the survey using the link sent to you in the email and continue to complete it. Please complete the census survey by 30^th September.

 

Thank you in advance for taking part in our first ever boater census survey.

 

 

FAQs

Why don’t you ask more information about boaters when they licence their boats?
To get a boat licence there is no requirement to disclose information about who is on your boat and what you are using your boat for.

How have you come up with the questions in the census?
We have worked with boaters from our Navigation Advisory Group and the elected reps to the Trust Council to develop the census survey questions.

What’s different between the boater census survey and the Trust’s annual boater survey?
Our annual survey asks a sample of boaters questions about their views of our waterways, but it doesn’t ask about who’s on your boat or what you use it for. The annual boater survey is only sent to around 10% of licence holders, whereas over the coming months we will be inviting all boaters to complete the boater census survey.

Doesn’t the UK Government census tell you what you need to know about boaters?
Unfortunately the information from boaters captured in the UK census is put in the same category as people who live in other types of mobile homes, so we can’t extract any useful information solely about boaters.

Do boaters have to complete the census survey?
We’re encouraging boaters to complete one census survey per boat so that we capture as much information as possible about everyone on board. It’s really important to note that we can’t trace the survey responses to individual boats or boaters so your answers are anonymous; please answer as fully and honestly as you can.

What will you do with census survey findings?
The information in the census survey will help us better understand the needs and challenges of boaters on the Trust’s waterways. With this information we will be better able to plan how we meet these needs, and also engage other agencies (such as national and local government, health providers, public services and other partners), to meet the needs of boaters.

When do people need to complete the census survey by?
We’re encouraging people to complete the census survey by 30 September, but for those who haven’t completed it by then, it will remain open for a little longer and we’ll be sending out reminders.

How do I complete the census survey?
We’ll be sending a unique e-link to the census survey to every boat licence holder who we have an email or mobile phone number for. We’re asking boaters to complete the census survey on considering everyone on board their boat.

Can the census survey be completed on a paper form?
Unfortunately not, the census survey questions will direct people to different follow-on questions depending on the answers you select. It’s too complicated to replicate this is a paper survey, but if anyone doesn’t have access to complete the census online, please call 03030 404040 to complete the census survey over the phone.

[Paul C]

There's going to be wants/needs of liveaboards which:

 

1) are shared with leisure boaters

2) are only partially, or not at all relevant, to leisure boaters

3) actually conflict with the wants/needs of leisure boaters.

 

I am sure the things which fit into (3) are miniscule (I can't think of any current examples...........maybe winter moorings were?). But if this revealed some, and the minority of boaters benefitted but it inconvenienced or conflicted with the majority, why would they go with the minority?

[cuthound]

23 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

I was going to say i've still not had an email, but thought i'd check the old spam filter first, and there it was at 9:04am this morning from an Eleanor Bridgwood-Hill.

No link to the actual census as yet...

 

Dear Hudds Lad

 

The Canal & River Trust is launching a boater census survey to help understand more about boaters on its waterways, their needs, and challenges. Through the boat licensing and boat safety scheme processes, we know quite a lot about the 36,000+ boats that are on our network, for example the size, type and even the age of boats. However, we don’t know very much about the people using the boats on our waterways and what they are using them for.

 

We have worked closely with boaters on our Navigation Advisory Group and our elected boater representatives to design questions that will help us understand more about those on boats on our waterway and the challenges they face for example, raising a family on the waters, boating with disabilities or how to access services such as health services. The responses will help inform the work of the Canal & River Trust and help us understand our different customers’ needs. It will also help others, like local authorities and health service providers, to understand and ensure your needs are met.

 

It’s not obligatory to complete the census, of course, but we are hoping that all boaters will respond positively to make this a worthwhile study, which will be invaluable in informing the Trust's future planning and co-operation with other agencies who may not be familiar with the practicalities of life afloat.

 

You will be sent a link to the SNAP survey that is unique to you, but your answers will be anonymous; we won’t be able to link response to individuals or boats, so please do answer as fully and honestly as you can.

 

Completing the survey should take about 15 minutes, but you don’t have to complete it in one go. Provided you save the last bit you’ve completed (by clicking on the ‘next’ button) you’ll be able to return to the survey using the link sent to you in the email and continue to complete it. Please complete the census survey by 30^th September.

 

Thank you in advance for taking part in our first ever boater census survey.

 

 

FAQs

Why don’t you ask more information about boaters when they licence their boats?
To get a boat licence there is no requirement to disclose information about who is on your boat and what you are using your boat for.

How have you come up with the questions in the census?
We have worked with boaters from our Navigation Advisory Group and the elected reps to the Trust Council to develop the census survey questions.

What’s different between the boater census survey and the Trust’s annual boater survey?
Our annual survey asks a sample of boaters questions about their views of our waterways, but it doesn’t ask about who’s on your boat or what you use it for. The annual boater survey is only sent to around 10% of licence holders, whereas over the coming months we will be inviting all boaters to complete the boater census survey.

Doesn’t the UK Government census tell you what you need to know about boaters?
Unfortunately the information from boaters captured in the UK census is put in the same category as people who live in other types of mobile homes, so we can’t extract any useful information solely about boaters.

Do boaters have to complete the census survey?
We’re encouraging boaters to complete one census survey per boat so that we capture as much information as possible about everyone on board. It’s really important to note that we can’t trace the survey responses to individual boats or boaters so your answers are anonymous; please answer as fully and honestly as you can.

What will you do with census survey findings?
The information in the census survey will help us better understand the needs and challenges of boaters on the Trust’s waterways. With this information we will be better able to plan how we meet these needs, and also engage other agencies (such as national and local government, health providers, public services and other partners), to meet the needs of boaters.

When do people need to complete the census survey by?
We’re encouraging people to complete the census survey by 30 September, but for those who haven’t completed it by then, it will remain open for a little longer and we’ll be sending out reminders.

How do I complete the census survey?
We’ll be sending a unique e-link to the census survey to every boat licence holder who we have an email or mobile phone number for. We’re asking boaters to complete the census survey on considering everyone on board their boat.

Can the census survey be completed on a paper form?
Unfortunately not, the census survey questions will direct people to different follow-on questions depending on the answers you select. It’s too complicated to replicate this is a paper survey, but if anyone doesn’t have access to complete the census online, please call 03030 404040 to complete the census survey over the phone.

 

Yes I got that email today too. Still waiting for the link.

[Ex Brummie]

I had the link a few days ago. I was very tempted to tell them I did most of my boating on the Shrewsbury and Newport Canal which was listed as one of the options.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Goliath said:

Is the census gathering opinion or fact, or both?

(I haven’t read it)

 

If, for example, the census reveals that there is a much stronger need for reinstating and giving additional moorings for those with disabilities, then that’s a positive, whether the majority of us need them or not. 

 

🤷‍♀️
 

 

Well for a start if you are a serious CCer who continually convers most of the system they are only interested in one area, if you put more than one they will still pin you down as to which one you use most and until you answer I don't think you cant move on.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Well for a start if you are a serious CCer who continually convers most of the system they are only interested in one area, if you put more than one they will still pin you down as to which one you use most and until you answer I don't think you cant move on.

That’s bad. 
So what do they pin you down to? to a region, (North West for instance) or is it even tighter than that? 

That’s the sort of stuff that makes it difficult: Issue a license for continuous cruising but then insist on a base area. 
 

I guess I’d have to say I’ll be outside the Anchor at High Offley but can equally be found anywhere else. 

[Midnight]

As someone who produced surveys for a local authority that urged me to get the answers they were looking for I won't be playing. One survey technique that did impress me was a satisfaction yes/no survey produced by the Formula One hotel chain.

Try this - answer yes or no

Are you satisfied with CRT's performance on:

1/ lock maintenace

2/ general maintenance

3/ vegetation management

4/ dredging 

5/ use of resources

6/ provision of facilities and bins

7/ blue signage

8/ provision of visitor moorings

9/ enforcement

10/ annual accounting

 

PS 10 was added for mischief 🙂

Edited August 31, 2022 by Midnight

[Ronaldo47]

I remember the "Yes Minister" episode Where Humphrey explains to Jim that the wording of a survey can be tailored to give either of two opposite outcomes. He uses " Are you in favour of introducing national service"  as an example.

 

Here's a genuine example from the late 1980's of how government can manipulate survey data. The Patent Office was in the process of being relocated from London to South Wales. A staff survey offered five or six grades of willingness to transfer,  ranging from "definitely willing to go" to "definitely not willing to go". All the responses other than "definitely not willing to go" were combined into a single group to demonstrate that most staff were willing to go. 

Edited August 31, 2022 by Ronaldo47
typos

[Tonka]

British Airways used to do anonymous staff surveys where you could win a prize !!

[SLC]

If I took control of a company (Lord help us) the first thing I would do is conduct a survey on the basis of Midnight's suggestion to benchmark satisfaction. Then every year or so send it out again to see whether satisfaction has improved. Just like any other business should do. CRT needs to do this with all the people who own boats and use them on the canals. It is open, honest, transparent and helps to drive improvements.

[Alan de Enfield]

23 minutes ago, SLC said:

If I took control of a company (Lord help us) the first thing I would do is conduct a survey on the basis of Midnight's suggestion to benchmark satisfaction. Then every year or so send it out again to see whether satisfaction has improved. Just like any other business should do. CRT needs to do this with all the people who own boats and use them on the canals. It is open, honest, transparent and helps to drive improvements.

 

 

C&RT do a 'satisfaction survey' every year - they have to do it to comply with the requirements of the DEFRA funding agreement.

 

The survey results shows continuing falling satisfaction levels by both boaters and 'visitors' to the canals and towpaths.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 1, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[Midnight]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

C&RT do a 'satisfaction survey' every year - they have to do it to comply with the requirements of the DEFRA funding agreement.

 

The survey results shows continuing falling satisfaction levels by both boaters and 'visitors' to the canals and towpaths.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is that on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 = not satisfied and 2 to 10 = satisfied

[MtB]

Curious isn't it? 

 

CRT have being doing the job for ten years and much the same bunch for the previous 50 years but with a different sign over the door, and suddenly they decide they don't know what boaters want. 

 

I'm sure they could have figured it out in a 15 minute meeting if they actually thought about it, or they could have started a thread on here and found out for nothing. But no, they decide to hose £100k up the wall designing a 'census'.

 

I mean, why do they need to know anyway? They demonstrate continuously boaters' needs are at the bottom of their priority list. 

[Ewan123]

On 31/08/2022 at 13:56, Rebotco said:

 

Your views and experiences are as valid and important as any other boaters.

But they are not representative of the great majority.

The danger is that CRT could try and pretend this survey reflects the opinions of ALL boaters - which it won't.

There's nothing to say that they're going to take all responses and come up with one conclusion for all. The fact that there's a question asking whether the responder is a leisure or liveaboard boater suggests that that's not the case as it makes it very easy for them to split the responses by those categories.

[Ewan123]

7 hours ago, Midnight said:

Is that on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 = not satisfied and 2 to 10 = satisfied

 

It is interesting to see the data behind some of these scales. My company does the usual employee satisfaction nonsense survey and apparently the scale they use is US based; any response of 7 or below is counted as a negative. They wondered why the UK employee scores were so low and when they asked the UK teams, everyone said they considered 7 to be quite a high score. It seems there's actually a cultural variation in the attitude to reporting satisfaction.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Ewan123

[Midnight]

2 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

 

It is interesting to see the data behind some of these scales. My company does the usual employee satisfaction nonsense survey and apparently the scale they use is US based; any response of 7 or below is counted as a negative. They wondered why the UK employee scores were so low and when they asked the UK teams, everyone said they considered 7 to be quite a high score. It seems there's actually a cultural variation in the attitude to reporting satisfaction.

That's the advantage of the Formula One style survey you're either satisfied or not satisfied. There is a slight flaw. I used that formulae for an anonymous satisfaction survey of a leisure centre. The results were remarkable around 99% satisfied. Suspecting foul play my investigations revealed the staff were completing most of the returns. 🤫😕🙄

[Ronaldo47]

Apparently the civil service now have something called the "engagement index". I don't know exactly what it is or how it is measured as it didn't exist in 1989 when I left the Patent Office (PO). For some years after I left, I had been keeping up with the goings-on there via the publicly-available steering board minutes. 

 

A decade or so ago when Lammy was in charge of the DTI, he set the PO a number of KPI targets which the staff had to meet to get their bonus (in lieu of increments). Most were work-related (numbers of cases dealt with etc),  but he also included a figure for "engagement index". The office was undergoing an upheaval at the time, including changing from individual offices to open plan, to cram.the same amount of staff into fewer floors. Well, despite the disruption, the staff exceeded all their work--related performance targets by comfortable margins, but did not achieve the  engagement index target. So because they were not happy bunnies, their bonus was significantly  lower than it would otherwise  have been. 

 

Although management recognised this was not exactly just, nothing was done to remedy it, other than not using it as a KPI in subsequent years.  Not that I suppose it would have been reliable data by  then anyway.  If reporting your true feelings is actually going to result in loss of earnings, giving a negative response to an engagement survey would be like turkeys voting for christmas