2005 Citizenship Survey

The 2005 Citizenship Survey is the third in a series of surveys carried out previously in 2001 and 2003, and commissioned by the Home Office (UK government). Topics covered include racial and religious prejudice and discrimination, volunteering, civil renewal and views about the local area.

Selected findings
Published June 27 2006
 * 39 per cent of people in England feel they can influence decisions in their local area, 22 per cent feel they can influence decisions at a national level.
 * Half (50 per cent) of adults in England volunteered regularly in the past year. This has increased from 2001 (47 per cent).
 * 80 per cent of people in England and Wales feel that they live in a cohesive community, in that they agree that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together. This proportion is unchanged from 2003.
 * 53 per cent of people whose friends are all the same ethnicity as themselves feel that racial prejudice in Britain has got worse over the last five years, compared to 43 per cent of people who have friends from different ethnic groups.
 * In England and Wales, 37 per cent of people from minority ethnic groups feel they would be treated worse than other races by at least one of eight public service organisations. This proportion is unchanged from 2001.

For the purposes of the Survey the following meanings apply:
 * Community cohesion - A cohesive community is one where: there is a common vision and a sense of belonging for all communities; the diversity of people’s different backgrounds and circumstances are appreciated and positively valued; those from different backgrounds have similar life opportunities; and strong and positive relationships are being developed between people from different backgrounds in the workplace, schools and within neighbourhoods. This survey measures cohesion by whether people feel that people from different backgrounds get on together in their local area.
 * Regular volunteering - volunteering at least once a month in the 12 months prior to interview.
 * Volunteering - covers formal volunteering - giving unpaid help to groups, clubs or organsations and informal volunteering - giving unpaid help to individuals who are not relatives.

Related topics

 * Community & voluntary action

Reference

 * DCLG press release