the next (and final?) Census

Meeting this afternoon at the Welcome Centre with Khudeja Amer-Sharif (photo above), 2011 Census Community Advisor. The next national Census will be held on Sunday 27 March 2011 - and there's talk that it might be the last of its kind. The Coalition Government has floated the prospect of killing off the Census and obtaining information it needs from existing agencies and databases, such as credit rating agencies. The first Census in this country was carried out in 1801 and since then has been held at regular ten-yearly (decennial) intervals. The only exception to this was in 1941, when it was abandoned due to World War II.

Khudeja has been commissioned to find ways of improving the response of the Indian community in Leicester and Leicestershire to the Census when it comes round again. In 2001, this community was one which didn't participate in the Census to its fullest extent (so much so that I've heard it said that one segment within the Indian community in the city might be as much as twice the size recorded in the Census).

For the Council of Faiths in general - and for my post in particular - accurate, up-to-date information about the size, distribution and status of faith communities is essential for many reasons that I'm sure need no explanation.

As well as helping find ways for the Indian community to participate in the Census, we can find other ways for it to have a positive impact locally. The Census has created 35,000 temporary jobs nationally. There was an under-representation among those who filled these posts in 2001 of Indian people, so Khudeja wants to find ways to encourage the Indian community to apply for some of these. So we're looking for ways to publicise the importance of the Census and the availability of these jobs that come with it. Khudeja is interested in getting the chance to speak to our members, as well as organising such activities as "Completion Events" (for those who might be having difficulties filling out their Census forms) in places of worship and community centres for a week or so after the date of the Census.

I provide Khudeja with some contacts, including: Highcross; Oadby & Wigston Hindu Community; Oadby & Wigston Muslim Association; Wesley Hall. What she'd really like is a public endorsement from Leicester Council of Faiths, which would look good in the Mercury with a photograph featuring a Hindu, Muslim and Sikh face. Sounds like the kind of thing we'd be glad to arrange - but after 9 October, as much of our normal work is pretty much on hold till then!

Khudeja is featured on "Faces of the Census":
http://2011mc.census.gov.uk/Faces_of_the_Census.pdf