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ISU launches survey of informal settlements
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) has launched a Social Needs Assessment Survey of informal settlements across the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). The exercise commenced on November 19th on Robinson St, Five Cays, and will include fifty known informal settlements, over several months.
The commencement of the Social Needs Assessment Survey is a significant milestone in the work of the ISU and is in keeping with its data driven and evidence-based approach to managing informal settlements. The survey will provide a baseline understanding of such communities, which is integral for developing effective policies for the creation of communities that are safe for residents and visitors and
A team of trained Social Surveyors will conduct the interviews in English, Creole and Spanish under strict guidelines for confidentiality and courtesy.
Visits to each settlement will be preceded by a community engagement event where the ISU will provide occupants with all relevant information regarding the survey and answer questions about the Unit’s work. The engagement events will be conducted in conjunction with other government agencies and NGOs, such as the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies; the Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit of the Ministry of Health and Human Services; the Turks and Caicos Islands Diabetic Association; the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross Society and the Rotary and Rotaract clubs of Providenciales. At the first such event at Robinson Street, Five Cays on November 2nd, occupants demonstrated a spirit of cooperation, welcoming the opportunity to hear from the ISU and access the various services. Several persons indicated their interest in participating in the survey.
The Social Needs Assessment Survey will allow the Informal Settlements Unit to determine key data points such as:
Size and type of structures
- Ownership/ occupancy type
- Risk levels for environmental issues such as flooding
- Public health and sanitation concerns.
- Availability of utilities
- Socioeconomic conditions