We want to empower social service providers and government agencies to understand, decide on and do more of what really works, for better lives.
The need to have social and demographic data about communities increased following the adverse weather events that impacted communities across the North Island in early 2023.
Following these events and to support communities as they recover, we have developed a data explorer(external link) to bring a range of information together for decision-makers. This explorer is not intended to provide all the answers – but we hope it will help us to ask better questions.
Given the importance of understanding wellbeing alongside the impact of recent weather events, we have also partnered with Dragonfly Data Science to understand – from satellite data – the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle for the East Coast. You can explore the Dragonfly Flood Impact map here, or you will find a link to it contained within the explorer.
We would love your feedback on the explorer – particularly how you’ve used it and what additional data you’d like to see curated for community use. Questions, comments and feedback can be sent here.
Analytics provides one type of evidence to support better decision-making. Analytics is the use of computer skills and statistics to draw conclusions from data. We combine analytics with qualitative data, science and people’s lived experience.
Social sector analytics can help social service providers and government agencies improve evidence informed decision making, service delivery measurement, and develop and enhance innovative social services.
We've produced analytical tools and reusable code for technical users who have access to Stats NZ's Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI). Code, assembly and visualisation tools and user guidance is publicly available on GitHub — an open source, collaborative software development platform and repository.
Available resources include:
Topic |
Subject |
Tool |
Description |
|
IDI measures |
Code |
Definitions of events and measures in the IDI from our research projects. Compatible with the Dataset Assembly Tool. Gathered together for ease of reuse. |
|
|
Dataset assembly |
Method and code |
Standard tool and process for assembling a range of measures together into a single dataset ready for analysis. |
|
|
People’s life experience |
Method and code |
Constructing cross-sector representative timelines of people's life experience |
|
|
People’s life experience |
Run code |
Interactive timeline visualisation tool for exploring journey timelines |
|
|
Wellbeing impacts evaluation |
Method and code |
Using linked administrative and survey data to evaluate the wellbeing impacts of transitioning from benefit to employment |
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Wellbeing impacts evaluation |
Method and code |
Using linked administrative and survey data to evaluate the wellbeing impacts of social housing |
Visit the Social Wellbeing Agency Github(external link) or the Social Investment Agency Github(external link) (archived material).
We work with Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Auckland on the Te Rourou Tātaritanga Informatics for Social Services & Wellbeing(external link) programme. The programme aims to improve the way New Zealand stores, shares and accesses data to help produce better policy and enhance the delivery of social services.
The programme works to:
We are contributing to systems to support data access, and helping to foster a community of practice across the government sector. We also deliver a symposium annually, to share the ground-breaking things people are doing with data and look for future opportunities in the applied data system. The most recent symposium was held in March 2023. You can read the 2023's presentations here(external link).
This work aligns with the Agency's 2021-2023 Strategy by supporting government agencies to improve their data capability and lead advice across the sector.
