KCRO Data Collection Workshop

Report of the Data Collection and Analysis Training Workshop -conducted on behalf of KCRO

Date: 22-24, March 2011 Venue: Sagara, Shimoga district.

The development field has several dimensions... In order to understand the various issues related to development, one of the tools used is Field Research that involves collection of data. These need to be supplemented by a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the same and use of the findings for advocacy. Data and reports on many issues including child related ones are available at national and state levels, and occasionally at the district level for some indicators. However these are often outdated and do not delve into causes for shortfalls and problems. Most importantly, they are not available at lower levels and since there could be local problems and reasons, it is difficult to pinpoint the most effective remedial actions in each case.

We have so many Goals related to children (State Plan of Action for Children, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), World Fit for Children (WFFC) etc) but many times we never know whether we are going reach to these goals or not. Many NGOs who are working in the field of child rights are not aware about these goals and their importance. Some of the NGOs are doing surveys in their field but they are not following scientific methods in them. Also, they do not generally organise these data, analyse them and use them fruitfully for advocacy and their own planning and evaluation of programmes.

Hence, collection of data is very important to the organisations who are working for child rights to solve the problems that children are troubled by, and to protect child rights. Hence knowledge of research methods and of data collection is very important.

Against this background, Karnataka Child Rights Observatory (KCRO) conducted a three-day Bangalore division level workshop for representatives of voluntary organisations on data collection and analysis from 22-24, March 2011 at Sagara of Shimoga district. 26 members of 11 voluntary organisations participated in this workshop. The resource persons were drawn from CRT, the secretariat of KCRO.

After briefing the participants about the objectives of the workshop Mr. Nagasimha G. Rao got the participants to introduce themselves. Mr. Sathish.G.C. explained the importance of statistics and the National and State Action Plans for children, the Millennium Development Goals and the World Fit for Children and other such major targets that India and the State have accepted as well. Further, he continued that the progress of these goals can only be possible by collecting, analysing and utilizing the data on child related issues periodically in their working area. Only can one compare these data with the given goals at all levels.

The participants were then briefed about data collection and its methods like observation, interview, questionnaire, focus group discursion, case studies etc.

The afternoon session dealt with types of surveys and sampling methods using a participatory method. Participants were told about household questionnaires as well as secondary data collection schedules. At the end of the day the participants were divided into 4 groups for the planned field visits.

On 23-3-2011, all groups visited Shivappa Nayaka Nagara which is in Sagara city and nearby villages Shreedhara Nagara, Karikatte Nagara and Manve Village to collect primary data from households as well as secondary data from the Anganawadi, PHC,School and Panchayats. The households were selected by systematic random sampling method to collect information.

The last day of training participants submitted their analytical reports. Dr. Padmini made some suggestions about those reports and explained to them how to write reports more effectively. In the afternoon session participants heard about methods of tabulation; after which participants were asked to tabulate the collected data.

At the end of the training programme, participants learnt about focus groups discussions, collecting case studies, individual interview etc. At the end of the program, representatives of four organisations said that they are going to use these methodologies in their upcoming surveys. Some of them asked for KCRO help in developing the questionnaire and choice and other aspects of correct methodologies. This was agreed to by KCRO.