Inclusive not intrusive: a call to act on demographic data practices

The collection of modern demographic data through the census began in the early 1800s[1], a time when society was sculpting its future with tools suited for a different age. Since then, the UK’s population has evolved like a river reshaping its course, sometimes gradually, sometimes with great upheaval. Although the questions posed to the population through censuses have undoubtedly gone through countless refinements, they remain tethered to historical perspectives that do not always reflect the shifting tides of identity and society.  

Demographics could be said to be the backbone of societal understanding, much like the rings of a tree that reveal its age, growth, and the climate it has endured. We seek to understand our society by categorising individuals by – variously - age, sex, gender, ethnic group, sexuality, religion, marital status, general health status, disability, and education. The challenge for those working with and for young people now, alongside the funders and organisations that support them, is to ensure that the approach and framing of demographic data collection does not remain a fossilised relic but evolves into a living, breathing reflection of the people of our times. Though they were uncertain about the how, young people involved in the E4P project were sure that adaptation is necessary to ensure that the process and the engagement is inclusive, relevant, and capable of capturing the complexity of modern identities.

The E4P project was a two year initiative, supported by Youth Futures Foundation. It engaged with practitioners and young people across diverse settings in England, gaining their perceptions and understanding of demographic data, its collection processes, use of this data, and its relevance. Both groups shared openly during our discussions, and we acknowledge them and thank them for their engagement. 

Spending time engaging with young people exploring their experiences of demographic data was like opening a window in a long-sealed room – illuminating yet revealing the dust of outdated methods. While traditional demographic data collection has its merits, young people increasingly question its relevance. The structured, rigid categories of demographic surveys are a bit like a well-worn road: familiar, consistent, and leading to known destinations. However, younger people experience life with fewer absolutes; some find that identities are fluid and social norms are evolving, which means that traditional categories often fail to accurately capture them. These outdated approaches may lead to lower or no engagement and honesty, and data that fails to reflect the true diversity of contemporary society. Current processes also frequently fail to account for the time and attention that is needed to approach conversations about demographic data with care; care that is necessary to ensure young people feel safe and supported when sharing information about themselves, and their personal stories. 

Practitioners found themselves navigating the maze without a map, often questioning not just the ‘how’ but the ‘why’ of the process. They felt ill-equipped to create the right environment to explore the sensitive realities woven into young people’s responses. On the other hand, younger people question why over time, no one has considered ways of revising both the data and collection, therefore challenging future funders to seek ways of allocating funding that are not reliant on deficits.  

There is a consistent and increasing drive for the collection and use of demographic data to address disadvantages and inequalities across all parts of society, but it is evident from our conversations with practitioners and young people that current processes and practices for demographic data collection do not meet the levels of care and compassion that sit at the heart of our sector’s values. Practitioners need support to feel better equipped to engage, and young people need to feel involved rather than processed. We must address this – we must change our practices. 

Change will be tough in the current climate, with many competing priorities for precious funding and other resources, but change is essential. In our final recommendations, we put forward many ways in which this work could be moved forward for the benefit of the young people we support. This work cannot be done by one person or one organisation in a silo, and it will need consistent, persistent time, effort, and resources. We call now on our sector partners to engage with the learning that we have shared and continue collaborative approaches, centring young people and practitioners as we forge towards a pivotal point. To not act is not an option: both practitioners and the young people we serve have been invested, they have made themselves vulnerable, they have told us how they feel, and the least we owe them is to show, by our actions, that they have been heard. We must act – we must continue grappling with the complexities of the processes until we get them right for all involved. 

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This blog was authored by Dr Peggy Warren and Catherine Mitchell.

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/aboutcensuses/censushistory/themoderncensus