Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Experts at the University of Nottingham are leading a team working with the national charity and membership network, Irish in Britain, to analyse the 2021 Census data.The research project will enable organisations and institutions across Ireland to update and integrate their understanding of the demographic profile of Irish communities and use this to underpin their future organisational activities.
The team of researchers will be led by Dr Alessio D’Angelo, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham, and includes Dr Neil Kaye, Research Fellow at UCL’s Institute of Education, Dr Alastair Munro, Researcher at the University of Nottingham, and Professor Louise Ryan, Director of Global Diversities and Inequalities Research Centre at London Metropolitan University. This experienced team covers a wide array of skills and expertise, enabling the best evaluation of the census data.
The release of new census data is a once in a decade opportunity to get an extremely robust and detailed picture of local communities throughout England and Wales, including ethnic minorities.
Dr D'Angelo continued: "As previous experience demonstrates, working closely with campaign and advocacy organisations to analyse these data and disseminate findings among practitioners, service providers and other stakeholders can really make a difference in identifying and meeting people’s needs.”
The latest Census 2021 data will be released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) over the next year, starting on 28 June 2022, and will initially include statistics for age, sex and the estimates of households in England and Wales. More detailed data is scheduled to be released periodically throughout the next 12 months. Scotland and Northern Ireland publish their census data independently.
Christian Zik Nsonwu, Policy & Public Affairs Manager at Irish in Britain, said: “The census is vitally important for a healthy and informed democracy – guiding political representation, policy development, planning and administration of public services, and the allocation of key funding.
The Irish community is one of the largest and earliest immigrant/minority ethnic groups in Britain and it is essential that we continue to be counted to guide our continued work with the community.
The team of researchers appointed by Irish in Britain will analyse these rich datasets, helping to understand and communicate the full picture of the Irish community and the demography of constituencies across Britain. Irish in Britain will publish a series of reports presenting and discussing data for England, Wales, London, Midlands (East and West), and Northwest. These reports will analyse and geographically map Census statistics on Irish populations with regard to education and qualifications, employment, health and housing, also comparing them with other ethnic groups and bringing together the results with findings emerging from other research.
Irish in Britain’s 2011 Census Analysis Reports, with input from Dr D’Angelo, have helped to inform the advocacy and campaigning work of third sector organisations nationwide.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Alessio D’Angelo in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham at alessio.dangelo@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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