This is the second piece of a four-part series about data literacy and critical data consumerism through the lens of economic prosperity. This post focuses on unemployment. You can read Part 1 about income here. We hope that through this series you will be reminded that we must all continue to be curious about the information we are presented with and work to be critical consumers of data in our everyday lives.
Read MoreYou are probably already aware that there are certain groups that are at higher risk of being undercounted in any census. And you may be aware of some of the groups in your own community.
But what can you do to help each person in your community be counted?
Read MoreLooking for updated Connecticut data on demographics, education, health, housing, the economy, and more? Our data sets have been updated with 2018 ACS data for your next data project.
Read MoreWhen you hear the term “literacy,” your mind might immediately jump to phonics flashcards and handwriting worksheets. Or maybe you think of a financial literacy podcast you listen to for investing tips and retirement planning. But what about the term “data literacy”? Here at CTData, we believe data literacy is an important and accessible set of skills that every person needs to possess.
Read MoreDid you know that Connecticut receives $10.7 billion from the federal government each year based on the decennial census count? Yet the U.S. Census bureau projects a 55% self-response rate in 2020, compared to a 74% self-response rate in 2010. Which is why the recruitment and hiring of Census Enumerators is so important.
Read MoreIt all begins with a question, a question that you think can be easily answered with data. You sit down at your computer, fueled by curiosity and ready to find your solution. Fast forward several hours, and you’ve stared at the monitor for so long you can feel your eyes melting. How can one question that seems so simple be so complicated to answer? You don’t need magic or a data fairy godparent, you just need the brand new CTDATA.ORG.
Read MoreWhen deciding what outfit to wear today, we check the weather. When we want to try a new restaurant, we check Yelp. When we want to see how well we slept last night (or how much coffee we’ll need this morning), we check our FitBit to see our sleep patterns. All of these decisions require one key component: data. Data informs decisions of all types. Whether you’re looking for a new place to move, need stats to strengthen your upcoming article, or want to understand the community’s needs that your organization serves, data can bridge the gap between a hunch and a strong, well-supported claim.
Read MoreConnecticut is a state with many facets. At first glance, Connecticut appears well-resourced and prosperous, having long been cited as one of the wealthiest states in the nation. Those of us that work in our local communities know that there is a more nuanced story behind this facade of wealth. Connecticut continues to rank in the top 3 states for the highest income inequality in the nation.
Read MoreWith the 2020 decennial Census happening this Spring, it is important for communities to work together to make sure that everyone is counted. We rely on these dollars to support services and infrastructure within our communities. In fact, for every person not counted, Connecticut loses approximately $2,900 in funding to other states, as well as funding for important community services and infrastructure.
Read MoreEmpowering people to engage with data is one of the largest challenges facing policymakers, businesses, and community and advocacy organizations. For many individuals, “data” can be an intimidating word that brings to mind an indecipherable spreadsheet or conjures up memories of high school algebra. To help data analysts in their mission, we’ve created the following four quick tips for engaging people with data.
Read MoreTo help data users assess the impacts of differential privacy in their communities, CTData used the IPUMS joint data release to develop an interface to compare the original 2010 town-level data with what the 2010 town-level data would look like if differential privacy was applied.
To what extent did the original 2010 Census data change after differential privacy was applied? We’ll look at a few variables below as examples. You can see what these and other variables look like in your community by visiting CTData’s interactive online tool.
Read MoreCTData celebrated a year of transition and growth in 2019. We launched innovative new data projects, welcomed three new staff members, and assumed the role of leading the Hartford Data Collaborative—an initiative centered on building an integrated data system across nonprofits and the city.
As the Connecticut Census State Data Center, we bolstered our outreach around Census 2020, culminating in a series of workshops at our annual conference in November that provided crucial insights into planning for the decennial count.
Read MoreAs 2020 begins, the fast-approaching decennial 2020 United States Census looms large. To increase awareness and understanding of the importance of the census to Connecticut, to explain precisely how it will work, and to seek the assistance of organizations in communities statewide, the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance, Connecticut Council for Philanthropy and Connecticut Data Collaborative will be co-sponsoring a series of workshops for nonprofit organizations throughout January.
Read MoreThe United State of Women partnered with the Connecticut Collective of Women and Girls for Galvanize CT with the purpose of "convening communities across the country and equipping women with the tools they need to keep fighting for gender equity.“
Read MoreWith 111 days until Census Day 2020 (April 1, 2020), the clock is ticking and communities must be ready to count everyone. That was the message that reverberated throughout the room during the December 10th Connecticut Complete Count Committee meeting, held at the State Capitol. This meeting brought together state leadership, Local Complete Count Committee (LCCC) representatives, service organizations, funders, and Census Bureau staff to brainstorm how to reach hard-to-count populations such as young children, those living in group quarters, and immigrant communities.
Read MoreThe Connecticut Data Collaborative (CTData) is seeking an enthusiastic person who loves data, believes in our mission, and wants to grow our organization to join our small team as the data analyst.
Read MoreThere is no one-size-fits-all approach to census communications. Each community will require its own nuanced plan, and although the online census form is making its debut in 2020, it’s imperative to consider inequities in access to technology and the potential barriers to census completion that this presents. For example, not all Connecticut households have access to the internet—in fact, around 200,000 households still do not have Internet access or have dial-up only. When strategizing about community outreach, it’s important to inform people about how the Census will reach out to them to help different populations complete the form easily and accurately.
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