Seven crucial questions

1. Why is it necessary to survey additional data?

A village is a complex social figure. Like in a living body, inhabitants (like organs) are working more or less together. Official data cannot describe this fact. That is the reason why the HINTERLAND-Project partners decided to survey additional data. Of course involving more data, would be given a more detailed result, but we had to take care of the time requirements. All of our asked data could be collected by the mayors of the participating villages.

2. Is it really necessary to survey the data for every house in my village?

Yes, it is. For getting a precise picture of the demographic situation in your village, completed data is necessary. Only if some houses are far away of the centre you can set them aside.

3. What should I do with the results?

The results are a snap-shot and only provided with short comments. In any case it is useful to discuss the results and the recommendations with inhabitants of your village. You don't have to summon a meeting with all inhabitants directly, but discuss the results with experts of your village and draw your own conclusions. It is very important that you amount to your own realistic results.

4. What happens, if my result is bad?

A bad result is not a catastrophe. After all : you know about your situation. Of course changes can't happen overnight, but you should think about the results and discuss them with your neighbours. Why you have such a weak social life? Where are the constraints for a good economic development? Is it necessary to integrate single households better into the community? Have we done enough for children and youth? Why is our village not attractive for immigration?

5. What about the recommendations?

The recommendations were developed by the German lead partner. Through interviews and events in several villages all HINTERLAND-partners gained a good overview. The recommendations are very short and universal and are not intended to be panacea. Only the village community is responsible of the things that should happen in a village. So please talk to each other.

6. Is it necessary to follow the recommendations?

No. The recommendations orientate themselves on the results of many villages. But every village has its own attributes. You may know your village best! But if you already know, that i.e. your choirmaster and your choir are elder people and can't reach young people anymore, then you maybe have to find new ways to create the social life in your village. And what about your sports club?

7. Is it possible to repeat the check?

Yes. The result is only a snapshot. If something in your villages will change, the results would change, too. If i.e. the choir gained new younger members and a new enterprise settled in your village, you would get better results.