Results

A total of 603 surveys were conducted among residents of the Schildersbuurt. The questionnaire could be completed online via a QR code or in person in the door-to-door approach. The questionnaires were available in Dutch and English. Approximately 25% of the surveys were completed in English. The research focused on several elements:

• The mutual agreements, with specific attention to the communication campaign "Ssst"
• Personal contact between residents: Is the residents' organization/neighborhood council representative of your needs? Do you have contact with them? Do you know who they are? Etc.
• Online contact between residents: Do you have contact with residents via WhatsApp (or another medium)? How active are you? Is there a "digiquette" (a digital etiquette - agreements on how to interact online)? Are you also able to navigate online media?
• Contact with institutions. Do you know how to reach the municipality if you have questions? Do you know the neighborhood police officer?

The themes mentioned above are summarized in the brochure below and are also available in English. If so, you can email tawi rug.nl.

Notable results

1. If we go back to the original question from the municipality: Is the nuisance campaign effective? The answer can reasonably be 'yes.' More than 60% of the neighborhood residents (including internationals) find the campaign's message clear. However, whether they act on it is another story: among the surveyed students, only 30% are motivated to actually follow the rules, compared to 44.3% of working residents.
2. Nuisance: Unfortunately, numbers don't lie. About 50% of all respondents experience nuicence sometimes, or almost always. That includes students. However, there is a clear difference in how this nuisance is perceived. Working residents or retirees experience nuisance more often and more intense than their student neighbors.
3. Reporting Nuisance: Residents sometimes do not report nuisance for various reasons. Often, they do not know who is causing the nuisance or whom to contact. Other motivations are based on  certain goodwill: residents think it might worsen the relationship, or they also enjoy organising parties themselves. This shows that social cohesion can also hinder the willingness to report issues.
4. Online Contact: Many people still do not have online contact with their neighbors. Over 60% are not members of a WhatsApp group, while about 20% of people use WhatsApp groups to report nuisance.
5. Contact with Institutions: The residents' associations are easily accessible to residents (more than 66%). Other institutions, such as Wij Groningen and the neighborhood police officer, are less visible to residents (between 40% and 50%).

Recommendations from Our Students

1. Inform residents more frequently about the existence of neighborhood app groups to keep communication accessible.
2. Increase awareness of the available institutions in the neighborhood (Wij Groningen, neighborhood police officer).
3. Residents express a need for a clear escalation ladder for nuicance reporting.
4. There is still room for improvement, particularly around reporting nuisance, which residents believe could be made easier and more accessible. Additionally, the feedback on what happens after reports are made can be optimized.

The results from the questionnaire study are intended to guide the policies of the parties involved in the neighborhood. Do you have a question about this brochure, the results, or the recommendations? Email tawi rug.nl.