By opening the call for CSS participation on 21 January 2019, the Programme Enhancing Good Governance and Social Inclusion for Municipal Development – Swiss PRO  provided an opportunity for LSGs to review the situation in their towns and municipalities related to perceptions of the population, but also to get a useful tool to identify opportunities for improving the provision of services to citizens.

By participating in the survey, for which the LSGs can apply by 8 February 2019, towns and municipalities will have the opportunity to learn about:

• The perceptions of LSG citizens about the quality of life in the municipality/town;
• The level of trust LSG citizens have in local institutions;
• The overall situation in individual LSG compared to others;
• Citizens’ perceptions about LSG elements that need to be improved or changed, particularly in the area of service provision, and
• The importance and effects of public opinion polls in LSGs, types of research used, instruments created and data interpretation.

Interested LSGs can apply by submitting letters of intent.

To ensure full representation of LSGs in the sample, selection will be made based on:

• LSG socio-economic status (level of development);
• Geographic position (statistical regions);
• Demographic indicators and trends;
• LSG unit type (town/municipality);
• Number of civil servants in LSG per capita and
• Unemployment level;

and CeSID will, in cooperation with the Programme, select up to 50 LSG units in which to conduct the CSS.

All information about the call and how to apply, as well as additional documents, can be found here.