Groups working in the Tauranga social sector will soon receive a hand-up.

SociaLink launched its Community Insights Lab this week, an initiative set to collect and distribute ‘big data' to the 225 social organisations operating in Tauranga.

'We are looking at how we can pull data together to answer particular questions the social and community sector may have – this will help them provide more effective services,” says SociaLink general manager Liz Davies.

The lab has received 12-months of funding from Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust. It will be managed by researcher Liz Flaherty, who has decades of experience in the social sector.

'Organisations can use the information to help with their planning and decision making. We will build up a library and will present information in user-friendly ways so people can easily understand it.”

SociaLink is seeking data on ‘people and social issues' in Tauranga, however, Liz reiterates none of this information will be case-specific.

'The last thing we want to do is breach people's privacy, we are looking for big data – rather than the individualised data,” she says.

SociaLink functions to help the Western Bay of Plenty social sector thrive, implementing connection, innovation and collaboration among a range of services.

For more information, visit: www.socialink.org.nz