mercredi 4 septembre 2013

Community Needs Assessment And Its Purpose

By Helene Norris


In order for communities to meet the needs of the group as a whole and find out which things need attention, it becomes imperative for residents to provide input. The best way to do this is by asking for this information. One way to accomplish this is through a community needs assessment. What exactly are these assessments, how do they work, and when are they necessary?

When any group or organization wants to find out specific information about communities and the people that live in them, often the best thing to do is talk to the residents. Through these assessments, specific questions can be asked and results are gathered. The assessments are designed, when used in this manner, to provide details about available resources are utilized. Assessments are the beginning steps of strategic planning. This planning helps set up goals and ways to reach them.

The assessments have a few main ways they can be done. Special group interviews, called focus groups, are one way. These groups are made of randomly chose residents that will be best able to represent all the residents. There are specific questions that are asked to spark a conversation with the individuals of a focus group. Through this conversational group, information and opinions about resources can be gathered from the people that use them.

Forums are another outlet for assessments. These gatherings, such as city meetings, allow people who attend to voice their opinions and provide suggestions. Emergency meetings are often scheduled to deal with vital issues that often do not involve assessments. Scheduled forums, which are often made in advance and widely advertised, give attendees ample time to speak unhindered about the things that are important to them.

You could also choose to use one of two types of surveys to complete assessments. Surveys can be mailed or in person. Mailed surveys are printed and sent to as many residents as possible, and people who fill out the surveys can mail them back. If the surveys are done in person, specific questions are asked by people who go to each residence. These surveys are often less productive than other types of assessments.

It is important to know when there is a need for assessments. They are not always necessary. For example, if the needs of communities are already known or there is not any further input required, assessments can waste time that can be used for planning. If there has already been one completed within a reasonable amount of time, they are not necessary.

Once assessments are completed, the next thing to do is sort through all of the information gathered. Any input that has come from your target group should have priority, if it help with your goals and planning. Patterns and gaps that may show up can help you create an organized plan of action to complete the goals you have created.

A community needs assessment is a valuable asset to many organizations within communities. It helps create strategies to provide ample resources to whole communities. The focus helps you understand families, their issues, and strengths while also finding resources that are not used or unknown and can be beneficial.




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