**Mapping your Community's Needs**

A guide to conducting a Community Needs AssessmentEastern Michigan University SWRK 350

Olivia Bouchard

Connie Laveille

Jamie Rigby

Megan Wild

IntroductionWho we are

Who we worked with:

*Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office-Community Engagement

*Liaison-Natalia Harris-Community Outreach Coordinator

What was our project goal?

*To complete a Community Needs Assessment

*What is a Needs Assessment?

What was our project outcome?

*A completed Needs Assessment starting from the planning phase and ending with engaging the community.

Phases of the Assessment

● Planning● Assessment● Summarizing Data● Action Plan● Engaging the Community● Resources● Recommendations for future classes

Planning A process that involves identifying goals and constructing a plan for change that is reasonable and measurable.

*Gathering community participants and leaders

*Defining goals for assessments

*Focus Groups

*Planning for challenges..

*What kind of challenges?

Example Planning Worksheet● Your community's top 5 strengths? Activities? Cleanliness? Sense of Community?

Best Guess Based on Data

● Who or what is responsible for these strengths? A person? An organization?

Strength Provider of strength

Assessment● Surveys:

A quick and effective way to gather the concerns and feelings of communities as a foundation for change or action.

*Gather information such as:

Goals, wants/needs, problems

– Types of surveys:

phone, mail-in, door to door/in person

Example Survey Questions● Availability of Grocery Stores in the community 1 2 3 4

● Police response time to emergency calls 1 2 3 4

● Availability of bus routes in the area 1 2 3 4

● Neighbors taking care of property appearance 1 2 3 4

● The City's response to sanitation complaints 1 2 3 4

● Well lit streets 1 2 3 4

● Availability of Parks and Recreation facilities 1 2 3 4

● Availability of a Community Center 1 2 3 4

Summarizing Data

Row 1 Row 2 Row 3 Row 40

2

4

6

8

10

12

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

* T y p e s o f D a t a t o g r a p h :

• W a n t s / N e e d s

• S t r e n g t h s

• I m p o r t a n c e

• P o p u l a t i o n c h a n g e s

• P a r t i c i p a t i o n

Action Plan*Process of identifying problems and taking the steps to create viable solutions.

*How are community assets relative to solutions?

*SWOT analysis- Identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

-beneficial for establishing what can propel action plan and what can impede it.

*Asset inventory- identifies resources and other things in the community that are positive.

-helps identify what you lack and what you already have.

*Know your collaborators (who is supporting you) in creating and implementing your action plan.

*Work plans are helpful in tracking progress and who is completing specific tasks.

Engaging Community

● Bringing residents together:

*Create focus groups to gather ideas from community

* Create the event--BBQ, Community Cleanup, Basketball Game

* Personally invite community residents● Ask Community to volunteer for a cause

* Willing to teach a trade to the community?● Hold Fundraisers:

* Silent Auctions, Bake Sales, Rummage Sales

Example Engaging Worksheet WILLING TO HELP?

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

Phone Number: __________________________Best time to contact: _____________________

Dates/times available: ___________________________________________________________

What are your skills/trades that you are willing to teach members of your community? *Auto Repair *Cooking/Baking *Landscape/Yard work *Computer skills

*Sewing *Tutoring *Mentoring *Sports

*Construction *Carpentry *Electrical Skills *Drawing/Painting/Art

*Interior Design *Tax help *Playing an Instrument *Hair design

Wrapping up the Assessment

Information for Washtenaw County Residents

● Resources included

*Bus route information

*Food pantry information

*Crime notification hotlines

*Counseling services

*Health services