identifying issues and needs within the community

Identifying issues and Identifying issues and needs within the needs within the

communitycommunity

Identifying community issues Identifying community issues and needsand needs

• Contacting people and conducting an Contacting people and conducting an analysis of needsanalysis of needs

• Bringing people together to identify specific Bringing people together to identify specific needsneeds

• Identifying what required needs are to be Identifying what required needs are to be metmet

• Identifying goals and strategiesIdentifying goals and strategies

• Forming and maintaining the organisation Forming and maintaining the organisation to meet these goals/strategiesto meet these goals/strategies


• Determining priorities, developing Determining priorities, developing alternatives, designing a plan of action and alternatives, designing a plan of action and developing specific strategiesdeveloping specific strategies

• Dividing up the tasks and carrying them outDividing up the tasks and carrying them out• Feedback and evaluation, and making Feedback and evaluation, and making

changes based on feedbackchanges based on feedback

((This model is cyclical. It’s a permanent process that becomes This model is cyclical. It’s a permanent process that becomes routine in the on-going maintenance and functioning of the routine in the on-going maintenance and functioning of the group)group)

Identifying community issues Identifying community issues and needsand needsHere is an alternative model.Here is an alternative model.

• Identify the issue or problem: name, define, articulateIdentify the issue or problem: name, define, articulate• Analyse the problemAnalyse the problem• Identify the aims and objectives (goals)Identify the aims and objectives (goals)• Put together a plan of action: who is going to do what; Put together a plan of action: who is going to do what;

when; how; resources required etc (sometimes referred to when; how; resources required etc (sometimes referred to as the strategies stage.)as the strategies stage.)

• Put the plan into actionPut the plan into action• Evaluate the process and the progress towards goalsEvaluate the process and the progress towards goals

Where are the similarities and differences?Where are the similarities and differences?


• These models are a clear indication of These models are a clear indication of the steps involved in community the steps involved in community development. If you find yourself development. If you find yourself getting lost in the terminology, go getting lost in the terminology, go back to the models! back to the models!

• They can be of use in getting a They can be of use in getting a bearing when the community bearing when the community development terrain becomes unclear.development terrain becomes unclear.


Alan Twelvetrees is an English academic and Alan Twelvetrees is an English academic and community development expert.community development expert.

He cites the amusing and all too common He cites the amusing and all too common community development tale of two workers community development tale of two workers on a housing estate in inner-city London. on a housing estate in inner-city London. They try to set up a tenants association to They try to set up a tenants association to lobby local council for timely repairs to the lobby local council for timely repairs to the properties. Residents seem interested but properties. Residents seem interested but ”surprise, surprise” only two people turn up. ”surprise, surprise” only two people turn up.


The process is repeated twice more with a The process is repeated twice more with a total attendance of three people!!total attendance of three people!!

Some residents then come to the two workers Some residents then come to the two workers looking for a “hand in setting up a bingo looking for a “hand in setting up a bingo group.” This time the intiative is a group.” This time the intiative is a resounding success.resounding success.

What does this tell you??? DiscussWhat does this tell you??? Discuss


This story highlights some of the key “real This story highlights some of the key “real world” issues in community developmentworld” issues in community development

• Starting where the people areStarting where the people are

• The necessity for community members to The necessity for community members to own the cd strategyown the cd strategy

• The discrepancy between what a specific The discrepancy between what a specific community may want to do and what the community may want to do and what the community worker may identify as the key community worker may identify as the key issueissue


Community issues or needs are Community issues or needs are generally one of two types:generally one of two types:

1.1. Problem based: (eg: toxic dump in Problem based: (eg: toxic dump in an area zoned residential; poor an area zoned residential; poor public transport; homeless people public transport; homeless people on middle class streets, homeless on middle class streets, homeless people with winter approaching; people with winter approaching; youth suicide in a country townyouth suicide in a country town


2. Vision-based2. Vision-based

(e.g: “What could we do to make this a (e.g: “What could we do to make this a more healthy community?” “How more healthy community?” “How could we employ our young people could we employ our young people within the local community?)within the local community?)


How do we know the issues in a local How do we know the issues in a local community?community?

In most instances, the communities In most instances, the communities are aware of the issues or problems. are aware of the issues or problems. The task of the community worker is The task of the community worker is to refine and clarify issues by to refine and clarify issues by facilitating group processes, facilitating group processes, providing information etc.providing information etc.

Encouraging involvementEncouraging involvement

When we identify issues, we also:When we identify issues, we also:

• Identify the issue and describe the extent or parameters of Identify the issue and describe the extent or parameters of the issuethe issue

• Refine understanding of the issueRefine understanding of the issue• Gather informationGather information• Participate in research and analysisParticipate in research and analysis• Promote community involvementPromote community involvement• Make contacts and develop networksMake contacts and develop networks• Motivate othersMotivate others• Lay the foundations for effective development of goals and Lay the foundations for effective development of goals and

strategiesstrategies

Identifying community issues Identifying community issues informallyinformally

Alan Twelvetrees suggests the following:Alan Twelvetrees suggests the following:• If you have the chance to renew a If you have the chance to renew a

contact, take itcontact, take it• Think about the impression you are Think about the impression you are

makingmaking• Pay attention to what is happening in Pay attention to what is happening in

your local community. Listen. Notice. your local community. Listen. Notice. And if you don’t know how to, then learnAnd if you don’t know how to, then learn


• Get out in the local community; visit Get out in the local community; visit neighbourhoods that are new to you. neighbourhoods that are new to you. His quote: ‘Walk, don’t drive.”His quote: ‘Walk, don’t drive.”

• A nice reminder: People will give A nice reminder: People will give when they are likely to receive.when they are likely to receive.

• Read the local newspaperRead the local newspaper

• Read the editorial and letters to the Read the editorial and letters to the editoreditor


• Keep in contact with local community groupsKeep in contact with local community groups• Familiarise yourself with the work; workers Familiarise yourself with the work; workers

and participants of communty houses, and participants of communty houses, libraries, resident groups, lobby groups, libraries, resident groups, lobby groups, local marketslocal markets

• Attend local council meetingsAttend local council meetings• Meet with community leaders and Meet with community leaders and

community representativescommunity representatives• Has the issue existed before? What was the Has the issue existed before? What was the

action/response? If any.action/response? If any.


• Gather as much information as Gather as much information as possiblepossible

• Is the issue the domain of local, state Is the issue the domain of local, state or federal government. What are the or federal government. What are the implications?implications?

• Who are the relevant networks, peak Who are the relevant networks, peak bodies, stakeholders?bodies, stakeholders?

• Use the internet. Is the issue apparent Use the internet. Is the issue apparent in other communities?in other communities?


• Gather formal data Gather formal data

• Talk with local politicians. What are Talk with local politicians. What are their viewstheir views

• Make sure the information you Make sure the information you gather is readily accessible to all gather is readily accessible to all members of the intitiative. Each members of the intitiative. Each member is a potential messenger, member is a potential messenger, recruiter and publicistrecruiter and publicist

Identifying issues formallyIdentifying issues formally

There is a range of formal mechanisms for There is a range of formal mechanisms for identifying community needs. Formal identifying community needs. Formal means are limited only by imagination means are limited only by imagination and constraints such as time and budget.and constraints such as time and budget.

Common mechanisms include the Common mechanisms include the following:following:

• Conduct a community needs analysis, or Conduct a community needs analysis, or community profilecommunity profile

Identifying issues formallyIdentifying issues formally

• Interviews (face to face)Interviews (face to face)

• Questionnaires (face to face; phone; mail)Questionnaires (face to face; phone; mail)

• Requests for submissions on a particular issueRequests for submissions on a particular issue

• Focus groupsFocus groups

• Public meetings/forumsPublic meetings/forums

These mechanisms are important components in These mechanisms are important components in the community development workers toolkit.the community development workers toolkit.

Quantitative researchQuantitative research

• Information is presented as numbers, Information is presented as numbers, percentages, statistics, eg: data percentages, statistics, eg: data collected by the Australian Bureau of collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in the national census. Statistics in the national census. Quantitative data is often associated Quantitative data is often associated with “hard science.”with “hard science.”

Qualitative ResearchQualitative Research

• Is a means of seeing the world through Is a means of seeing the world through the eyes of others. Qualitative the eyes of others. Qualitative approaches include focus groups & approaches include focus groups & interviews. It is flexible and more interviews. It is flexible and more exploratory in nature than quantitative exploratory in nature than quantitative research. Although not dealing with research. Although not dealing with “hard statistics” qualitative research has “hard statistics” qualitative research has developed its own discipline, rigour and developed its own discipline, rigour and methodology, particularly through the methodology, particularly through the work of social scienceswork of social sciences

SamplingSampling

• In most instances, we won’t be able to In most instances, we won’t be able to sample all possible community sample all possible community members. For example if we were members. For example if we were investigating housing conditions for the investigating housing conditions for the aged in Upper Ferntree Gully, we would aged in Upper Ferntree Gully, we would be surveying thousands of people. be surveying thousands of people. Instead we survey a Instead we survey a sample sample of the of the population, the aim being to identify a population, the aim being to identify a representative sample.representative sample.

SamplingSampling

• In the case of elderly residents in In the case of elderly residents in Upper Gully, the first step is to define Upper Gully, the first step is to define the populationthe population

• Are we talking about nursing homes, Are we talking about nursing homes, the Angliss hospital, home care or the Angliss hospital, home care or are we including temporary are we including temporary residents, visitors etc.residents, visitors etc.

SamplingSampling

There are a number of different There are a number of different methods of sampling. They include:methods of sampling. They include:

• Random sampling – out of a hat, or Random sampling – out of a hat, or random sample chartsrandom sample charts

• Stratified sampling – identifies Stratified sampling – identifies categories, the aim being to ensure categories, the aim being to ensure full representation (e.g. male/female, full representation (e.g. male/female, Australian-born, overseas-born)Australian-born, overseas-born)

SamplingSampling

• Cluster sampling – e.g: interviewing a Cluster sampling – e.g: interviewing a particular street, Willow Road. The challenge particular street, Willow Road. The challenge in cluster sampling is to demonstrate that the in cluster sampling is to demonstrate that the chosen cluster is representative of the wholechosen cluster is representative of the whole

• Judgement sampling, where you give the Judgement sampling, where you give the reasons why you chose this samplereasons why you chose this sample

• Availability sampling – sampling from those Availability sampling – sampling from those that are available. This is relevant in that are available. This is relevant in particular communities (e.g. homeless)particular communities (e.g. homeless)

SamplingSampling

• Snowball sampling: Where the Snowball sampling: Where the population is unknown and the data is population is unknown and the data is hard to access. In snowball sampling, hard to access. In snowball sampling, one contact, may lead to another one contact, may lead to another contact, then a third. contact, then a third.

• Cluster sampling might be used where Cluster sampling might be used where people are reluctant to be interviewed: people are reluctant to be interviewed: i.e. adults abused as children etci.e. adults abused as children etc

Community needs analysisCommunity needs analysis

• Is also know as a community profile, social Is also know as a community profile, social profile, or needs assessmentprofile, or needs assessment

Hard data – Hard data – Is quantifiable and includes Is quantifiable and includes statistics, age range, education and statistics, age range, education and demographics. It is generally available demographics. It is generally available through councils, ABS, annual reports, through councils, ABS, annual reports, Royal Commissions, Social research Royal Commissions, Social research organisations such as YMCA.organisations such as YMCA.

Community needs analysisCommunity needs analysis

• Soft dataSoft data – Includes many of the – Includes many of the informal means of finding out, such as:informal means of finding out, such as:

• Walking aroundWalking around

• Noting issuesNoting issues

• Talking with local community Talking with local community membersmembers

• Contacting community leadersContacting community leaders

identifying issues and needs within the community

Documents

identifying community

community slide

specific needs

identifying goals

community development

community development

plan of action

specific strategies