{NSTP-CWTS} Community Needs Assessment Notes

COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT


Community: Group of people with common interest in living together in the same
place. They share significant elements of common life through manners, customs,
traditions and models of speech.


Community Needs Assessment: Process in which problems, issues, and concerns of
a community are identified through several tools. It reflects the needs, sentiments,
aspirations, and recommendations of the community.


COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Steps:
1. Gather information about community’s attitudes and opinions in order of
importance
2. Determine how the citizens rank local issues, problems and opportunities
3. Give citizens a voice in determining policies, goals, and priorities
4. Evaluate the community’s current programs and policies
5. Speculate what the people are thinking, and what they really want.


DATA GATHERING METHODS [4]

- Focus Group Discussion by Key Informants
- Key informants are educators, public officials, clergymen, business
representatives, or volunteers


- Community Forum of Assembly
- Involves group events with entire community


- Public Records
- Ex: national census


- Survey
- Survey and questionnaire involves asking individuals in the community
about their everyday needs.