Social, economic, and educational community need analysis

INTRODUCTION 

Brief description of the Module

This unit gives different actors tools to be able to transform an area. The first step of planning is to consider the community and their needs and wishes and involving all members of the community in all phases of the planning, not only in the initial phase of the process. 

Then, it is important to learn how to plan a need assessment within a community, map the main local actors (why they may be involved, their access points, how to contact them, main motivations, and reasons), how to conduct interviews, and sympathize with the local community, and eventually visualize and resume the results of the analysis. Community involvement can improve the research process itself (local concerns, problems, and hopes). Through the involvement, people are more likely to give their support when they understand the purpose of the research, and how the results may positively affect them. 

Competence statement

Community involvement could promote important levels of trust and engagement, but it is necessary to ensure minorities (women, people with special needs, older people) contribute to decision-making in a participatory program.

The government needs to act consistently and firmly and must be able to challenge powerful local groups.

Learning Outcomes 

1. Identify and explain main elements of a community need assessment 
2. Identify and learn different participatory techniques to conduct interviews and gather data.
3. Assess the main stakeholders and check their main work perspective. 
4. Define the main strategies to depict data patterns and make them meaningful.

Keywords

Public participation, inclusion, community involvement, participatory techniques.

Hashtag of the Unit

#WeAreAllInvolved or #WeHaveThePower or #TogetherWeCan

Expected Time 

6 hours