For this assignment, you will map the communitys needs and assets, determine how they proceeded through the community organizing process, and consider how you could work with the community to continue the momentum to make change.
Analyze the needs and assets of the community. You are encouraged to locate additional resources that describe the community to help you fully paint a picture of it.
Create a community needs map and a community assets map (two separate maps). Use this weeks readings and the textbook (specifically, Figures 9.3 and 9.4 in the textbook and the McKnight & Kretzmann (Links to an external site.) article) to help guide you.
Interpret the community needs map and community assets map. Questions to consider:
What is included on each map and why did you include it?
What particular strengths and challenges does the community have?
What appears to be the most critical health issues the community is facing?
Which strengths could be leveraged to work on critical health issues?
Compare and contrast the communitys mobilization efforts to Figure 9.2 in your course text, which provides a summary of the steps involved in community organizing and building. Questions to consider:
What did the communitys mobilization efforts entail?
What did the community do (or perhaps not do) in relation to each step?
Based on the communitys work so far and the maps you created, assess how your work with the community could proceed. Questions to consider:
What health issues could most effectively be addressed?
How could the community apply the needs and assets maps?
Where should the community go from here?
How should you (in your role as a representative from the health department) be involved in the communitys future mobilization efforts?
