Content & Format for the Community Assessment Paper:
I. Introduction
II. Community Assessment
A. Task I: Target Population(s)/Target System
- Describe the general population of the community
- Identify and describe the target population
- Present needs of the target population.
B. Task 2: Community Characteristics - Identify and describe the community
- Where is the community located? (indicate using a zip code, city, and county)
- Present and describe the major social/issue/need in the community affecting the
target population and discuss at least 3 factors/roots - Identify and discuss dominant values in the community that uphold the prevalence
of the factors/roots causing social problem - Identify and describe at least 3 community strengths that can enable macro
interventions with the factors/roots of the problem/issue/need previously described
C. Task 3: Community Structure - Examine at least 2 Social Service Organizations in the community: Identify formal,
informal and mediating service delivery units within the community that serve or
should serve the target population experiencing the problem/issue/need identified
For one of the Units, Students may use the Organization they explored in the HSO
Activity.
a) Identify Mission and Vision
b) Identify the population(s) served
c) Present and describe services offered
(1) Service emphasis
(a) And answer: Do the services respond to your target
population’s needs?
(2) Service eligibility
(a) And answer: Is your target population eligible?
(3) Location / accessibility
(a) And answer: Can your target population easily access the
services? (Ex. location, language, waiting lists, …) - Analysis: How do these institutions respond to any of the factors/roots of the
problem previously identified? Provide specific examples. How do these institutions
adopt and reproduce predominant values in the community that uphold the
factors/roots causing the social problem? How do these institutions contribute to
changing the system to respond to the target population’s problem/issue/need?
(Note: Support your analysis with professional knowledge-based sources)
D. Task 4: Advocacy - Considering what is currently being accomplished either by a social service
organization, service group or advocacy group to improve the services of the target
group or community. In your assessment, are these current responses to the
community need adequate? Why or why not? - Propose a response to the current experience of the community regarding your
chosen issue. You may expand on what is currently being offered or develop your
own unique response. A unique solution to meeting the community need is
encouraged. - Describe in detail your approach to advocacy using the advocacy tactics in course
text Chapter 11. Discuss if you might use one of the approaches (Grassroots,
Legislative, Research, etc.). Discuss if you or your group developed a creative
Social Work solution to any issue you identified.
Sample Solution
