In carrying out the needs assessment, you need to gather critical information about your community.
Gather information about the broad geographic and demographic community you intend to serve. What does it look like now? What will it look like in a few years time? For instance, consider its:
- Size
- Geography
- Total population
- Population characteristics such as age, gender, and cultural diversity
- Main economies and industries
- Average household income, family life styles
Much of this information is available from the census data that ought to be obtainable from your local municipal planning department or library
Gather information about the specific community of children, youth and families you hope to serve. For example, you may have described your target group as: children aged 6 to 16 from single parent families; elementary and junior high school children experiencing social, emotional and academic problems; all children aged 6 – 16; and so on. You should consider such questions as the following:
- How many children and youth are in your target groups?
- What are their characteristics, needs, and interests?
- What does the research say regarding the population you are intending to serve?
Look for research and planning studies that have already been done by other community agencies regarding the strengths, needs and characteristics of your target group.
Gather information about the programs and services that currently exist in the schools and community at large to meet the needs of children and youth. Focus particularly on the programs that serve those children and youth that you have chosen to target.
Most communities have various directories of services that list these programs. You may need to spend some time talking to people in schools and community agencies who work with children and youth.
Gather information about what youth are saying. For instance, find out their ideas about:
- Their strengths, assets, needs, and interests
- The resources currently available to build on their strengths and to meet their needs
- The additional resources they believe would build on their strengths and meet their needs.
Gather information about what others are saying. For example, get the perspectives of parents, schools, local community and public organizations and/or local funders/donors on:
- Youth strengths, assets and interests
- Youth needs
- Current resources available
- Additional resources required
- What they are doing to help