THE COMMUNITY IS COMMUNITY 30318 IN ATLANTA GA
PLEASE USE TEMPLATE AND SAMPLE PAPER TO COME UP WITH PROJECT
THE COMMUNITY SELECTION IS ATTACHED ALSO
The Community Analysis Project
The major assignment in this class is a form of community assessment called a “Community Analysis.” Work on this assignment will span the entire semester, with smaller assignments such as a draft community map that will help you prepare and move forward with the project. At the end of the semester, you will submit a final paper that describes your community analysis.
(40% of final course grade)
To be able to effectively work in communities, a social worker needs to be able to conduct a comprehensive assessment of a community to understand its history, current conditions, members/residents, resources, organizations, and the issues that community members say need to be addressed. Such an assessment can help a social worker to begin to form a plan for implementing community change to solve a problem in collaboration with members of the community.
For this class, you will conduct a specific type of community assessment called a Community Analysis. A community analysis is an assessment that incorporates data gathered through interviews with community members (called 1-to-1 interviews).
The process of completing your community analysis includes the following steps:
- Selecting a Community (identifying what community to study, its boundaries, potential barriers to analyzing this community & your plan for addressing such barriers)
- Collecting Data –gathering information about the community’s history and current conditions. You will be collecting data by:
- Locating written and/or audiovisual materials, such as census data, news stories, community papers, library sources, etc.
- Conducting walking and/or windshield tours of the community
- Conducting interviews – you will need to conduct face-to-face interviews with at least 6 people, at least 3 of whom must be with residents of the community.
- Attending a community event as a participant observer during the semester.
- Mapping the community – You are expected to create 2 types of community maps. First, based upon Census data, you will use Social Explorer (GIS) software to map a key issue of importance to this community & interpret the map. You will also create an Assets Map (see McKnight & Kretzmann reading) including at least 8-10 community assets you have identified through your interviews, observations, tours, etc.
- Assessing an organization within the community
- Synthesizing the information gathered
- Describing the community’s strengths and weaknesses
- Assessing the community issues/self-interests that are prevalent among the people interviewed
- Analyzing similarities/differences in self-interests across the people interviewed
- Developing a Hypothetical Campaign for the Community
- Based on the analysis, identifying what community issue is “hot” enough to be the subject of a community campaign (a community change effort)
- Identifying a “target” to try to influence and “demands” for the target
- Proposing a model of community practice for your campaign (Consensus or Conflict Organizing, and one of Rothman’s modes of practice)
- Assessing overall social capital within the community
Your Community Analysis paper will comprehensively assess your chosen community based upon these steps. A paper template will be shared with students. Suggested paper length: 10-20 pages double-spaced; APA format.
Sample “Strong” Community Analysis papers
Some students find it helpful to view sample papers from past students to get a sense of assignment expectations. Here are two example “strong” papers (they each earned an “A” grade – exceeding expectations, though perhaps with minor errors or oversights – and neither has an assets map because that was not required at the time). Rather than trying to copy/mimic these students’ content, I encourage you to pay the most attention to how they organize their papers and how they integrate content from their interviews, tours, maps, library research, etc.
Template
Here is a general template that can be used to construct your Community Analysis paper. Use this to help you get set up with the structure of the paper (headings/organization) and APA formatting (e.g., double-spaced content). You will need to insert your own research into each section and remove the bracketed text before submission.
Community Analysis Outline and Grading Rubric (100 points)
| Rubric for Community Analysis
Items to Evaluate |
Point Value |
Points Earned |
|
Writing (20 points) |
||
|
A. Follows outline using headings from rubric |
2 |
|
|
B. Writing style is simple, clear, concise & easy to read |
5 |
|
|
C. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, no typos, paper was clearly edited |
5 |
|
|
D. APA formatting, proper in text references & reference list, etc. |
3 |
|
|
E. coherence, clarity, examples are given that adequately demonstrate points made, reader has good understanding of strengths and challenges of the community analyzed |
5 |
|
|
Content (80 points) |
||
|
I. Abstract. Abstract follows outline and example and clearly & concisely describes community analysis. |
3 |
|
|
II. Introduction A. Community analyzed is defined, named, boundaries described B. Why did you select this neighborhood? What is your relationship to the neighborhood (length of residence etc.) |
5 |
|
|
III. Methods A. Methods of data collection are clearly & concisely described B. Dates, times, places, & demographic descriptions of interviewees are clear C. Any instances of participant observation are described including type of data collected (public hearings attended, community meetings etc.) D. Strengths & weaknesses of data collection methods are noted |
5 | |
|
IV. History of Community A. Founding, growth, history of inhabitants (in and out migration), important historical events, are described B. Any significant changes over time are described (e.g., factory closing, white flight, gentrification, foreclosure crisis, abandoned homes, etc.) |
2 |
|
|
V. Current Conditions A. Current residents are described (demographics plus other relevant statistics are presented in a Table, map or both) B. Housing & Economic Conditions C. Commercial district, major institutions, parks & recreation, arts, cultural amenities are described. Note: If you learned something relevant to current conditions from your participant observation or tour, you can include that here. Just make clear the source of your data. |
3 |
|
|
D. Mapping. Include at least one Social Explorer generated map of the community and a separate Neighborhood Assets Map (see McKnight & Kretzmann reading, fig. 9.2). Your assets map should specifically mention examples of at least 8-10 assets you discovered through interviewing, participant observation, walking/windshield tours, etc. Social Explorer map(s) and Assets Map are both clearly and accurately interpreted. |
7 |
|
|
VI. Community/Civic Organizations—describe and analyze the most significant community/civic organization you encounter (Home Owner’s Associations are most common here, but others are fine too) Briefly analyze/critique the organization: How many members? Do members pay dues? How is membership defined? How big are meetings? Did you attend one? What have they accomplished? What is their model (i.e, Rothman mode)? Do they meet criteria of high impact? Strengths and weaknesses? |
8 |
|
|
VII. Identifying Issues & Self-Interest. [Competency 6] Based on interviews & other data collection what issues/concerns seem most prevalent among: A. Residents, Business owners, other key stakeholders? B. Analyze similarities and differences of issues & self-interest between the various respondents you interviewed (e.g., did respondents from different socioeconomic or education levels describe the same or different issues as important to them?) |
10 |
|
|
VIII. Potential or Hypothetical Campaign [Competency 3] A. Based all data collected (history, current conditions, mapping & issues identified in interviews) briefly describe a potential/hypothetical campaign around one of the issues identified. 1. What issue (if any) seemed hot enough to organize a campaign around? 2. Who has the power to remedy or modify the situation (target)? 3. What might be 2-3 demands the community members want to win? 4. Based on the issue and self-interests analyzed (mutual or not), does the issue seem more appropriate for consensus (mutual self-interest) or conflict (no apparent mutual self-interest) organizing tactics |
10 |
|
|
5. Which of Rothman’s community practice modes (Capacity Building, Planning & Policy, or Advocacy) does your hypothetical campaign appear to fit into the best? What are some strengths & weaknesses associated with this model? |
5 |
|
|
IX. Social Capital A. Based on your interviews briefly assess how strong or weak bonding and bridging social capital is in your community. Give examples. |
5 |
|
|
X. Applying Course Content The entire paper will be evaluated for how you applied course content to your analysis. If you have applied multiple concepts, theories, or models in the above sections (at least 5 course readings/films), you might not need to write much here. If you have not applied much course content, this section is where you can make that up. How might you apply something you learned from this course to improving this community? E.g., Bobo, Kendall & Max, Rothman, Freire, Ohmer & Demasi, Hardina, etc. |
7 |
|
|
XI. Conclusion and Lessons Learned A. Based on all data collected, summarize strengths & weaknesses of the community. 1. In your opinion, what level of organization exists in the community? 2. What suggestions/recommendations would you make to strengthen or enhance community empowerment in this neighborhood? |
5 |
|
|
IX. What did you learn through this community analysis exercise that you might apply to your social work practice? |
5 |
|
|
100 |
0 comments