Annotated Outline for Community Needs Assessment and Asset/Capacity Building Project Selection
For the assignments in this course, you will be planning for a public needs assessment project in your own community. You will not implement the project, but you will
function as if you are the facilitator representing one of the stakeholder groups—private or public—for this project. (This is great practice for your action research
dissertation project, as many of the functions here are the same as you will implement in the dissertation. Practicing the planning gets you a step ahead.)
In this assignment, you will provide a preliminary annotated outline to serve as a starting point for the subsequent assignments. While this assignment forms some of
the basis or foundation for the final assignment (due in Unit 9), your Unit 7 assignment on the needs-based program intervention strategy will also enhance the final
assignment that will be designed to deal with the problem or condition you plan to address. This assignment will provide an initial framework for all other components
of the public needs assessment program planning process.
Create an annotated outline to serve as the preliminary basis for your final assignment that meets the course outcomes. In your annotated outline:
Write 1–3 paragraphs for each section of your paper, indicating how you foresee the following main points (in no particular order) for the final assignment may be
covered:
Scope of a specific community problem and how you will ensure such needs-based issue is not too big to be realistic to achieve.
Description of the problem concept and at which levels of measurement of the needs-based situation can be defined.
Estimation of the numbers affected (target population).
Identification of the factors that cause (etiology) the problem.
Indication of a force field analysis to evaluate the systemic forces that can impede the change efforts.
Indication of a SWOT analysis or any other appropriate analytic tool to assess the current public needs assessments and A/CB in addressing the complexity of the
problems.
Indication of a strategic planning process to the specific community issue.
Evaluation of the theories and research methods to be used in public needs assessment processes.
Indication of a rationale that justifies action and the expenditures of resources.
Consideration of the stakeholders you would reach out to, to make sure there is good community, organizational, and government participation on the NAC. Determine
community needs-based data gathering sources to support the project.
Indication of a hybrid framework to be used in the public needs assessment and A/CB processes.
Explain briefly how the above main points link to the course and how course content will be applied in practice.
The following sections or headings represent the types of content that need to be covered in your annotated outline:
Introduction (all section suggestions assume double spacing with 1-inch margins all around and a standard font size as specified).
Nature of the problem concept, scope, and measurement levels.
The target population.
Rationale for action.
Hybrid framework for appropriate intervention strategy.
Summary or conclusion.
References.
Other Requirements
Your paper should meet the following requirements:
Written communication: Present your annotated outline argument in a clear, logical, and interesting way. As you write this section, keep in mind that this is the first
piece those who will make final decisions about whether to approve your needs assessment project proposal will read. Also, remember that this is the beginning of the
final assignment for this course, so the good work you do now to create a solid beginning will make your end of the course that much easier.
Resources: 2–3 peer-reviewed resources for each section of your paper. Identify where each supporting reference will be integrated.
APA format: Be sure to format your paper using current APA style and formatting guidelines.
Length of paper: 3–5 pages, excluding the cover page and references list.
Submit your annotated outline as a Word document in the assignment area. Your instructor will provide feedback to you on your paper.