Community Profile
Create a community profile, analyze data and make recommendations to demonstrate the process of community profiling and apply the knowledge and practice skills learned in this course.
Your community profile is expected to contain the following:
Title page. This includes the name of the report, your name and student number, the name of the course and the course number, your tutor’s name and the date.
Summary. The key points contained in your profile. You may do this as a bullet list if you wish.
Acknowledgements. This is not essential but you may want to thank all of the people who contributed to the profile, including the residents. Make sure that they agree to have their names included.
Contents page. Include all the headings and sub-headings, with the page numbers, so that they can be easily found.
List of tables (if any). Provide the table number, the name of the table and the page number.
List of figures (if any). The same for tables.
List of appendices (if any). The same for tables although appendices are usually lettered instead of numbered.
Introduction. Identify the community and give a clear description of its location. You may use maps, diagrams etc. for clarity. Provide a brief overview of why you chose this community.
Body of the report. This is the most important part of the profile. Provide details of the process used in gathering the information. This should include details of your primary and secondary sources. Present your findings and subdivide the body into appropriate sections according to topics. However you can include additional information to enhance the profile. You may wish to have a very brief introduction and conclusion for each section but this may not be necessary. Throughout the body of your report you should make appropriate links between your process/findings and what you learned in the course, e.g. what ethics did you have to be aware of while conducting your research? o Ensure that all of your sources are cited in text according to APA 7.
Conclusions. These should follow logically from the findings outlined in the body of the profile.
Recommendations. These are your suggestions for action. You may have one or more recommendations, but keep it simple. Consider what approach to community work is recommended and what is a feasible course of action.
References. Every source which appears in your report must appear in your reference list using the APA 7 style of referencing.
Appendices. These contain any copies of documents you may wish to include. You may also want to include copies of the questions which were asked to residents or a chart of the time frame in which tasks were completed.
The details of your process for gathering information for your community profile should include the following:
What were your primary and secondary sources? What methods did you use to gather data from your primary sources? What leadership skills did you employ to access the information? How did your knowledge of groups and communities assist you in completing the profile? What communication skills were necessary? How was the model for planned change utilized? What were your key roles? What professional values and ethics did you recognize as important when you conducted your profile? What ethical conflicts, if any, did you experience?
Although our list of components and relevant questions is far from exhaustive, we anticipate that you will use these as one of your guides when you begin your community profile:
Demographics: What is the size of the population? What is the average age? Is it a younger or older population? What is the ethnic composition? What is the gender composition? Are there any special groups (disabled, minorities etc.)? Is the population growing or shrinking? Are certain segments of the population growing or shrinking? What are the religious affiliations, if any?
Economics: Are there local employers? Is this group expanding or shrinking? Where do people tend to work? Where does the community fall on the continuum of upper economic to lower economic? Who are the major employers? Are there any dominant industries? What are the employment prospects? What skills do people possess?
Housing: What are the age, type and condition of the structures? Are there mainly renters or owners? Does the housing contain basic facilities? Is there any overcrowding? How long have most residents lived in the area?
Politics: Who represents the community? How strong are political parties in the community? Who holds the real power in the community?
Facilities and Services: What health, education and religious facilities are located in the community? Are these public or private? What services are offered in these facilities and what is the condition of the structures? What public services are offered (police, fire, postal, transportation, social services etc.)? Any civic centres, recreational and cultural facilities or commercial facilities such as restaurants, shopping area, groceries, shops? Are there any clubs, faith groups or voluntary groups? What services and facilities do they have to access outside of their community? How accessible are these?
Issues and Attitudes: How do people feel about living in the area? How do they describe their needs? Do their needs match the available resources? Do they feel that it is a supportive community? How involved are the residents in the community? Do they believe that they are involved in the political decision-making? What influence do they have? What is their relationship with other communities? What makes their community unique? What is their attachment to the community?
