COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

A. Community needs assessment

This is a method used to identify the strengths and resources available in the
community to meet the needs of children, youth, and families. The
assessment focuses on the capabilities of the community, including its
citizens, agencies, and organizations.

B. Difference of Terms

1. A need is something that is necessary for an organization to live a healthy

life. A need is an essential starting place for needs assessments. It is often
defined as a gap in results where its satisfaction, or partial satisfaction,
is necessary for the achievement of another specific socially-permissible
result.

2. Assessment is the systematic basis for making inferences about the

learning and development of students. It is the process of defining,
selecting, designing, collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and using
information to increase students' learning and development.
This is a tool in identifying what should be given first priority and why.
In identifying needs, focus on a specific area first. For example, if you
want to assess your local services in the community, then you have to
look at the different areas comprising local services in the community.

3. Needs assessment will show what it is and what community should be

doing in the first place. This is a systematic process for determining and
addressing needs, or "gaps" between current conditions and desired
conditions or "wants". The discrepancy between the current condition
and wanted condition must be measured to appropriately identify the
need.

C. Necessity of Needs Assessments

1. To improve the quality of policy or program decisions—thus leading to
improvements in performance and the accomplishment of desired
 results. Improving results—that is, moving from current to desired
performance—is typically a worthwhile and valuable effort.
2. The results of a needs assessment will guide subsequent decisions—
including the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects and
programs that will lead to achieving desired results.

D. Two related gaps in results of a needs assessment, lead to:

1. the assessment (size, direction, characteristics, etc.) of each gap; and
2. the relationship among the gaps.

E. Three perspectives on need in a need’s assessment:

1. Perceived needs are defined by what people think about their needs, each
standard change with each respondent.
2. Expressed needs are defined by the number of people who have sought
help and focuses on circumstances where feelings are translated into action.
A major weakness of expressed needs assumes that all people with needs
seek help.
3. Relative needs are concerned with equity and must consider differences in
population and social pathology.

F. NEEDS in the community (as bases for our “needs” assessment)

1. Education Needs - the needs focus on availability of schools near the
community and availability of resources for learning. The assistance
involves communicating to schools for partnerships in giving education
about safety and benefits that the community can provide to the young
people. Scholarships and academic assistance are provided.
2. Social and gender equality needs - provide aid with respect to gender and
social status of every member in the community. This helps promote fair
acceptance of work application despite a person’s gender preference. We
have already acknowledged the LGBTQ group in our community, and
believe that they too have needs that should be recognized.
.
G. Areas of community assessment
1. Evaluation of the current situation in a community.
2. A judgment of what the preferred or desired situation in that community
would be.
3. A comparison of the actual and desired situation for the purpose of
prioritizing concerns.

What is Needs Assessment?

Needs assessment is a process for determining an organization’s needs. It usually

consists of three main parts:
1. Initiation
2. Data Collection & Analysis
3. Final Production

A needs assessment is the “what” (what the organization needs) that precedes the
gap analysis, which is the “how” (how to close the gap between where the organization
is currently and where they want or need to be).
Why is it Important?

At a barangay level, there are so many things going on, that it is hard to pin
down exactly what may be holding it back. Needs assessment is important because
it helps the barangay determine the GAPS that are preventing it from reaching its
desired goals. In A Guide to Performing a Needs Assessment and a Gap Analysis,
Anthony J. Jannetti says these GAPS can exist in either knowledge, practices, or
skills. Knowing what is working well and what needs to be changed is crucial to
progressing effectively towards those goals and making an organization successful.

Needs assessment addresses these concerns from all levels (barangay garbage
collection and disposal, health services, settlement of cases, peace and order,
environmental sanitation, etc.) to arrive at a plan with specific actions for
improvement.

How Does it Work?

Sometimes we may know what tool is ideal for a situation, but we might not know
how to use that tool. For instance, we may find ourselves in a sushi restaurant and
the waiter hands us a pair of chopsticks, but if we don’t have experience eating with
chopsticks, we will not be able to use them effectively.
We know that needs assessment is the appropriate tool but we have not yet
explored how to conduct it. To illustrate needs assessment, we will use a fictitious
barangay named Campotpot which struggles with daily complains of residents of
the infrequent collection and disposal of garbage.

The decision of the barangay officials should not be undertaken in a vacuum. There
are many factors to consider, including the external environment, the barangay exists
within (such as the existing dump trucks that could be used for collection of garbage),
how the barangay interacts with the external environment (such as the companies that
can make dump trucks available through loan arrangement), what the barangay’s
strengths and weaknesses are (such as if the barangay can screen and hire work-
oriented sanitation workers), as well as the things the barangay can provide with
benefits for them.

After lengthy consideration, Barangay Campotpot, decides to introduce a

formal mentorship program for its garbage collectors. It hopes that providing more
benefits will help combat high employee performance. The barangay has engaged a
consultant to conduct needs assessment and it is a must that the various stages
of the needs assessment process to improve the garbage collection performance
must be followed thoroughly.

THE THREE MAIN PARTS OF A NEEDS ASSESSMENT

1. Initiation
Initiation starts out by identifying the “frame factors,” otherwise known
as “limiting factors,” (few dump trucks are available and only few are
operational, only few are hired as garbage collectors, the pay to garbage
collectors is not attractive, etc.).
2. Data Collection & Analysis
Data collection & analysis follows the initiation stage. During this stage, we
perform a PEST (political, economic, social, and technological) analysis
 and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis,
and collect data.
PEST analysis happens first and it examines the macro-level factors that
make up the environment that the organization (barangay in this case)
exists within. These factors are external to the organization itself and
include the political, economic, social, and technological factors. The PEST
analysis comes first because it occurs from the broadest vantage point and
can help identify roadblocks in the environment.
Next, SWOT analysis attempts to identify the strengths and weakness,
which are internal to the barangay, as well as the opportunities and threats,
which are external to the company. SWOT analysis includes some external
factors, but it starts to narrow its scope, compared to the PEST analysis.
Then, we collect data. We conduct interviews, observe, give surveys, and
review existing documents. Using these diverse methods ensures
triangulation–revealing trends and painting a more accurate picture of what
is occurring.
Data collection & analysis is, of course, the analysis of the data we’ve
collected. We review the PEST analysis results to get the big picture, review
the SWOT analysis results to determine areas of success as well as areas of
concern, and we analyze all data that has been collected.

3. Final Product
The third and final phase of a needs assessment is the final product. This
include a summary of the findings, the migration strategy detailing which
driving forces should be strengthened and which restraining forces should
be limited, and a final report that includes recommendations. PEST analysis
analyzes the external environmental factors affecting the organization. In
other words, the PEST analysis identifies what is going on around us and
how those environmental factors influence our organization. By
understanding the organization’s operating environment, we can make
more informed decisions.
The political, economic, social and technological factors are all
examined. The analyses that follow PEST analysis, such as the SWOT drills
down further into the organization to determine what improvements are
needed. If you want to discover what is not working and how to improve a
barangay service, start with a PEST analysis and proceed from there.

PEST AND SWOT ANALYSES

Political, Economic, Social and Technological (PEST) Analysis is the first

analysis performed during needs assessment because it starts from the broadest
vantage point and helps avoid pitfalls.

For political, we must be aware of any law or regulation that might impact the
barangay services, such as enforcing them to make barangay residents compliant.

An economic factor could be the additional cost of hiring more workers.

For social factors, residents can easily inform the barangay through its website on
their concerns of the collection and disposal of garbage.
 Some technological factors to look into are determining the number of dump trucks
that are operational and number of mechanics who can readily fix the workability of
these trucks.

How do we identify which factors should go in each category of the table? Let’s
explore this. We then organize the information into a table as shown below:

SAMPLE OF PEST ANALYSIS

Political (external) Economic (external)

How do the laws like R.A. 9003 From five (5) barangay sanitation
(Ecological Solid Waste Management Act employees, how much is the cost of
of 2000), R.A. 9512 (Environmental hiring five (5) more workers?
Awareness and Education Law), and
Cebu City Ordinance 1361 or the Anti-
littering Ordinance affect the barangay
sanitation services?

Social (external) Technological (external)

Are there advocacy groups that are ready Does the barangay have expert
to educate on the ways and means of mechanics to fix on the fitness of the
garbage collection and disposal? dump trucks?

PEST Analysis analyzes the external environmental factors affecting the

organization. In other words, the PEST analysis identifies what is going on around
us and how those environmental factors influence the organization of the barangay.
By understanding the organization’s operating environment, we can make more
informed decisions.

Why is it Important?

PEST Analysis is important because it is all about guiding the success of

barangay basic services, or steering your ship, so to speak. Without it, your
organization might waste countless resources trying to fix or create something,
when outside factors might prevent these changes from being successful in the first
place.

SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT Analysis is a simple but useful framework for analyzing your organization's
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It helps you to build on what you
do well, to address what you're lacking, to minimize risks, and to take the greatest
possible advantage of chances for success.

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• Availability of number of dump • Distance from barangay to
trucks in good working condition. landfill.
• Dedication of garbage and • Non-performance of barangay
disposal personnel on the job. collection and disposal
personnel.
 •
Quality trainings conducted to • Barangay’s non-supervision of
garbage and disposal personnel. its environmental personnel.
• Widest dissemination of
environmental education to
residents.
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
• Private groups can donate more • Barangay ordinance restricting
dump trucks through barangay fund appropriation for
Memorandum of Understanding. environmental concerns.
• National, provincial, or city • Ill-trained garbage collection
environmental personnel can and disposal personnel.
conduct trainings on barangay • Poorly skilled barangay dump
garbage personnel. trucks’ mechanics/technicians.
• Poorly educated barangay
residents on environmental
laws.

Activity 1. ASSESSMENT NEEDS WRITING USING PEST AND SWOT ANALYSES

Introduction to the activity:

Assuming that you are not satisfied with your barangay health services,
conduct a needs assessment on it. Assuming further that the health services'
present performance is only 50% (based on the complains of residents whose
health concerns are not readily attended to, the health center is undermanned,
the monthly pay of health workers is insufficient, and poorly trained health
personnel), so, to improve its services, suggest a 90% target performance.
Instructions: Conduct a needs assessment on your barangay health services by
using the templates for PEST and SWOT and the assumptions above written. This
activity is worth fifty (50) points based on the perceived validity of items entered
on PEST and SWOT templates. Copy and answers in your 1 whole sheet of paper.
PEST ANALYSIS

Political (external Economic (external

Social (external) Technological (external

 SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS