Social Needs Assessment
What is a Social Needs Assessment?
A Social Needs Assessment is an ongoing analysis of social care needs of a population and making recommendations for changes to meet these needs.
It involves:
- Gathering information about social issues and trends in the community (needs);
- Gathering information about resources available in the community (assets);
- Determining what issues are most important for the community (priorities);
- Building commitment and support from the community to improve the social health of the community (partnerships).
Over the years, the information collected from these social needs assessments have acted as a planning tool for Family and Community Support Services and the City of Leduc.
Data Collection
The data collection phase for 2010 was completed from a number of community sources including:
· Community residents (via a random telephone survey and two community focus groups)
· Local agencies & organizations (interagency web-based survey and interagency focus group)
· Leduc Youth (web-based survey with grades 5, 8, and 11)
· Family and Community Support Services staff and advisory board
· Social Development Strategy Steering Committee:
o St. Thomas Aquinas Regional Schools, Black Gold Regional Schools, Children & Youth
Services,Leduc Christian Ministerial Association, Alberta Health Services-Public Health, Mental Health & Addictions, Leduc RCMP, FCSS, Community member at large, Community Development and Service Planning, City of Leduc Council, and AB Employment & Immigration
The next Social Needs Assessment is scheduled for 2015. For more information on the social needs assessment please call 780.980.7174.