Identify three strategies that you would implement first to address the social problem.

 Complete the final section of your community needs assessment plan. In this section, explain how you will carry out and critique three strategies to address the problem. You will also consider the types of data that you would use to make decisions about how to implement the strategies.

Consider the following example:

Suppose that one of your strategies is to implement a job skills training program to address high unemployment among community members who are unskilled. In order to implement this strategy, you might take several steps, such as developing a curriculum, writing job descriptions for instructors, and creating an advertising/marketing campaign, to name a few. As you complete each step, you might also use different types of data to guide your decisions. For instance, you could review similar training programs in other communities to inform your curriculum, visit the Department of Labor website to identify qualifications, skills, and competitive pay rates for instructors, and speak to someone at the local unemployment office to determine a target audience for advertising and marketing. When critiquing the strategies, you will want to consider how well each strategy addressed the problem and how well it was implemented.

To Prepare

• Review the FAQ document in the Learning Resources and focus on the questions about implementing and critiquing strategies for a community needs assessment.
• Reflect on the strategies that you prioritized in Week 4 for your community needs assessment plan.
• Identify three strategies that you would implement first to address the social problem.
• Consider the steps you would take to implement each strategy and the data that you would use to inform your decisions.
• Reflect on how you would critique the strategies, both in terms of how well the strategy addresses the problem and how well it has been implemented.

• Refine the Problem Statement. Refine your problem statement, based on what you learned from your peers, your Instructor, and/or the Learning Resources this week and in previous weeks.
• Next Steps. Develop a plan to carry out the top three strategies for addressing the problem using what you have learned about social change, prevention, advocacy, and consultation. Be sure to address the following in your plan:
  • Identify Strategies to Address the Problem. Identify the three strategies that you would carry out. Be sure to refer to the Prioritizing Strategies worksheet that you completed earlier in the course.
  • Carry Out the Strategies. Explain the steps that you would take to carry out the top three strategies to address the problem.
  • Identify Data to Carry Out the Strategies. Explain what type of data you would need to make decisions about how to implement the strategies (e.g., data to support programs, changes in service delivery, or policy change). Give two examples.
  • Critique the Strategies. Explain how you would critique the effectiveness of the proposed strategie