SOCW 6311 wk 8 Assignment: Planning a Needs Assessment II

One of the many reasons social workers conduct needs assessment is to provide support for new programs. Social workers have many methods available to collect necessary data for a needs assessment.

Social workers can use existing data from a wide range of sources, including local and national reports by government and nonprofit agencies, as well as computerized mapping resources. Social workers can gather new data through interviews and surveys with individuals and focus groups. This data can provide the evidence that supports the need for the program.

To prepare for this Assignment, review the needs assessment plans that you and your classmates generated for this week’s Discussion. Also, review the logic models that you created in Week 7 and any literature on needs of caregivers that you used to generate them. Consider the following to stimulate your thinking:

• Getting      information about the needs of the target population:
  • Who would       informants be?
  • What is your       purpose for interacting with them?
  • What questions       would you ask?
  • What method       would you use (interview, focus group, questionnaire)?
• Finding      potential clients:
  • Who would       informants be?
  • What is your       purpose for interacting with them?
  • What questions       would you ask?
  • What method       would you use?
• Interacting with      the target population:
  • Who would       informants be?
  • What is your       purpose for interacting with them?
  • What questions       would you ask?
  • What method       would you use?

Submit a 2- to 3-page paper outlining a hypothetical needs assessment related to the support group program for caregivers. Include the following:

• The resources      needed to operate this service
• The program      activities
• The desired      outcomes
• A plan for      gathering information about the population served
• Justifications      for your plans and decisions
• A one-paragraph      conclusion describing how you might conduct a follow-up to the needs      assessment at the implementation stage of the program evaluation

Resources

Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.

• (For      review) Chapter 6, “Needs Assessment” (pp. 107–142)
• Chapter      7, “Crafting Goals and Objectives” (pp. 144–164)