Use of Key Informant Technique in Community Assessment

Your assignment is to conduct a community needs assessment in a rural community utilizing the key informant technique.  The purpose of the assignment is to demonstrate your ability (knowledge and skills) to use the key informant technique in community assessment.

Key informants are individuals who are likely to have extensive firsthand knowledge of the community and who either live or work in the community.  Such persons might include (but are not limited to) social workers, police officers, teachers, nurses, religious leaders, or long time residents who have provided volunteer services in the community.  You are to identify two such persons and conduct in depth interviews concerning their perceptions of community needs in the following areas:

• Social service programs
• Education
• Recreation
• Mental health services
• Health services
• Employment opportunities
• Political structure
• Religious services
• Law enforcement
• Other areas that might be identified by the informant or you

The components of this assignment are:

1. Develop an open ended interview schedule (questionnaire) to be used in conducting your interviews.  This will ensure that you ask each informant the same questions.  Do not ask the informants to fill out the questionnaire.  You should ask the questions orally during your interview.
2. Schedule appointments for interviews.  Since we are undergoing the Corona VIRUS PANDEMIC, interviews may be conducted by phone.
3. Conduct interviews.
4. Written Report: Upon completion of the interviews, prepare a summary of the needs identified in your community needs assessment and recommendations to address identified needs.  The report should include the following elements:

• Identification and brief description of the community
• Findings of each interview including:

1. Role of informant in the community
2. Number of years residing or working in the community
3. Needs identified by the informant

• Summary based on needs identified by informants and your observations.
• Recommendations to Address Community Needs: Propose ways to address each need identified in your summary.

Due April 12, 2021                SUBMIT: 7-10 page report and copy of questionnaire