You are required to assess a neighborhood/community. Students who are currently

You are required to assess a neighborhood/community. Students who are currently in the field are encouraged to (don’t have to) assess a neighborhood that is closely associated with the location of their field placement. For this paper, you will critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment by examining the strengths and weaknesses inherent in a community, and use critical thinking to distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge concerning communities to present an assessment and analysis of various dimensions, assets, strengths, challenges, needs and other aspects of a geographic community. Students are expected to be able to document their observations with on-line, public-use data (e.g. U.S. Census Bureau, and state- and local-level governmental agencies) and apply their knowledge of theories of macro systems to their observations. To a certain extent identifying areas of need, or potential need, is inherent to any assessment, but this should not be the only emphasis of the assignment. Rather, the assessment should also focus on assets and strengths of the neighborhood and community, and on “capacity building.” Students should gather information that is relevant to the following fourteen dimensions of community. Finally, in your analysis, you will discuss how oppression, power, and privilege are manifested in inequalities and institutional biases that may impede optimal human development and jeopardize well-being of residents of the community/neighborhood. Students need to apply their knowledge about structural inequality and how oppression and/or privilege has influenced the adaptation of residents within the community.
Aspects of community that need to be researched and addressed
1. Identifying information – describe your community, where, how is it known, etc.
2. Demographics
3. History of area
4. Geography and environmental influences on community
5. Beliefs and attitudes
6. Local politics
7. Local economy and businesses
8. Income distribution
9. Housing
10. Educational facilities and programs
11. Health and welfare systems
12. Public safety and justice system
13. Sources of information and public opinion
14. Summary assessment of community issues
General Guidelines for term paper:
· Length: 7-9 pages, excluding title and reference pages
· Adhere to guidelines from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Ed., 2010
· Include relationships to course readings, lectures and discussions
Resources:.
Biggest resource for getting community data is the department of business, economic development and tourism at http://dbedt.hawaii.gov. Look mid page right, click census or economy
– Economic data
– Census data
o Maps
§ Area profiles
· Demographic profile from the 2010 census
· Housing profile
§ Subjects
· Graduation rates
· Housing
· Economic
· Land use

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