No community would successfully survive without community resources. However, many people are unaware of the resources within their communities, so how can you work to show what is available or needed.
What are Community Resources?
The go-to organizations or individuals that empower and equip people with tools that will benefit themselves and their communities are known as community resources. They may be funded or run by businesses, non-profit groups, government, or individuals. Community resources include:
- Health care organizations
- Educational organizations
- Cultural and religious organizations
- Financial and commodities assistance organizations
Which Community Resources Will Your Community Utilize?
Raise awareness of existing resources and find out what specific needs your community has by:
- Asking questions. Talk to people in your community and find out what they believe is missing in the community. This may include such things as a baby clinic, a place for teenagers to play sports, a library, or a food bank for the elderly and those in need.
- Run a survey. Find out what the community needs by running a survey with a small prize to encourage participation. Survey methods include postcards that can be dropped off at central collection point or mailed back, a survey form in the local newspaper, or an online survey through email or via the Internet.
Community Resource Mapping
Check what community resources are already available in your area. The gathering of information about community resources is known as resource mapping. This involves listing the physical addresses, contact details, and exact focus of each community resource, and marking their position on a map. In this way, you can see if some resources overlap with others in their function or coverage area.
Once you’ve pinpointed your community resources, research for more in-depth information. Are the resources easily accessible to all? For example, are they within easy travelling distance and are they physically accessible to people with disabilities?
Focus on particular groups. Are there community resources specifically aimed at, for instance, youth, seniors, or the disabled? Do any of these groups need a community resource that will help to improve the quality of their lives.
How Do You Make People Aware of Community Resources?
There are a variety of ways to make your community aware of its resources, including:
- One-to-one contact. This is usually extremely successful, as it makes use of word-of-mouth advertising.
- Postcards. Raise awareness of a particular community resource through postcards sent out with utility bills.
- Meetings. Hold community meetings to tell people about the available community resources.
- Social media. Facebook, Twitter, and other sites encourage interactive discussion about community resources.
- Internet. List your community resources on sites such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and White Pages.
- Print media. Local newspapers and magazines often have a diary section that offers free publicity. Alternatively, classified advertisements are another way to inform the community.
- Bulletin boards. You’ll find bulletin boards at libraries, town halls, local supermarkets, colleges, and more.
Community resources are an essential part of everyday living. Work with families within your community to accrue these resources. You could also consider a human services degree to make a career out of helping your community.
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