Lea: As I understand it, a needs assessment is a survey of your target group, asking them about the issues, as they see them. It can range from casual, using cameras to photograph areas of need, to rigourous scientific surveys, taking a good deal of time and funding. An environmental scan can follow. Again, it can be informal, asking your target group where they would go to have that need met, having your committee make telephone calls to known groups to inquire about their mandate and boundaries, or more rigourously, reviewing the mandates of any associated groups in your location and formally surveying them for their terms of service and/or annual plans for enhancements It looks around the community of that target group to see what agencies or groups may be involved in the identified need. It identifies community gaps or potential responses to the identified need. With all of that information, decisions can be made about connecting the target group to established groups, funding enhancements of existing groups to serve the needs of the target group or initiating a new service to meet the needs of your target group, building on existing linkages and mandates. Sue Monaghan Sue Monaghan, Public Health Nurse Injury, Violence and Substance Abuse Prevention Halton Regional Health Department Tel: (905) 825-6000 ext. 7854 Fax: (905) 825-8588 Email: [log in to unmask] > -----Original Message----- > From: Lea Narciso [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:26 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Environmental Scan and Needs Assessments: defining > > Dear CLICK4HP members: We are two Research Technical Assistants, funded by > the Canadian Strategy on HIV/AIDS, Health Canada, working in Alberta and > Ontario to build the capacity of community-based HIV/AIDS organizations to > use and produce research in order to build evidence-based practice. A > question has come up from our member organizations that we would like some > help with: What distinguishes an environmental scan from a needs > assessment? What are the differences in terms of methods, purpose and > definition? Any input and/or references would be appreciated. Thank you. > San Patten - Community-Based Research Coordinator, Alberta Community > Council on HIVLea Narciso - Community-Based Research Coordinator, Ontario > AIDS Network > > > Lea Narciso, Program Director, CBR Capacity Building > Ontario AIDS Network > 25 Adelaide Street East, Suite 915 > Toronto, Ontario M5C 3A1 > Tel: 416-364-4555 Ext. 306 > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Post your ad for free now! Yahoo! Canada Personals > > Send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] to unsubscribe > See: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/click4hp.html to alter your > subscription > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This message, including any attachments, is privileged and intended only for the person(s) named above. This material may contain confidential or personal information which may be subject to the provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act. Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by telephone, fax or e-mail and permanently delete the original transmission from us, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you ========================================== Send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] to unsubscribe See: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/click4hp.html to alter your subscription