Community Assessment At Walden University September 25, 2018

Community Assessmentwalden Universityseptember 25 2018part I Underst

Community Assessment Walden University September 25, 2018 Part I: Understanding your Community Analyze how your community has changed over the past 20 years. Use policy and community concepts and theories from the learning resources to support your analysis. Fitzgerald is located in south central Georgia. In 1895 Fitzgerald, Georgia was founded Philander H. Fitzgerald, an Indianapolis newspaper editor and a former drummer boy in the Union Army, who founded it as a community for Civil War veterans both from the Union and from the Confederacy.

Fitzgerald is located less than 15 miles from the site of the capture of Confederate president Jefferson Davis on May 10, 1865. The site has has drawn thousands of people around the United States. Fitzgerald is one of the few truly planned cities in the United States (Downtown Fitzgerald History, 2018). Within the last 20 years Fitzgerald has changed drastically. Within the last 20 years the city redevelopment team and city council has focused on rebuilding Fitzgerald and making it more attractive to tourists.

There are many old homes and buildings that date back to the 1980s that are still standing. Renovations have taken place and the city has attracted not only tourists but families who have lived in Fitzgerald and came home to visit for small-town events. Ten years ago, Fitzgerald was hit by the loss of 550 jobs when Shaw Industries closed their main plant. Many were left without jobs and no assistance in the transitions or training to assist with the drastic loss. In 2016, Shaw Industries closed their entire plant in the city and other rural cities in Georgia.

Shaw Industries was the main employer in Fitzgerald. Since the city has struggled with providing good-paying jobs (Dorsey, T., 2016), the city mayor sought assistance from the Georgia Department of Labor, mortgage assistance programs, and other community resources to assist families during the transition to finding new employment. As social workers who value social justice and human rights, we have an ethical responsibility to participate in civic life by advocating for compassionate leaders and constructive social policies (Rome & Hoechstetter, 2010).

Community leaders collaborated with the mayor and advocated for the families. Describe your community, using research and statistics to describe socio-demographic make-up. (For example: How many persons live in the city and/or in the town? What were/are their cultural/racial characteristics? What were/are their incomes, ages, political affiliations, etc.?) Results from the census 2000 indicate Fitzgerald had 8,758 residents, 3,448 households, and 2,210 families. The racial makeup was approximately 49.27% African American, 47.27% White, 0.18% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 2.28% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races.

Household data show that 31.2% had children under 18, 36.3% were married couples, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. Individuals living alone accounted for 31.8%, with 14.9% over 65 living alone. The average family income was approximately $20,000 (Community Facts, 2018).

Part II: Community Assessment Describe a problem that the community is currently experiencing. Currently, limited jobs is the major issue for the community. Residents have to travel 45 minutes to an hour to find employment. This situation has contributed to increased crime rates.

Assess the duration, intensity, and frequency of the problem. Limited jobs have been an ongoing issue over the past 20 years, with unemployment rising following the closure of Shaw Industries' plant. Small businesses are struggling to remain open, and while new chain stores are moving in, they are not providing enough employment opportunities to meet the community’s needs.

Analyze the probable etiology of the problem, supporting your analysis with resources. The primary cause is the lack of sustainable employment opportunities and insufficient resources to support families during job transitions. According to the Census Bureau, approximately 42.4% of Fitzgerald residents live below the poverty line (Community Facts, 2018).

Analyze the key elements and characteristics of the community that make it vulnerable to this problem. Fitzgerald, as a small rural community, is geographically isolated from larger cities that offer higher-paying jobs. Additionally, the community lacks public transportation or private transit options, making it difficult for residents to access employment outside their immediate area.

Analyze the key strengths of the community that give it resilience and the potential for overcoming the problem. The community has demonstrated resilience through ongoing efforts by the city development team, which has attended state conferences and training to explore potential growth avenues. Renovating the city theater, pool, and historical buildings indicates an active interest in community revitalization.

Identify major institutions (e.g., schools, factories, churches, attraction sites), and explain how these institutions contribute to or inhibit the community’s ability to address the problem. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College (WGTC) in Fitzgerald is a significant institution offering job training and advocating for new employment opportunities. WGTC collaborates with local businesses and provides hands-on training, enhancing the community's capacity to develop a skilled workforce. However, the overall economic dependency on a single major employer (Shaw Industries) presents a vulnerability that other institutions alone cannot fully mitigate.

Explain which groups are most affected by the problem. The lack of employment impacts all community groups; however, vulnerable populations including unemployed adults, youth seeking entry-level jobs, and seniors living alone are most acutely affected.

Part III: Community & Policy Action Plan Describe your proposed plan for community change. Continued collaboration with WGTC and proactive efforts to attract new businesses are essential. Advocating for funding and grants through the mayor and city council is necessary to support community development. Any new companies should be monitored through quarterly assessments, and contingency plans should be established to prevent significant economic decline if new businesses falter.

Explain the strategies and tactics you would use to bring about change. Multiple strategies are needed. Engaging community leaders, churches, and residents will foster social capital, essential for mobilizing resources and advocating effectively (Popple, 2006). Building partnerships with state agencies and private sectors can secure funding via programs such as the Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which support infrastructure and economic development (Community Development Block Grants, 2018). Community-based campaigns advocating for policy changes and economic incentives are critical.

Consider if you would need multiple strategies, and if so, explain which strategy would be used for each target. For example, policy advocacy will target government entities, while grassroots mobilization will engage residents and community organizations.

Explain any policies that may influence the ability, either supportive or prohibitive, to influence proposed community change. Supporting policies include the Department of Community Affairs’ disbursement of funds through programs like the CDBG, which aid community infrastructure and economic projects. Conversely, restrictive zoning or permitting policies could hinder development, so policy alignment and advocacy are necessary to ensure smooth implementation.

Explain what policies would need to be in place to ensure proposed plans are sustainable. Long-term sustainability requires policies that promote responsible zoning, maintain infrastructure, and support ongoing funding for economic initiatives. Policies should also encourage partnerships between public and private sectors and sustain community engagement efforts.

References

• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). (2018). U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Retrieved from https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/communitydevelopment/programs
• Community Facts - Find popular facts (population, income, etc.). (n.d.). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://www.census.gov/communityfacts
• Dorsey, T. (2016, October 21). 202 workers jobless after Shaw plant closes in Fitzgerald. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved from https://www.ajc.com/news/local/ Fitzgerald-shaw-industry-closure
• Downtown Fitzgerald History. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.fitzgeraldga.org/about-us/downtown-history
• Rome, S. H., & Hoechstetter, S. (2010). Social work and civic engagement: The political participation of professional social workers. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 37(3), 107–129.
• Popple, K. (2006). Community Development in the 21st Century: A Case of Conditional Development. British Journal of Social Work, 36(2), 333–340.
• Fitzgerald city redevelopment initiatives. (2018). City of Fitzgerald Official Website. Retrieved from https://www.fitzgeraldga.org/redevelopment
• Georgia Department of Community Affairs. (2018). Community Facts & Data. Retrieved from https://www.dca.ga.gov/local-government-assistance
• Statistics on poverty in Fitzgerald. (2018). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/poverty
• City of Fitzgerald Strategic Development Plan. (2019). Local Government Publication. Atlanta, GA.