|
In order to
meet the
needs of
impoverished
and
disadvantaged
people
living in
inner-city
communities, agencies
first must identify
those needs.
Ideally,
this
information
should come
directly
from the
community
itself, with
every
resident's
participation.
However,
accessing
this
hard-to-reach
demographic
effectively has been a
daunting
task.
The
standard
approach
for
conducting
community
survey
research has
been to
invite
residents to
participate
in focus
groups or
attend
community
consultation
meetings.
While focus
groups and
community
meetings can
be very
effective in
reaching more
affluent,
educated and
technologically connected
populations,
the process
encounters
several
difficulties
when applied
to
inner-city
populations.
Limitations
of Standard Approaches:
-
Telephone/Internet Surveys:
Fewer
people have telephone or internet service in the inner city, so access to
residents through telephone or internet surveys is limited.
-
Focus Groups,
Community Consultation Meetings:
Getting
the word out for focus groups and community consultation meetings is
challenging without a structured communication network such as a local
newsletter to alert residents to the event.
·
Those who are aware of the event may not participate due to financial issues,
lack of child care, lack of time or lack of motivation.
·
It is often the same few individuals that typically come out to meetings
and focus groups. While their opinions are valuable, they may not be truly
representative of the majority of the community, which has not been able to
participate and express their opinions.
·
Some people are less likely to express their true feelings in a group setting,
for fear of retaliation or other negative consequences.
·
Public meetings are often dominated by more outspoken individuals, thus
silencing the timid and limiting diversity of opinions.
Limited attendance yields
limited results:
-
The agency
that
commissioned
the survey
is left to
make
important
financial
and policy
decisions
affecting
a large
number of
people,
based on
the
opinions
of a few.
-
Policies
which do
not truly
reflect
the needs
of the
community
risk being
less
effective,
and may
waste
valuable
and
limited
community
resources.
-
The lack
of real
results
and change
perpetuates the cycle of
cynicism,
apathy and
despair in
the
community.
The Point
Research Difference
Rather than
attempting
to get
residents to
come out to
focus groups
and
meetings,
Point
Research
goes directly to the people, as was done in the highly successful
Point Douglas
community survey of 2008.
Our survey
interviewer
teams go
into all
parts of a
community,
conducting
door-to-door,
in-depth,
in-person
interviews
with
individual
residents.
This
approach
gives every
resident the
opportunity
to
participate
in the
survey
anonymously,
in their own
words and in
the safety
and privacy
of their own
homes.
Advantages
of the Point
Research
Community-Based
Survey
Method:
-
The
volunteer
interviewers
are
recruited
from
within the
community,
and
thoroughly
trained in
proper
interviewing
procedures.
They will
essentially
be conducting
interviews
with their
neighbours.
-
Respondents
are far
more
receptive
when
speaking
to members
of their
own
community,
who are
familiar
with them
and
sensitive
to their
issues,
rather
than being
intruded
upon by
‘outsiders’.
-
Interviewers
from
outside
the
community
are often
clearly
uncomfortable
in the
neighbourhood.
This can
result in
areas of
the
community
not being
canvassed,
certain
buildings
not being
entered,
certain
residents
not being
interviewed,
or being
poorly
interviewed.
-
The
interviews
are
conducted
in
people’s
homes at
their
convenience,
in a
sensitive
and
empathetic
manner.
The
interviewer
is able to
explain
the
purpose of
the survey
and
overcome
any
reluctance
on the
part of
the
respondent
to
participate.
-
The survey
is
conducted
in a
relaxed,
conversational
style,
putting
the
respondent
at ease
and making
them
comfortable
in
answering
the
questions.
When
necessary,
the
interviewer
is able to
probe for
greater
depth of
response,
to provide
as much
information
as
possible.
The
interviewer
is always
careful
not to
lead the
respondent.
-
In-person
interviews
overcome
the
barriers
posed by
low
literacy
levels, a
reality in
many poor
communities.
The
respondent
has the
option to
be
interviewed
and have
their
responses
written
down by
the
interviewer,
rather
than
having to
fill out
the paper
survey by
themselves.
Their
interview
would be
recorded
for
verification.
-
Residents
who
otherwise
might not
complete a
survey are
able to
fully
participate
and
contribute
their
opinions.
For many
in the
community,
it will be
the first
time
they’ll do
so.
|
