Strengths and Needs Assessment in Impoverished Communities

Abstract

"We want you to document how bad things are here so that we can decide what to do." Almost 30 years ago, the first author was given these instructions as a part of a community project resulting from the War on Poverty. More recently, while developing another prevention program, this same advice was given. Although both of us have been involved in needs assessment work and understand the importance of understanding needs, we do not feel we can enter new communities with a focus on what is wrong. By only paying attention to the problems, we believe we could inadvertently intensify feelings of powerlessness and despair.