When to engage
When assessing community needs, facilities or service gaps, building an evidence base, or interpreting feedback and data you have already collected.
How the work is approached
The scope is tailored to your decision, timeframe, community and available evidence.
Social planning, community needs assessment, social infrastructure assessment, qualitative research, service mapping, survey analysis and reporting.
- Step 01
Agree the questions
Define the community, decision and scope. Establish what information already exists and how findings will be used.
- Step 02
Review data and local knowledge
Analyse demographic and service information alongside policy and research. Record evidence gaps, geographic boundaries and data limitations.
- Step 03
Hear from people affected
Use interviews, small-group discussions or other proportionate methods to understand lived experience and needs that administrative data may miss.
- Step 04
Prioritise and report
Compare findings across sources, identify strengths and unmet needs, and set out options with a clear rationale and limitations.
Possible outputs
- Community profile, evidence review and research findings
- Analysis of survey responses, interviews and submissions
- Needs and service-gap analysis, clear findings and planning recommendations
- Assessment scope and evidence register
- Community profile and service mapping
- Community and stakeholder findings
- Prioritised needs and recommendations
Scope, outputs, responsibilities, timing and fees are agreed before work begins.
Relevant experience
Examples include work from Alisha Abate’s previous Council roles and independent practice. Each account explains the contribution and context.
- Council planning with integrated health and wellbeing
Connected community wellbeing priorities with integrated Council planning.
- Applied research for policy, services and places
Brought research and evidence into policy, service and place questions.
- Housing and homelessness: from strategy to coordinated action
Connected housing evidence and community experience with strategy and coordinated action.
Questions to help scope your brief
Does a needs assessment always need a new community survey?
No. Choose methods after reviewing the question and existing evidence. A survey may help with some questions; interviews, small-group conversations, service information or a document review may be more useful for others. Record participation and evidence gaps, and do not treat a voluntary sample as representative without supporting evidence.
How are needs different from requests for a particular solution?
A request for a new programme or facility is a possible response to a need. The assessment should explore the underlying issue, existing community strengths, who experiences barriers and what the available evidence shows. Compare possible responses before assuming that one solution is required.
What affects the scope and fee?
The geography and populations involved, quality of existing data, research and engagement methods, access supports, reporting requirements and timeframe all shape the work. The proposal sets out the agreed scope and fee; no standard project duration or price is assumed before these requirements are understood.
For a general Australian practice reference, see the Australian Institute of Family Studies needs-assessment guide. The project proposal confirms the approach appropriate to your organisation.
Related support and resources
Practical articles for your brief
Community development, health and wellbeing, housing, social infrastructure and community service planning.
Community needs assessment brief template