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
Define the catchment and scope
Agree which facilities and services are in scope, the study area and the planning horizon. Identify specialist inputs needed.
- Step 02
Review provision and use
Map facilities, programs, access conditions and available utilisation information. Examine capacity and operating arrangements as well as locations.
- Step 03
Assess needs and gaps
Compare local population evidence and community experience with provision. Explain assumptions and avoid treating a benchmark as a complete answer.
- Step 04
Test practical options
Consider shared use, service changes, partnerships and capital options. Set out priorities, dependencies and matters requiring further technical work.
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
- Facility and service inventory
- Catchment and access analysis
- Needs, gaps and opportunities report
- Prioritised options and next-step brief
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
Is this the same as a building condition audit?
The questions are different. A condition audit examines the physical asset. A social infrastructure assessment considers community need, services, access and how facilities are used. Existing condition information can inform the assessment, while engineering, building compliance and specialist design advice need an agreed technical scope.
Which information is useful at the start?
Bring the facility and service inventory, location and catchment information, opening hours, booking or use records, demographic evidence, relevant plans and previous engagement. Identify unknown capacity or access information rather than filling gaps with unsupported estimates. Agree who can supply and check the data.
Does an identified gap mean a new building is needed?
No. Test the need and consider options such as changes to access, opening hours, programming, shared use or partnerships alongside physical improvements. Record assumptions, dependencies and responsibilities. Costing, design and funding decisions require the relevant specialist input and organisational approvals.
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 facilities, libraries, neighbourhood hubs, cultural spaces, housing and place-based planning.
Community needs assessment brief template