User:Ashughes/Iris Community Engagement Plan

Phase 1: SWOT Analysis

For more background on SWOT Analysis as it pertains to Community Organization see Wikipedia.

Strengths and weaknesses

Internal factors within an organization:

• Human resources — staff, volunteers, board members, target population
• Physical resources — your location, building, equipment
• Financial — grants, funding agencies, other sources of income
• Activities and processes — programs you run, systems you employ
• Past experiences — building blocks for learning and success, your reputation in the community

Opportunities and threats

External factors stemming from community or societal forces:

• Future trends in your field or the culture
• The economy — local, national, or international
• Funding sources — foundations, donors, legislatures
• Demographics — changes in the age, race, gender, culture of those you serve or in your area
• The physical environment —is your building in a growing part of town? Is the bus company cutting routes?
• Legislation — do new federal requirements make your job harder...or easier?
• Local, national, or international events

Elements to consider

Elements to consider in a SWOT analysis include understanding the community that a particular organization is working with. This can be done via public forums, listening campaigns, and informational interviews. Data collection will help inform the community members and workers when developing the SWOT analysis. A needs and assets assessment is tooling that can be used to identify the needs and existing resources of the community. When these assessments are done and data has been collected, an analysis of the community can be made that informs the SWOT analysis.

Steps for implementation

A SWOT analysis is best developed in a group setting such as a work or community meeting. A facilitator can conduct the meeting by first explaining what a SWOT analysis is as well as identifying the meaning of each term. One way of facilitating the development of a SWOT analysis includes developing an example SWOT with the larger group then separating each group into smaller teams to present to the larger group after set amount of time. This allows for individuals, who may be silenced in a larger group setting, to contribute. Once the allotted time is up, the facilitator may record all the factors of each group onto a large document such as a poster board, and then the large group, as a collective, can go work through each of the threats and weaknesses to explore options that may be used to combat negative forces with the strengths and opportunities present within the organization and community. A SWOT meeting allows participants to creatively brainstorm, identify obstacles, and possibly strategize solutions/way forward to these limitations.