River Community Services
About RCS:
River Community Services (RCS) is a new community based organization in the Natomas community of Sacramento California that is committed and passionate about strategically meeting the needs of residents in North Natomas in partnership with local businesses, non-profits, residents, and governments. Currently RCS is in the beginning stages of identifying key community needs. In 2009 we will conduct a community based needs assessment with volunteers from The River Church. The surveys, interviews, and focus groups that make up this assessment are helping us more fully understand the specific needs of North Natomas residents so we can mobilize new resources to serve the community. By collecting hard data RCS will help facilitate and foster a healthy community in North Natomas through strategic and purposeful service.
About Natomas in Sacramento, CA
Although technically not a city of its own, North Natomas has the feel of an official California suburb. This master planned community is less than ten years old. North Natomas is seven miles from downtown Sacramento and California’s state capitol building, at the intersection of Interstate 5 and Interstate 80. With approximately 45,000 residents, and a yearly household income ranging from $45k to over $100k North Natomas is diverse both ethnically, and economically. Because there are six schools within a five mile radius students, elementary through high school, youth and children make up a large portion of the North Natomas community.
Contact River Community Services:
Ryan Stevenson 916.641.1300
Elements
Community Surveys
By talking directly to community members needs and priorities become apparent.
Key Informant Interviews
The insights gained through carefully conducted stakeholder and key informant interviews sharpens the focus.
Data Analysis
The combination of inquiry methods produces key data to inform and guide the needs assessment.
What is Needs Assessment?
Community Needs Assessment is a organized investigation into the needs and priorities of the community through a serious of interviews and surveys. The approach advocated by CCIR is a team based approach that combines the best of participatory and qualitative research leading to a planned action response.
“ The responsible first step for new community organizations is a well designed needs assessment that compliments and brings clearer focus to the existing needs survey data and secondary data already available in the community. ”