Community Assessment

Community Assessment

Walden University

September 25, 2018

Part I: Understanding your Community

Analyze how your community has changed over the past 20 years. Use policy and

community concepts and theories from the learning resources to support your analysis.

Fitzgerald is located in south central Georgia. In 1895 Fitzgerald, Georgia was founded

Philander H. Fitzgerald, an Indianapolis newspaper editor and a former drummer boy in the

Union Army, who founded it as a community for Civil War veterans both from the Union and

from the Confederacy. Fitzgerald is located less than 15 miles from the site of the capture of

Confederate president Jefferson Davis on May 10, 1865. The site has has drawn thousands of

people around the United States. Fitzgerald is one of the few truly planned cities in the United

States (​Downtown Fitzgerald History, 2018)​. Within the last 20 years Fitzgerald has changed

drastically. Within the last 20 years the city redevelopment team and city council has focused on

rebuilding Fitzgerald and making it more attractive to tourist. There are many old homes and

buildings that date back to 1980s that are still standing. Renovations have taken place and the

cities has attracted not only tourist but families who have lived in Fitzgerald and came home to

visit for small town events. Ten years ago, Fitzgerald was hit by the lost of 550 job when “Shaw

Industries” closed their main plant. Many were left without jobs and no assistance in the

transitions or training to assist with the drastic lost. In 2016, Shaw Industries closed their entire

plant in the city and other rural cities in Georgia. Shaw Industries was the main employers in

Fitzgerald. Since the city has struggled with providing good paying jobs (Dorsey, T. (2016,

October 21) . The City Mayor seeked assistance from the Georgia Department of Labor,

Mortgage assistance programs, and other community resources to assist families during the

transition to finding new employment. “As social workers who value social justice and human

rights, we have an ethical responsibility to participate in civic life by advocating for

compassionate leaders and constructive social policies” (Rome, S. H., & Hoechstetter, S. (2010).

Community leaders collaborated with the Mayor and advocated for the families.

Describe your community, using research and statistics to describe socio-demographic

make-up. (For example: How many persons live in the city and/or in the town? What

were/are their cultural/racial characteristics? What were/are their incomes, ages, political

affiliations, etc.?​)

Results from the census 2000, in Fitzgerald there were 8,758 people, 3,448 households,

and 2,210 families residing in the city.

The racial makeup of the city was

● 49.27% African American,

● 47.27% White,

● 0.18% Native American,

● 0.31% Asian,

● 2.28% from other races, and

● 0.69% from two or more races.

There were 3,448 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living

with them, 36.3% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no

husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of

individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average

family income was 20,000 per family income (Community Facts, 2018)

Part II: Community Assessment

Describe a problem that the community is currently experiencing.

Currently, limited jobs is the major issue for the community. Residence have to travel 45 minutes

to a hour to find employment. This has also contribute to more crimes in the community.

Assess the duration, intensity, and frequency of the problem.

Limited jobs has been a issues for the community within the last 20 years. The

unemployment rate has raised since Shaw Industries closed their doors. Small business are

struggling to remain open. Small chain store are moving in but not enough jobs are addressing

the lack of employment significantly.

Analyze the probable etiology of the problem, supporting your analysis with resources.

As stated above the etiology of the problem is lack of jobs and resources to assist families

with maintaining their homes while seeking for employment. According to the Census Bureau

42.4 % of residence in Fitzgerald are living below the poverty line (Community Facts, 2018).

Analyze the key elements and characteristics of the community that make it vulnerable to

this problem.

​Fitzgerald is a small rural community that is not near a larger cities within a reasonable

driving distance with well paying jobs. The community does not have city transportation

assistance for residence or private transportation.

Analyze the key strengths of the community that give the community resilience and the

potential for overcoming the problem.

The city development team has attending other state conferences and training on ways for

potential growth in the community. This includes renovating the city theater, the city pool,

historical homes and buildings.

Identify major institutions (e.g., schools, factories, churches, attraction sites, etc.) and

explain how these institutions contribute to or inhibit the community’s ability to address

the problem?

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, located in Fitzgerald, GA contributes to job

trainings and advocates to bring more jobs into the community. WGTC has programs to meet

with employees to encourage them to bring their business into the community and the WGTC

would ensure they have hands- on trainings for potential employees.

Explain which groups are most affected by the problem.

There is no one group affected by the lack of employment. All groups are affected in the

community.

Part III: Community & Policy Action Plan

Describe your proposed plan for community change.

I would suggest continue collaborating with WGTC and advocating for business to come

into the community. In additions, ensure the Mayor and city council is utilizing their power to

assist the community with funding and grants to enhance the community for potential employers.

If potential employers bring their business in the community, then a quarterly assessment will

assess the company's growth. Also a intervention plan will be made in the event sales and other

negatively issues occur. The intervention plan will be put in place to prevent further lost of the

company.

Explain the strategies and tactics you would you use to bring about change. Consider if you

would need multiple strategies, and if so, explain which strategy would be used for each

target.

Keith Popple argues that because communities have to compete for scarce

public resources, the greater their local social capital the more enhanced is

their chance of securing significant funding (Popple, K. (2006). I would collaborate with

community leader, churches, and residence to advocate for funding for community development

and no on a condition bases.

Explain any policies that may influence the ability, either supportive or prohibitive, to

influence proposed community change.

The Department of Community Affairs disburses state and federal funds to help build or

create something a community has deemed important, such as sidewalks, roads, parks, public

buildings, water and sewer facilities, housing choices or economic development projects

(Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). (2018). This policy will provide me with

evidence that the homes and development projects are needed in the community.

Explain what policies would need to be in place to ensure proposed plans are sustainable.

Lastly, All city policies with zoning and building permits are suitable prior to new

development.

References:

Community Development Block Grants (CDBG). (2018). Retrieved September 25, 2018, from

https://dca.ga.gov/community-economic-development/funding-programs/community-dev elopment-block-grants-cdbg 2018 Georgia Department of Community Affairs

Community Facts - Find popular facts (population, income, etc.) and frequently

requested data about your community. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2018, from https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/community_facts.xhtml

Dorsey, T. (2016, October 21). 202 workers jobless after Shaw plant closes in Fitzgerald. Retrieved September 25, 2018, from http://www.walb.com/story/33442014/202-workers-jobless-after-shaw-plant-closes-in-fit zgerald/

Downtown Fitzgerald History. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2018, from

https://www.fitzgeraldga.org/downtown-fitzgerald-history.html

Rome, S. H., & Hoechstetter, S. (2010). Social work and civic engagement: The political participation of professional social workers. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 37(3), 107–129.

Popple, K. (2006). Community Development in the 21st Century: A Case of

Conditional Development. British Journal of Social Work, 36(2), 333–340. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1093/bjsw/bch329