COMMUNITY MAPPING Community mapping is a process of identifying and cataloging who is doing what in a given geographical area. It helps us build a care system for vulnerable children and families by: 1. Encouraging collaboration 2. Identifying service gaps 3. Learning who offers what services where
GATHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
ESTABLISH PARAMETERS
ASSESS FIT
CREATE YOUR MAP
REFLECT ON LEARNING
To attempt community mapping alone is to miss the opportunity for collaboration. Don't forget to include organizations that are focusing on different goals.
Community mapping is a highly interactive process! Begin the meeting by building relationships. Add a fun, creative question to get them talking!
Start with a conversation about the purpose of community mapping. Cast vision for the process! Start small - you can always expand.
Ask the group, “What kinds of services might be helpful for children and families at risk?”
Include names, contact info, and what services they provide. The goal is not to get every detail of information, but rather to create a framework of broad categories. Ask questions such as, What did we learn from this exercise? What services are readily available? What services are lacking? How might we fill those gaps?
Want to learn more? Take the FREE online course all about Community Mapping! https://research.cafo.org/practice/core-elements/training-modules/partnership-community-mapping/