Q: I am in the process of setting up a continuing education division at my institution. I have an extremely small existing list of customers. I am looking to do a comprehensive survey of community members to identify CE needs. Do you have a sample survey or can you direct me to a source?
A: The best way to determine community needs is to take a multi-faceted approach. Unfortunately, surveys are not always the best place to begin. It is also important to know whether you are looking at identifying needs for enrichment learning or professional development, workforce development or training needs. Here are some recommendations on how to begin to identify community needs:
1. If you are looking at enrichment learning needs, make appointments to talk with leaders of other community organizations in your area. This might include mental health programs, senior citizen programs, hospital and health care organizations, your local day care association, public school personnel (unless you will be competing with a local community education program). Talk with any organization in your community that provides services to community members. They will have a good idea about community interests and needs.
2. Do some environmental scanning. What services, education programs, etc. already exist in your community? Who do they serve? Are there segments of the community who are not being served? Who are they and are the good potential customers for you? Identify gaps in service/education and determine whether you can fill them.
3. If you are looking at professional development/workforce development in your community, then it is more important for you to reach out to employers. Find out what their needs are in terms of training for workers, what sorts of services and educational needs their workers have and what employers want from training for their employees. Again, look for the gaps in service, look at who is already providing services, and then determine what niche you can fill.
4. Look broadly at state, regional and national trends in terms of educational needs and job growth. Position your program, to respond to these needs both in the present and in terms of future training needs.
Once you have a clear picture of what is already out there and what the needs are from the perspective of employers/service providers (depending on the type of program you are offering), you can then refine your knowledge by creating surveys of those people you have talked to already and to others who have similar roles in the community.
Questions
Community Needs
May 24, 2018 10:00:45 PM
by
Jordan Kivley
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