Sociology homework help

Community Mapping Worksheet

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Community Mapping is a process of gathering important and relevant information about a particular

community. This information will help you get started in developing a comprehensive engagement or

outreach plan. It will help you determine who you have relationships with and who you may need to

build them with as you initiate inclusive city-wide planning for a transition to 100% renewable energy.

Why Do Community Mapping?

 To identify partnerships and stakeholders

 To be strategic and inclusive when launching new initiatives

 To identify resources, knowledge and community assets that can contribute to your goals

 To map key contacts and networks

 To connect your initiative with the interest and needs of the community

 To identify key groups that can help shape your plan or spread the message

 To identify core constituents, allies and potential opposition

Community Mapping Process:

1. Determine who should be involved in the community mapping process

2. Begin with what you know and is easy to answer

3. Consider who else you might need to talk to in order to find out the information you don’t have

4. Develop a system to map, track and update your community outreach plan

5. Decide how often you will update your community map

Community Characteristics

Communities are impacted by their cultural, demographic, economic, and social environments. Begin by

laying out the characteristics of your community. This can help you identify who else you need to talk to

in order to build out a comprehensive community map.

 “Define” or lay out the characteristics of the community – What are defining social, economic

and demographic features of the community?

 What defines and shapes this community (i.e. culture, language, public institutions & agencies,

history & traditions, informal networks)? Who influences what happens in this community?

Community Engagement Wheel

The community engagement wheel should help you begin to think about different pieces of the

community pie, or categories that represent specific groups and individuals you will need to engage.

What categories best represent your community? What groups and individuals fit within those

categories?

Map your community on the wheel. Start by filling in the categories specific to your community (e.g.

environmental community), then fill in the box with specific organizations, entities and individuals that

belong in each category (e.g. Sierra Club).

Community Mapping Worksheet

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Community Mapping Worksheet

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Prioritize outreach to achieve your goals:

This diagram is another way to organize and think through the planning and prioritization of your

outreach.

 Core Constituencies – Start with those organizations that are already involved and with you. This

will likely be a small group.

 Stakeholders – Early in the process brainstorm everyone that needs to be at the table – those that

can help achieve your goals, and those most deeply affected by the issue. This is likely where there

will be the most direct interest and engagement will lead to higher likelihood of success.

 Other Potential Aallies – Who else may be needed to achieve your goal? Which groups are

potentially aligned or do you have previous relationships with? These are a third tier for outreach.

 Potential Opponents – Who might be opposed to your objectives? It is useful to anticipate potential

opposition and consider proactive outreach to those groups.

Core
Constituencies

Stekholders

Potential Allies

Community Mapping Worksheet

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Plan and prioritize your outreach by group, identifying the appropriate point of contact and then

developing a tailored outreach plan for each:

Group/Individual Relationship/Contact Outreach Plan