ABSTRACT
This phase of the work is variously referred to as fact-finding, data collection, assembling a community profile or audit, or carrying out an assessment of community needs and resources. The purpose of this work is to inform the practitioner’s decisions about what issues, problems, groups or agencies he or she will work with. This gathering of data is rarely sufficient in itself to produce change, but is a prerequisite for planning a large number of strategies available to neighbourhood workers and community groups.
