Political Science Research Methods Whitworth University

NECC

Community Priorities

Interviews Faculty Advisor: Patrick Van Inwegen

Authors: Christine Barker, Michael Beck, Eric Fullerton,

Adrian Kitimbo and Hannah White

NECC Community Priorities Interviews

Students from Political Science Research Methods at Whitworth University

worked with the Northeast Community Center (NECC) to conduct interviews

that would help the Center determine emerging needs of the community and

whether or not the NECC was meeting those needs. The point of the interview

data was to help the employees and administrators of the NECC continue to

sufficiently serve the various needs of the community. During the week of May

3-7, we interviewed 19 individuals in the Northeast community or in the

surrounding neighborhood. Given this limited number of interviews, this is a

preliminary indication of community sentiment at best. This summary includes an

overview of the interview process, a summary of what we found as well as

several appendices that include the actual survey and the responses for each

individual.

We designed a survey to be administered through brief face-to-face

interviews with members of the community, NECC employees, and people

working around the NECC. We chose this style because we wanted the

flexibility to pursue details within a conversation. Because of resource

constraints, we only interviewed people at a few locations: the NECC, a grocery

store, and a coffee shop.

The survey included three basic open-ended questions to understand

what the respondent thought would become an important issue in the

community that the NECC may have to address in the upcoming years. This

conversation was followed up with some closed-ended questions, asking

respondents to identify which NECC agencies they thought would see an

increase or decrease in demand in the upcoming years and if there needed to

be any additions to the NECC.

After taking notes during the interviews, we compiled all the concerns

that were mentioned. The areas that multiple people identified were: Children,

Youth, Working Adults, the Elderly, Police Protection/Crime, Drugs,

Neighborhood Clean-Up, the need for Jobs or industry in the neighborhood,

affordable housing, afterschool care (specific mentions of a program for

children or youth), Preschool/Day Care, Access to Health Care, Gangs, Meals

and Nutrition.

Respondents were typically not able to quickly think of an answer to the

questions posed. Furthermore, the answers given were closely related to the

circumstances of that person. For example, senior citizens were less aware of

community needs of children or working parents. Adults who worked with

children were unlikely to mention the needs of the elderly. All respondents were

wary of answering which agencies would see a decrease in demand. They

interpreted this question to mean which programs would be likely to be cut and

most said that they didn't want to cut any programs.

The time it took people to respond and their responses indicate that there

was not an overriding consensus of needs not being met for most people.

Respondents either didn't know or only knew about their area of specialty.

Table 1 Respondent Demographics

Table 1 summarizes the

demographics of who was interviewed.

We interviewed a few NECC employees,

but focused our research on local residents

and business employees. We had an

imbalance of gender but a balance

between three age groups, 18-30, 30-55,

and 55+.

Table 2 summarizes the results of the

issues that respondents felt were most

important. The most frequently expressed

need is for more and better youth

programs, with almost half of the people

indicating that after school care, youth

issues and children were all important. This

may be due to the fact that many of the

parents of the children in the community

do not work in close proximity to the NECC

or surrounding schools, or work long hours,

which leaves a large time period where the

children are unsupervised. Almost half of interviewees also mentioned the need

for services for the community youth/teenagers specifically. Many of the

individuals indicated that they felt this was the most important thing that the

NECC could have an effect on because many of the children are at key stages

in their psychological and social development. After school programs were seen

as a way to keep youth off the street, and away from drugs and crime.

The second most common need of community members is more law

enforcement or police presence. This issue was most frequently observed

among the individuals in community, many of whom felt that drugs and other

gang related problems are a problem that may not be as much of a priority as

they should be. Other concerns that were mentioned during the interviews

were the need for neighborhood cleanup (about 1/3 of respondents) and the

growing need for affordable housing (about 1/4 of respondents). Many of those

Number of Respondents

Male 5

Female 14

NECC

Employees 3

Community

Members 8

Local Business

Employees 8

18-30 5

30-55 7

55+ 7

who listed this as an issue felt that the need will greatly increase over time as the

average age of the members in the community continues to rise.

Table 2: Respondents who Mentioned Each Concern/Need

Concern Percentage and number

of Respondents

Afterschool Care 52.6% (10)

Youth 47.4% (9)

Children 42.1% (8)

Police Protection/Crime 42.1% (8)

Neighborhood Clean-Up 31.6% (6)

Affordable Housing 26.3% (5)

Need for Industry/Jobs 21.1% (4)

Drugs 21.1% (4)

Gangs 15.8% (3)

Elderly 15.8% (3)

Preschool/Day Care 15.8% (3)

Working Adults 10.5% (2)

Access to Healthcare 10.5% (2)

Meals/Nutrition 10.5% (2)

The data was arranged from most mentions to least mentions, and included only

responses that were given by more than one person.

The programs expected to see an increase in demand were WIC, SNAP,

DSHS, HeadStart and CHAS. All other programs were either recognized once or

never. Eleven respondents thought WIC would be increasingly important in the

neighborhood. However, we felt there might be bias in these responses. The

programs that were identified as increasingly important were probably the only

ones that the respondents knew about because they were not often able to

identify the others or would ask what they did. Only a few responses suggested

new services, and they included vision and dental services, a Hillyard water

park, and an art-based afterschool program for youth.

Appendix A:

North East Community Center Priorities Survey

Hello, my name is ___________________, I am a student at Whitworth University

conducting a brief survey for the Northeast Community Center, I am not selling

anything.

This will take less than five minutes. Your answers will be kept completely

confidential and will not be connected to you individually. You may refuse to

answer any question, stop the survey at anytime, and request to not have the

answers used without penalty. The data from the survey will be summarized and

given to the North East Community Center to help them plan to meet emerging

needs in the community and your participation is extremely important. May I

proceed with the survey?

What needs do you see becoming more important in this neighborhood in the

next few years?

Follow up questions: What concerns do you have about the neighborhood?

What changes have you noticed in the neighborhood?

The Northeast Community Center Association (NECCA) is a neighborhood

based, non-profit organization founded in 1980 by Northeast Spokane residents.

It has developed partnerships with neighborhoods, local businesses and

industries. Through these partnerships they are able to expand available

resources for community services and facility support. The Northeast Community

Center believes that the best strategies for building healthier neighborhoods will

come from neighbors themselves. All direct services are provided in partnership

with public, private, community and neighborhood organizations. We currently

have ten unique agencies operating in our facility (show them the list).

Of the following agencies, which do you think is likely to see increased demand

in the future?

Of the following agencies, which do you think is likely to see decreased demand

in the future?

Are there any areas that you think will likely be important to serve community

members that are not currently provided by these agencies?

Work Readiness Connection (WRC), helps to prepare people for their

employment search by providing personal help with resume, cover letters,

interviewing, and computer knowledge.

SNAP (Spokane Neighborhood Action Program) provides financial assistance for

low income households, budget counseling, energy assistance, weatherization,

and minor home repair.

NE Food Pantry housed within NE Pantry section, the food pantry offers

emergency food bank services for clients in the Northeast area.

The Hillyard Senior Center gives senior citizens an outlet for recreation, nutritional

meals, health and social services.

Head Start is a program that offers classroom learning for preschool-age children

of low income families.

Spokane Regional Health District is one of 34 local public health agencies that

work to promote and protect the health of Washington citizens. Periodically

offers special services, such as ABC Dental for Children, blood lead level

screening and flu immunizations at the Northeast Community Center.

Community Health Association of Spokane (CHAS), provides professional primary

health care to families and individuals with or without health insurance

coverage, on a sliding fee basis.

Easter Seals Washington (Formerly SPOC of Spokane),provides information about

oppertunities for education and employment that can lead to financial

independence. Furnishes a place where low-income families can connect with

peers and supportive staff through support groups and workshops.

Northeast Child Development Center (NCDC),a program of Easter Seals of

Washington, offers full-day childcare with an emphasis on developing early

learning skills and kindergarten readiness.

Women, Infants, & Children (WIC), is a program that offers nutrition and health

information to families. WIC also provides supplementary food to infants and

women who are pregnant.

Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), is an outreach program for

families.

Finally, could you recommend others in the community that I could talk with

who know the community well and would be able to provide insights into the

direction the neighborhood is likely to go in the future?

Demographics: Gender, estimated age, source (business employee / working at

NECC / individual not at job at time of interview)

Gender Estimated

Age Source Growing Needs

Neighborhood

Concerns

Neighborhood

Changes

Agencies Growing

Need

Male 55+ Community

Member

loitering, police protection,

neighborhood and road

clean – up

car thefts low employment

and crime rate SNAP & WIC

Male 55+ NECC Staff

Dental center, vision center,

commerce, elderly services,

recreational services

Homeless center

Increased need

for low income

housing

Senior Center

Male 30-55 Community

Member youth crimes and drug use

the ‘face lift’ of

Hillyard. New

Water Park!

DSHS

Male 18-30 Community

Member Community strengthening

Racism, lack of

communal

relationships

N/A After school activities

Male 55+ Community

Member

Commerce, law

enforcement

Drug problems, After

school programs for

kids

Loss of business NCDC & DSHS

Female 55+ Community

Member

loitering, neighborhood and

road clean – up car thefts

low employment

and crime rate SNAP & WIC

Female 55+ Community

Member

loitering, neighborhood and

road clean – up car thefts

low employment

and crime rate SNAP & WIC

Female 30-55 Employee children needs, drug usage

among younger kids growing gangs

low employment

and more gangs

Teen program, CHAS &

WIC

Female 55+ Community

Member

Head start services,

recreational activities,

transportation for the elderly,

Need for more meals

Lack of after school

programs, loss of

funding for services at

the NECC,

N/A NCDC

Female 18-30 Employee

Dental center, pharmacy,

medical services for middle

aged men, shortage of low

income housing

Health care needs not

provided

Shortages of low

income housing

Pharmaceutical

services, dental services

Female 18-30 NECC Staff youth/teens, childcare, and

senior programs police and gangs

decline in

violence and

decline in youth

center

SNAP, CHAS, dental for

adults, teen programs,

DSHS, counseling & legal

resources

Female 18-30 NECC Staff youth/teens, childcare, and

senior programs police and gangs

decline in

violence and

decline in youth

center

SNAP, CHAS, dental for

adults, teen programs,

DSHS, counseling & legal

resources

Female 30-55 Employee N/A N/A N/A WIC

Gender Estimated

Age Source Growing Needs

Neighborhood

Concerns

Neighborhood

Changes

Agencies Growing

Need

Female 18-30 Employee poor families that cannot

provide for their kids

poverty and boredom

among youth

the generation

change Head Start

Female 55+ Employee

low cost housing, families are

struggling, clean up the

neighborhoods (alleys,

abandoned cars)

general concern for

the well being of the

kids

N/A SNAP, WIC, DSHS & more

volunteers/mentors

Female 30-55 Employee

low cost housing, families are

struggling, clean up the

neighborhoods (alleys,

abandoned cars)

general concern for

the well being of the

kids

N/A SNAP, WIC, DSHS & more

volunteers/mentors

Female 30-55 Employee

low cost housing, families are

struggling, clean up the

neighborhoods (alleys,

abandoned cars)

general concern for

the well being of the

kids

N/A SNAP, WIC, DSHS & more

volunteers/mentors

Female 30-55 Employee youth

the poverty and low

employment give

some people too

much time with

nothing to do

no more graffiti

on her wall she

has been there.

SNAP, WIC & youth art

program

Female 30-55 Community

Member youth crimes and drug use

the ‘face lift’ of

Hillyard. New

Water Park!

WIC