November 15, 1999

 

Dear Community Agency:

 

The funding partners for the 1999 Comprehensive Community Assessment request your assistance in the next phase of the assessment process. Attached to this letter is the summary of the work to date. Each subcommittee has defined the issues for further study, and outlined the scope of additional research.

 

We are now planning a number of focus groups around the issues identified by the subcommittees (and highly ranked through the Critical Issues Survey).

 

We are seeking focus group participants who can give first-person accounts of the defined issues. Each focus group will have 6-8 participants, and the session will last 1½ hours. The groups will be moderated by a professional research-trained moderator. All participants will be paid a $25.00 stipend.

 

Confidentiality is an important issue for projects of this type. We have attached a Confidentiality Statement to this letter, detailing the measures taken to ensure the anonymity of their participation and the content of their focus group comments. Each participant will be asked to sign a consent agreement prior to the focus group. Any participants under the age of 18 will also require a parent/legal guardian signed consent form.

 

We ask that your agency review the selected subcommittee issues below and consider recruiting some of your clientele who would fall within the focus group participant categories.

 

Issue	Focus Group Participants
1.       Needs of elderly and disabled persons who want to remain independent	Ø      Family Caregivers of elderly/disabled persons Ø      Persons with disabilities (under age 60) Ø      Elderly with disabilities (60 years and older)
2.       Child abuse and neglect	Ø      Abuse victims – ages 18 + (males) Ø      Abuse victims – ages 18 + (females) Ø      Foster parents Ø      Adult perpetrators
3.       Teenage sex, pregnancy and parenthood	Ø      Teen parents – ages 14-17 (males) Ø      Teen parents – ages 14-17 (females)
4.       Economic self-sufficiency	Ø      Employed human service clients Ø      Unemployed human service clients
5.       Improving the quality of family life	Ø      2-Parent, low-income families Ø      1-Parent, low-income families

 

It is important to the planning process that we hear the stories of people affected by each of the defined issues. The involvement of your clientele would help in achieving a qualitative understanding of the issues.

 

Prior to any actual recruitment, we ask that you contact Dan Hayden (422-4100) at United Way to discuss the recruitment process in more detail.

 

Sincerely

 

 

Thomas O. Magan, Chairman

1999 Comprehensive Community Assessment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Agency Client:

 

A recent survey of Vanderburgh County residents found that the issue of “Child abuse and neglect” was one of high concern to many people.

 

In response to that survey finding, several local organizations have committed to find better ways to address this critical issue.

 

The beginning point is to fully understand the problem. Thus, we are convening a number of focus groups involving people directly experiencing the defined problem, and we invite you to be part of that focus group.

 

The group would last for 1½ hours, and each participant is paid a $25.00 stipend for his/her participation (there will be separate groups for males and females).

 

Your participation in this focus group will be confidential (see attached confidentiality assurances).

 

We encourage your involvement in these groups. People and organization who plan efforts and services to address this problem need to hear the personal stories and circumstances of the people directly involved. We need to hear your story.

 

Please let your agency staff know of your interest (not later than XXXX), or contact United Way of Southwestern Indiana (Dan Hayden, 422-4100), and we will make specific arrangements for your participation.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Thomas O. Magan, Chairman

1999 Comprehensive Community Assessment

 

 

 

 

 

FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANTS WANTED

 

 

$25.00 Participation Stipend

 

 

Local group is studying the issue of “FINANCIAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY” and is seeking a limited number of unemployed residents of Vanderburgh County to participate in a 1½ hour focus group discussion.

 

Individuals must be willing to discuss their personal circumstances regarding their employment and unemployment history.

 

All personal information gathered through these focus groups will be kept confidential.

 

All participants are paid a $25.00 cash stipend for their participation.

 

If interested, please contact Gore & Knauff  Research (485-2160) as soon as possible. Some focus groups may begin as early as December 9, 1999.