"Mini city": a neighborhood in transition: an action-oriented community diagnosis: findings and next steps of action
Creators: name: MacGuire, Kathleen
name: Kadis, Jessica
name: Agyemang, Amma
name: Wu, Kevin
name: Katz, Chloe
Publisher: name: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Libraries
Year: 2008

description: This document is a description of an Action‐Oriented Community Diagnosis (AOCD) of the Mini City area of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina. The community assessment was conducted by a team of five graduate students in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health. The AOCD process took place from September 2007 to April 2008 with the guidance of two preceptors from Wake County Human Services (WCHS). The purpose of this AOCD is to understand community members’ social, economic, cultural, and health experiences from the viewpoint of both community members and service providers in order to assess the strengths and challenges facing the Mini City area. Over the course of the team’s eight months in the Mini City area, team members researched existing information about the Mini City area, interviewed a total of 36 community members and service providers, and attended more than 20 community meetings and events. This process is action‐oriented in that the team actively engages community members and service providers to seek their insight and opinions, as well as to gain entrée into the community. The student team analyzed the information collected and identified three primary strengths of and five challenges facing the Mini City community. A community forum planning committee, composed of service providers and community members, then identified specific issues within the five challenge areas as being most changeable and important to address. These strengths and challenges, along with an explanation of the AOCD process, were presented at a community forum entitled Spring Into Action! on Saturday, April 19, 2008, at the Green Road Community Center in Northeast Raleigh. Approximately 45 community members and service providers attended the forum and participated in small group discussions about the five challenges. Through discussions facilitated by team members, participants identified the causes of and barriers to overcoming the identified challenges, talked about resources available in the community that could be used to improve upon these challenges, and developed specific action steps to help the Mini City community address these challenges. The mission of the forum was to transfer ownership of the information and community change process from the student team to people living and/or working in or near the Mini City area so that desired changes can be made. STRENGTHS & CHALLENGES The following are the three primary strengths of the Mini City community as identified by interviewees: Location: The Mini City area is centrally located in Northeast Raleigh. It is near many residential communities and shopping centers and easily accessed by Capital Boulevard, I‐440, and I‐540. Agencies and Organizations: There are many different businesses and agencies serving the Mini City area. Interviewees commonly noted that there are many nearby organizations that provide religious facilities, child care, recreation, and other services to the Mini City community. People: The friendliness and diversity of the Mini City area residents were identified as major assets to the community. There are persons from many different ethnic and socioeconomic groups living in the Mini City area. The following are the five main challenges facing the Mini City community and the specific action steps that were generated by community forum attendees: HOUSING A high percentage of renters and people who frequently move in and out of the Mini City area directly and indirectly contribute to poor upkeep of property, a lack of connection among residents, and a low level of investment in neighborhoods. Action steps were: Add brief descriptions to an existing list of housing resources so that people know the best number to call for different situations. Restart a Yard‐of‐the‐Month club. Improve communication between the Citizens Advisory Councils (CACs) around Raleigh by having specific group members attend different CAC meetings and then report back to each other. TRANSPORTATION Public transportation options are perceived as inadequate, leading to difficulties commuting to work, accessing services, and traveling around Raleigh. Action steps were: Conduct a survey to find out where additional routes are needed and how the bus system is currently being used.  Make the gotriangle.com website available in Spanish.  Develop a travel training program to reduce the anxiety of first‐time bus riders. Improve bus signage at the bus stops. CRIME Though not disproportionate for an urban area, crime, including gang activity, drug use, and robbery, is a principal concern among residents of the Mini City area. Build relationships with neighborhood youth. Contact the city about gang‐related resources. Put information about the follow‐up meeting in the Northeast CAC newsletter. Commit to bring at least one young person to the follow‐up meeting. Explore the first steps in developing a community website on gangs. CROSS‐CULTURAL RELATIONS The Mini City area is both economically and racially diverse; however, there are few instances of cross‐cultural mingling and even some reports of anti‐immigrant sentiment. Encourage schools and churches to host “Cultural Days" in which diversity is celebrated and embraced. Speak at the 23rd International Festival of Raleigh in September 2008 about the importance of diversity in the city. Speak with specific influential officials on the Wake County Public School System Board of Education ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES Access to health services in the Mini City area is seen as difficult; people feel that the biggest problems are limited local free and urgent care, limited transportation to and from services, a lack of awareness about services, and problems paying for services. Form a coalition made up of discussion group attendees who will act as representatives of local churches, schools, and health care organizations to find out if mobile clinics already exist in the area. RECOMMENDATIONS The following are the student team recommendations for the Mini City community as this AOCD process transfers from the student team to the community: Contact the City of Raleigh and other local service providers about better publicizing of existing gang‐related resources to increase general knowledge about gangs in the Mini City area and throughout Northeast Raleigh. Restart the Yard‐of‐the‐Month program in both Mini City homes and apartment complexes to promote better upkeep of property. Contact and collaborate with the City of Raleigh Community Specialists to make Mini City area residents aware of the free services provided to them by the City of Raleigh. Continue a working relationship with public transportation officials to improve the Capital Area Transit (CAT) system and its service of Mini City area residents. Raise awareness among Mini City residents about existing health services in the Mini City area by distributing information about existing services at health fairs, in local stores, and at community events. CONCLUSION Ultimately, this report is meant to serve as a resource for Mini City area community members and service providers by describing the AOCD process and results. After the completion of the forum, the student team prepared this document and created recommendations for the Mini City community based on interviews, discussions at the community forum, and the team’s observations and experiences throughout the AOCD process. The document is divided into the following six sections: Introduction to AOCD, Community Overview, Methodology, Themes & Findings, Community Forum, and Limitations & Recommendations. The student team truly hopes this report will be valuable in positively shaping the services provided to, and the future quality of life among, Mini City area residents.