Community Information
Focus Group Highlights Background Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County is one of 24 foundations in the United States to be selected as a Knight Community Information Challenge grantee. This allows the Community Foundation to fund local information/news projects, including the focus groups described below. Projects are focused on building a stronger community through: access to relevant and credible local information, and opportunity and capacity of individuals to engage and be involved. Grant support comes from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Focus Group Objective Information is as vital to a healthy community as clean air, safe streets, good schools and public health. Overall objective of the focus groups was to gain a better understanding of: where and how local individuals get their community information, and what gaps exist in greater south Wood County in terms of access to relevant and credible information.
Participant Profile In total, nine focus groups were conducted with eighty residents, February 7 – March 21, 2011. Two were “targeted” focus groups comprised of low-income families from Wisconsin Rapids East/Biron/Grand Rapids with young children, conducted at Head Start in Biron. Seven were “community-based” focus groups comprised of a random sample of participants; each group represented one of the following areas: Nekoosa/Rome Pittsville Port Edwards Rudolph
Vesper Wisconsin Rapids East/Biron/Grand Rapids Wisconsin Rapids West
Receiving Information During the nine focus groups, the four most common sources of information discussed are listed below in order of most prominent to less prominent.
Word-of-Mouth … One thing hasn’t changed! Old fashioned word-of-mouth was the source that participants rely on most often for gathering local and neighborhood news, community events and local politics. Dairy State Cheese in Rudolph and Piggly Wiggly in Nekoosa/Rome were given as “hot spots” for word-of-mouth information sharing.
Internet … Next, participants use the Internet for its vast collection of information and instant accessibility; they gather various types of information online, with health and medical information cited most often.
TV … Participants consider television a mediocre overall source of information, but said that it stood out in terms of local news, local politics, and health and medical information. 1
Knight Community Information Challenge – Focus Groups Highlights
Newspaper & Magazines … Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune was seen as a useful source of news and information for Wisconsin Rapids residents, but rural residents felt underrepresented. The Voice and Pittsville Record were seen as a good source of local news and information. Most recognized the newspaper industry is in decline and many said they have, or are thinking about, ending subscriptions.
Signage … Signage was not directly questioned, but comments made by some rural participants indicated the Rudolph Fire Department and St. John’s Church, Pittsville, outdoor signs were highly regarded. The key to their success is frequent updates and timely information.
Sharing Information Focus group participants were asked, “If you learned something really important about your community, how would you share that information with others?”
E-mail was given as the chief means of sharing information because it was fast, easy and a way to reach a lot of people with a single communication. Facebook was a popular choice with younger participants because of its ability to reach a whole listing of friends in one click. Word-of-mouth and phone also were used often because of participants’ comfort with both. A letter to the editor, radio, and texting were mentioned less frequently.
The Internet Participants reported the following likes and dislikes of the Internet:
Likes
Dislikes
Research Tool Communication Tool Money/Time Saving Tool Entertainment
Privacy/Security Online Job Applications Vastness of Information
Loss of Face-to-face Interaction Reliability of Information Uncensored Material
Other Findings Libraries are Fundamental Libraries are a main source of access and education to many individuals in the community. The demands on library services are higher than ever. Computer stations are filled to capacity and often controlled by time slots. Librarians are being asked to help individuals with anything from job applications to basic computer skills.
Digital Knowledge/Access is Vital for Youth Access to a computer and the Internet is essential for students to complete homework assignments. Opportunities for 2
Knight Community Information Challenge – Focus Groups Highlights
learning, constructive entertainment and even social growth for children in terms of digital media were recognized across groups with the primary focus being on educational needs. Concerns included youth losing the art of verbal conversation, spelling, the proper English language, and other life essential skills. Participants also expressed concerns with youth being exposed to uncensored material on the Internet.
Rethinking the Digital Divide The term “digital divide” is often considered only the gap between those with computer access and those without; however, it is much more serious and encompassing. The degree in which people have access to new information technology was found to be one of the most influencing factors; here are others: Cost Privacy and Security Fears Lack of Need or Interest Time Investment Required Lack of Necessary Skills Poor/Unreliable Connectivity
Bridging the Gap When participants were asked directly about what could be done to bridge the information gap in their communities, their responses fell into two basic categories: access and education.
Access There was consensus among the groups that libraries could use additional computer stations and laptops/netbooks to be used more freely throughout the building. Initiatives such as the “Open Schoolhouse Program” and “Family Nights” were also mentioned; these open school computer labs to the public on certain days of the week. Participants in Port Edwards and Rudolph, where there is no public access, wished there was a location for residents. Other groups thought a computer lab at Biron Head Start in Biron or Nekoosa Community Center a good way to increase access for all. Many participants mentioned the Job Center as a resource to assist with online job applications. Awareness of Nixle Community Information Service was low across focus groups. Nixle serves as an information bridge by keeping residents informed and connected to 24/7 emergency alerts, important advisories and community updates via text messages and e-mails. Local organizations feeding the system include Wood County Dispatch, police, emergency service agencies, schools, community outreach organizations and others. It’s free and users can tailor the information to their interests and geographic area. This service is seen as a bridge builder because it eliminates some contributing factors to the digital divide.
Education Overwhelmingly, participants thought residents, especially older individuals, would greatly benefit from “Basic” and “Next Step” computer and Internet literacy classes. They also felt that classes in Microsoft Word and Excel would be beneficial to those unemployed. Educational workshops could lead to greater PC and Internet adoption. Creating print material such as PC cheat sheets or brochures on how to fix common computer problems was also suggested.
Conclusion Participant engagement in the focus groups was remarkable. In addition to providing helpful input to the discussions, many individuals asked for ways to become involved after the focus group ended. A common thread that ran through the groups of individuals chosen through random sampling was that it was the first time they had been asked for their personal opinions, and the first time that they felt like they were being listened to and valued. They felt they represented the voices of many. Residents are willing to become involved in their community, but they don’t always have the knowledge or access to become active. One strong conclusion is the need for organizations and leaders to reach out and give residents opportunities to have a voice in decision-making. Focus group findings confirm that there is a need in greater south Wood County for better access to computers and the skills to fully use information technology. The digital divide is due to more than just cost. Many individuals are afraid or do not have an interest in the Internet. These individuals need a specific reason to connect to computers and the Internet. 3
Knight Community Information Challenge – Focus Groups Highlights
For more information: Liz Everson Project Director Knowledge Management & Community Information Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County 478 East Grand Avenue Wisconsin Rapids WI 54494 715.423.3863 leverson@cfswc.org
About Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County: Through the Community Foundation’s focus on community improvement and strategic philanthropy, it meets local needs by connecting resources and people – working together, learning together and sparking new solutions for improving the area.
Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County www.cfswc.org
Knight Community Information Challenge www.infoneeds.org
© May 2011 Focus Group Highlights Report
4