Introduction to the Manual

While you will need to follow the process we outline, we encourage you to use the activities and other materials we provide while also being creative and using materials you find outside of this manual on your own. This toolkit is intended for you, the facilitator, to have the steps and guide them through the process; but the youth are the ones that will bring the CNA to life. Good luck!

Chapter 1 Checklist

After you have read the contents of this chapter, you should do the following with your youth:

Describe a CNA and its objectives

Decide if a CNA is right for the group

Talk about documenting the process

Set group goals

Lead an activity for youth to get to know each other (optional)

While assisting a youth team in a CNA (Community Needs Assessment), you have two primary goals:

1. 2.

Your Role:

To help them initiate change that will improve their youth community. To facilitate the process where the youth participants can exercise leadership skills and eventually become experts.

Provide guidance Provide youth with the information to follow the CNA process Help the youth work through challenges

You should focus on understanding the process, and providing support as they design their CNA, rather than telling them what to do.

In this toolkit, our instructions will assist you as an adult facilitator so that you can guide the youth team. Your responsibility is to take charge and lead them through each step of the CNA. This means you will give instructions, explain the processes, answer questions, set up activities, and help with any problems the youth run into. There will be opportunities to provide visuals and materials for the youth, but ultimately, you will support them and provide resources as they lead their assessment.