Appendix B: List of IntervieweesA Community Form was held at Durham Regional Hospital on Saturday, March 4, 2000. The forum was a chance for the CD team to present their findings from primary and secondary data collection. Due to the numerous issues affecting Durham County, the team felt that their data was particularly valuable and would provide information that might assist and strengthen collaborative efforts within the community and also guide future programming.
Aside from the value of the data itself, the Community Forum was a way to bring community members together with local service providers to discuss issues of concern. The CD team chose an atmosphere where community members and service providers would feel comfortable to discuss issues of importance as well as to network. The forum was an opportunity for community members' voices to be heard and to communicate their concerns and hopes with service providers. For service providers, this was an opportunity to interact directly with community members. The forum also allowed participants to share information about available services and resources. In addition to providing a place to discuss challenges faced by the community, the forum was a celebration of the strengths of Durham County. A planning committee of community members and service providers was formed in order to assist the team with the planning and coordination of the forum content and format. Forum planning committee members included: the CD team, a representative from the health department, four service providers, and two community members. The planning committee members were instrumental in selecting a forum site and coordinating the publicity for the forum.
The forum began at 2:00 with light refreshments. Three community members and five service providers attended. The CD team presented a 30-minute overview of the community diagnosis process and major findings from secondary and primary data collection. The following issues were highlighted in the presentation: Durham's economy and poverty issues, health care and services, diversity, the growing Hispanic population, and urban verses rural issues. These issues were discussed in the context of the impact they pose to the health and well being of Durham County residents.
Due to the low turn out, the team changed the format of the forum from a small group activity that discussed the issues highlighted above to a larger group discussion about how to get more citizens involved in the community. The major themes that were identified in the discussion were that most residents don't identify with the overall county as their community. They view their community as their neighborhood, churches, or a smaller geographic area. Also, it was learned that community members relate to specific issues that are important to them, not necessarily to all issues in the context of the greater community. Community members that were present also felt that programs need to be brought to places where there is already a captive audience.
Even though the turn out for the forum was low, those who came had good viewpoints to share. The CD team was pleased with the issues raised by participants. After the completion of the forum community members stayed and networked among each other and with service providers.
2:00 - 2:10 Registration & Refreshments
2:10 - 2:40 Presentations
2:40 - 2:50 Break into small groups
2:50 - 3:20 Small group discussions
3:20 - 3:45 Small group presentations & Wrap up
"The great thing about Durham . . . It's people."
"I think Durham is a community that has tremendous potential, it's built on a fantastic history."
"The history of Durham has shown that there has been a high level of activism among all sectors of the community."
"It's an exciting place to live. It's open, honest community."
February 11, 2000
Dear Durham County Community Member:
The Durham County Community Diagnosis team from the UNC Chapel Hill School of Public Health would like to thank you for your time and assistance over the past few months with the Community Diagnosis project. We appreciate all the help you have given us in the past and ask that you do us one more favor as we near the end of this project. Attached are a number of flyers announcing our forum on Saturday, March 4th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at Durham Regional Hospital's 1st level classroom. This forum will include a presentation of our findings and a facilitated discussion about possible issues and solutions. We would appreciate it if you could distribute the attached flyers amongst your community by passing them out, posting them, or just leaving a few in a well traveled place where they will be seen. Once again, we thank you for your continued support and your dedication to Durham County. We would not have been able to make this project the success that it has been without your assistance.
Sincerely,
Holly Franklin
Melissa Green
Cindy Jaconski
Alex Pence
Jennifer Rice
Jeff Rurka
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Appendix B: List of Interviewees |
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