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Community Scale Document

Page 12: Relationship of Family, Community, and Agency Scales

Agencies participate in activities which produce outcomes at the family, agency and community levels. Some activities produce outcomes at all three levels concurrently; other activities produce results targeted at a specific outcome level. The key to differentiating the outcome levels is answering the following question: What, specifically, is going to change?

Family level scales measure changes one family at a time. The dimensions for change may include status of employment, education for adults and children, family functioning, income and health.

Agency level scales measure changes in a single agency or a program within an agency. The dimensions for change may include client satisfaction, cultural sensitivity and competency, funds development and fiscal or administrative health.

Community level scales measure change in community systems or conditions. The dimensions for change include public policy, equity, civic capital, service of support systems and economic opportunity.

There is a linkage between the Family and Community level scales; ultimately, we wish to show how community level changes translate down to impact on individuals and households. However, the community scale is more subjective than reliance on statistical data alone would allow. The community scale is more than merely the aggregation of outcome data for individual families.

Think about the economic principle that demonstrates that an action taken by an individual may benefit that individual, but collectively, if everyone took that same action, there would be no benefit individually and maybe even a detriment. For example: A football stadium is completely sold out and all the seats are full. If one person stands up, he or she may indeed have a better view of the game. If, however, everyone stands up, some people may have a better view, some people would have the same view, but most people would have a worse view. A different example: A union goes out on strike. One individual may refuse to strike, continue to work throughout the strike, and earn wages as well as eventually receive the benefits negotiated by the strikers. However, if everyone in the union broke the picket lines, the strike would be ineffective, no benefits would accrue, and the future negotiating power of a threatened strike would be lost.

The Agency Scale measures organizational functioning capacity, and effectiveness of services delivered and activities undertaken. The Agency Scale may use data collected with a Family Scale to determine the effectiveness of the case management services, but the Family Scale itself does not have a category to measure the role of the agency's caseworker or intervention specialist. The quality or capacity of the agency's caseworker in working with the family is an Agency Level issue. Counseling, referral, advocacy, eligibility determination, certification and education are Agency Level activities targeted at families.

Similarly, the Agency Scale may use data collected with a Community Scale to determine the effectiveness of its advocacy activities, but again, the Community Scale itself does not have a category to measure the role of the community organizers. The quality or capacity of the agency's staff working with the community is an Agency Level issue. Leveraging, brokering, advocacy, mobilization and collaboration are Agency level activities targeted at communities.