What is the first step in assessing the goals of a community?

Understanding the purpose of the community is a vital first step in assessing its goals because it establishes a foundation for what the community aims to achieve. By grasping the overarching purpose, practitioners can align efforts, resources, and interventions with the community's unique objectives. This foundational knowledge is critical since goals should be rooted in the community's values, needs, and aspirations.

Moreover, recognizing the purpose allows stakeholders to identify key priorities and areas of concern, which inform the assessment of demographics, available resources, and existing programs. Without this contextual understanding, subsequent steps could lack relevance or fail to address the community's fundamental needs, making it a crucial starting point in the goal assessment process.