Overview
At a global level, there are rising demands for health and social care, limited resources and increasing inequalities in health. Community health assets and needs assessments have a vital part to play, enabling practitioners, managers and policymakers to identify those in greatest need; the physical, economic, social and cultural assets available within the community; and to ensure that health care resources are used to maximise health improvement. For health promotion practitioners, the ability to conduct a community health assessment is a core skill. You will be introduced to the different types of community assets and needs assessments that can be undertaken with local communities. You will examine the history and role of community assets and needs assessments and review a range of methods that can be used to implement and evaluate assets and needs assessments in local communities. You will have the opportunity to complete a community profile and also undertake a community assets and needs assessment.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
48-credit unit pre-requisite
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE
Some students found the Moodle tiles and modular design difficult when planning their study.
Improve Moodle design, making greater use of headings and provide students with the opportunity to mark activities as "done". Scaffold the "modular" design of the unit in early tutorials so that students are clear about learning to work at their own pace. Reduce the number of Discussion forums.
Feedback from Student feedback and personal reflection
Marking criteria are not clear enough to guide students.
Revise marking criteria.
Feedback from SUTE
Some students found the volume of content to be excessive, particularly with respect to the number of assessment tasks.
In 2024, the volume of content was reduced despite not being flagged as an issue in previous years. A redesign of Assessment task 2 tasks may address the issue of "volume".
Feedback from Teaching team evaluation and student feedback.
Assessment task 2 presented problems around teamwork.
Redesign Assessment task 2 to be less complex.
Feedback from UC feedback
Students from non-public health disciplines have difficulty using the community based lens for this unit.
Scaffold the "community lens" in the first module so students are clear about how this applies in assets and needs assessments.
Feedback from UC feedback
Some students found teamwork challenging
Provide an improved introduction to working in teams early in the term and make the expectations for team engagement explicit.
Feedback from UC feedback
Some students had the expectation that they would be given immediate on-on-one coaching.
Make expectations for communication with the lecturer explicit from the start of term, including CQU's expected turnaround times and the need for all course-related communication to be via the Discussion Forums.
- Argue the importance of community assets and needs assessment as the foundation of effective health promotion.
- Examine how determinants of health are incorporated into community assets and needs assessments.
- Determine how various health promotion theories and frameworks influence different sources of information in community assets and needs assessments.
- Apply culturally appropriate methods and models to assess the assets and needs of a community and facilitate knowledge transfer and advocacy
- Implement different collaborative methods for the analysis and prioritisation of information obtained through community assets and needs assessments.
- Explain how ethical considerations are applied in a community assets and needs assessment context
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Presentation - 25% | ||||||
| 2 - Group Work - 40% | ||||||
| 3 - Report - 35% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- PowerPoint
- Zoom capacity (web cam and microphone)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing styles below:
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.kaphle@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Defining and Understanding Community
Community assets and needs assessments: what are they and why do we do them?
Chapter
Prescribed learning activities - combination of narrated PowerPoints, journal articles, chapter readings and online activities
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online asynchronous tutorial/Discussion Board
Introductory Zoom Tutorial (week 1)
Module/Topic
Introduction to Community Profiles
Collecting, evaluating and using existing or secondary data
Identifying, characterising and defining the community's assets and needs (Asset mapping and strengths based approaches)
Chapter
Prescribed learning activities - combination of narrated PowerPoints, journal articles, chapter readings and online activities
Events and Submissions/Topic
Zoom Tutorial on Assessment 1 and Assessment 2 (Part A) (week 3)
Online asynchronous tutorial/Discussion Board
Module/Topic
Steps to Undertake a Community Assets and Needs Assessment
Working Collaboratively with Communities and Teams
- Teamwork
- Prioritised communities
Ethical considerations for data collection
CQU Micro-credential: PDC87074: Human Research Ethics Training
Chapter
Prescribed learning activities - combination of narrated PowerPoints, journal articles, chapter readings and online activities
CQU Micro-credential: PDC87074: Human Research Ethics Training (Assessment 2 Part C)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online asynchronous tutorial/Discussion Board
Zoom Tutorial: Focus on Assessments 2 & 3 (week 6)
Teams formed for Assessment 2: Community Health Assessment (end of week 5)
Online collaborative teamwork for Assessment 2
Assessment 1 Presentations in weeks 5 & 6; due Thursday 24th April, Week 6, 5 PM.
Assessment 2 Part A: Ethics Module, Due Monday 28 April 2025, 5 PM (Week 7)
Community Profile Due: Week 6 Thursday (24 Apr 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Quantitative Data Collection
- Developing Surveys and Questionnaires (including using Qualtrics)
Quantitative Data Analysis
Qualitative Data Collection
- Interview Skills
- Observation
Qualitative Data Analysis
Tools for Conducting Community Needs Assessment (Optional)
Chapter
Prescribed learning activities - combination of narrated PowerPoints, journal articles, chapter readings and online activities
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online asynchronous tutorial/Discussion Board
Online collaborative teamwork for Assessment 2
Assessment 2 Part A: Ethics Module, Due Monday 28 April 2025, 5 PM (Week 7)
Assessment 2 Part B: Team Workplan and Charter, due Friday 9 May 2025, 5 PM (Week 8)
Module/Topic
Prioritising health and social issues
Prioritising: SWOT technique
Assessment to Action: Designing programs from Community Needs and Assets Assessments
Evaluation of Needs Assessments (Optional section)
Chapter
Prescribed learning activities - combination of narrated PowerPoints, journal articles, chapter readings and online activities
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online asynchronous tutorial/Discussion Board
Online collaborative teamwork for Assessment 2
Module/Topic
Report writing
Reporting to the community
Receiving and implementing community feedback
Chapter
Prescribed learning activities - combination of narrated PowerPoints, journal articles, chapter readings and online activities
Events and Submissions/Topic
Online asynchronous tutorial/Discussion Board
Online collaborative teamwork for Assessment 2
Assessment 2 Part C: Evaluation of Teamwork and Needs Assessment Process Due: Friday 6 June 2025, 5 PM (Week 12)
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Presentation
Present a detailed community profile of your chosen community in the form of an oral presentation. A suggested format is outlined below and an example presented in the tutorial. This presentation will include:
- The definition and elements of community, as outlined by Issel & Wells (2018)
- Information about people, place, and interaction relevant to your chosen community
- Commentary about the assets available in the community
- Commentary about the strengths and limitations of the information/data presented
- Commentary related to what additional data could contribute to a comprehensive community needs assessment of your chosen community.
- Briefly outline how you would involve community members, key stakeholders, and/or local organisations in developing a community needs assessment.
You should gather the information related to your chosen community from multiple primary sources, such as census data, local media, published reports, etc
Format
Undertake a presentation using the format below. The format can be adapted as needed as long as it contains the essential components:
- Title page: title, your name, unit name, date
- Introduction to your presentation, yourself and what you will present. Aims and scope of your presentation
- Background: Define community drawing on Issel and Wells (2018).
- Community Description.
- Discussion including strengths and limitations of data/information; plan for involving community members, stakeholders and organisations in a community needs assessment
- Conclusion and Recommendations provide a closing statement/summary/take home message
- References
Students must present live to the Unit Coordinator by the due date in either weeks 5 or 6. Presentation times will be arranged by the end of week 3. There will be an additional 5 minutes for questions from the unit coordinator.
In addition, a PDF version of their Presentation and a Word version of speaking notes should be uploaded to Moodle by 5:00pm Thursday 24 April.
Use of Generative AI
Permission to use Generative AI for the Following Purposes in HLTH12032: Assessment 1:
- Understanding/exploring course concepts, topics, and terms
- Unpacking/understanding the assessment task
- Understanding the marking rubric
- Deriving relevant research search terms
- Deriving relevant databases
- Guidance on how to paraphrase
- Checking of grammar, punctuation, and syntax
- Checking formatting of in-text citations and reference list
For further details see the GenAI Permissions Document on the Moodle under Assessment 1.
Week 6 Thursday (24 Apr 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Students must present live to the Unit Coordinator by the due date. In addition, a PDF version of their Presentation and a Word version of speaking notes should be uploaded to Moodle by 4pm Thursday 24 April.
Week 8 Thursday (8 May 2025)
This presentation will be marked using criterion-referenced assessment. See assessment rubric for more details. Criterion includes the following:
- Demonstrated knowledge and considerable understanding of people, place, interaction and infrastructure within a community (25%)
- Ability to locate, analyse and evaluate basic data (25%)
- Ability to identify and discuss limitations of information/data presented within the community profile and propose appropriate recommendations (15%)
- Ability to identity how to involve appropriate community members, key stakeholders, and/or local organisations in a community needs assessment (10%)
- Ability to respond to questions succinctly and clearly (10%)
- Ability to organise and deliver a logical presentation with a clear introduction and conclusion (10%)
- Ability to use clear visual aids and reference using Harvard or APA (see referencing guides) (5%)
- Argue the importance of community assets and needs assessment as the foundation of effective health promotion.
- Examine how determinants of health are incorporated into community assets and needs assessments.
2 Group Work
- Teams of students will undertake data collection and analysis for a comprehensive community health assessment of a chosen community.
- This community should be the same community profiled by one of the team members in Assessment One.
- As a team you will use a prioritisation technique to identify a health issue from the needs assessment data.
- Each team will consist of 4 or 5 members.
- Teams will be assigned by week 5.
The ability to work in project teams is an important attribute for any health professional particularly those involved in the development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs. Team work promotes the development of many of CQUniversity’s Graduate Attributes including teamwork, critical evaluation, feedback and communication skills as well as academic honesty. Furthermore, community needs assessments are usually conducted in multidisciplinary teams and in partnerships with communities.
Part A: Ethics Module
Weighting: 5%
Due Date: Week 7 Monday 28 April 2025, 5 pm.
Individual students are required to undertake the CQU Micro-credential HUMAN RESEARCH ETHICS TRAINING - PDC87074 on ethics before data collection commences. Instructions are available on the Moodle site. Students can commence the module at any time during the term however will need to have completed the module and upload the PDF completion certificate by the due date. Data collection cannot commence until all team members have completed the module.
Use of Generative AI
Permission to use Generative AI for the Following Purposes in HLTH12032: Assessment 2A:
- Understanding/exploring course concepts, topics, and terms
- Unpacking/understanding the assessment task
For further details see the GenAI Permissions Document on the Moodle under Assessment 2 A.
Part B: Team Workplan and Charter
Weighting: 20%
Due Date: Week 8 Friday 9 May 2025, 5pm.
The purpose of Assessment 2 Part B is to allocate tasks and team member roles. The Workplan and Team Charter will be a useful tool for teamwork and project management throughout data collection and analysis. Teams will develop a team workplan, which outlines a) the tasks related to the process of the community assets and needs assessment b) the schedule of tasks related to the final report and c) the roles and responsibilities in relation to these. A team charter will be developed that outlines team goals, strengths and challenges and ground rules. A template and guide will be provided on the Moodle site. Students are encouraged to meet with the unit coordinator prior to finalising the team workplan and charter.
Part C: Evaluation of Teamwork and Needs Assessment Process
Weighting: 15%
Due Date: Week 12 Friday 6 June 2025, 5 PM
The purpose of Assessment 2 Part C is to evaluate the teamwork and project management process. Teams undertake evaluation of the process, which assesses a) the tasks related to the process of the community assets and needs assessment b) the schedule of tasks related to the final report and c) the roles and responsibilities in relation to these. A template and guide will be provided on the Moodle site.
Use of Generative AI
Permission to use Generative AI for the Following Purposes in HLTH12032: Assessment 2B & 2C
- Understanding/exploring course concepts, topics, and terms
- Unpacking/understanding the assessment task
- Understanding the marking rubric
- Deriving relevant research search terms
- Deriving relevant databases
- Guidance on how to paraphrase
- Checking of grammar, punctuation, and syntax
- Guidance on enhancing vocabulary
- Guidance on condensing or extending word count
- Checking formatting of in-text citations and reference list
For further details see the GenAI Permissions Document on the Moodle under Assessment 2B & 2C.
Part A: Week 7 Monday 28 April 2025, 5pm. Part B: Week 8 Friday 9 May 2025, 5pm. Part C: Week 12: Friday 6 June 2025, 5pm.
2 Week after submission
Part A: Ethics Module (5%)
5 marks will be awarded for completion of the module.
Part B: Team Workplan and Charter (20%)
This assessment will be marked using criterion-referenced assessment. See assessment rubric for more details. Criterion includes the following:
Relevance (40%)
Validity (40%)
Organisation (10%)
Presentation (10%)
Part C: Evaluation of Teamwork and Needs Assessment Process (15%)
Relevance (40%)
Validity (40%)
Organisation (10%)
Presentation (10%)
- Argue the importance of community assets and needs assessment as the foundation of effective health promotion.
- Examine how determinants of health are incorporated into community assets and needs assessments.
- Determine how various health promotion theories and frameworks influence different sources of information in community assets and needs assessments.
- Apply culturally appropriate methods and models to assess the assets and needs of a community and facilitate knowledge transfer and advocacy
- Implement different collaborative methods for the analysis and prioritisation of information obtained through community assets and needs assessments.
- Explain how ethical considerations are applied in a community assets and needs assessment context
3 Report
Using the data collection, data analysis and health issue prioritisation process from Assessment 2, present an individual community assets and needs assessment report (Assessment 3).
The report will include:
- An executive summary
- An introduction
- An outline of data collection and analysis methods, including ethical and community engagement considerations
- A critical discussion of the findings of the assets and needs assessment including community description and demographics, health and community services, etc.
- A description of the group process of identifying a health priority and an outline of relevant recommendations
- An outline of an effective and culturally sensitive health promotion intervention that addresses this health issue in the community
- A discussion of strengths and limitations of the report (e.g. the data collection and analysis)
- A conclusion
- Evidence based recommendations for practice, policy and further research
An example report will be discussed in the week 6 tutorial.
Use of Generative AI
Permission to use Generative AI for the Following Purposes in HLTH12032: Assessment 3:
- Understanding/exploring course concepts, topics, and terms
- Unpacking/understanding the assessment task
- Understanding the marking rubric
- Deriving relevant research search terms
- Deriving relevant databases
- Guidance on how to paraphrase
- Checking of grammar, punctuation, and syntax
- Guidance on enhancing vocabulary
- Guidance on condensing or extending word count
- Checking formatting of in-text citations and reference list
For further details see the GenAI Permissions Document on the Moodle under Assessment 3.
Review/Exam Week Friday (13 June 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Three weeks after submission.
This assessment will be marked using criterion-referenced assessment. See assessment rubric for more details. Criterion includes the following:
Executive summary (5%)
Report Writing Format (10%)
Knowledge of a strengths based approach and knowledge and understanding of ethical and community engagement requirements of a needs assessment (15%)
Knowledge and understanding of types of data that can be utilised for a community health assessment, including primary and secondary date and quantitative and qualitative data (15%)
Data analysis and presentation skills (15%)
Identification of strengths and limitations of the needs assessment (10%)
Use of data to prioritise a health need and design an appropriate health promotion intervention using an appropriate prioritisation tool/technique (15%)
Clear recommendations which are consistent with the health assessment (10%)
Referencing skills (5%)
No submission method provided.
- Argue the importance of community assets and needs assessment as the foundation of effective health promotion.
- Examine how determinants of health are incorporated into community assets and needs assessments.
- Determine how various health promotion theories and frameworks influence different sources of information in community assets and needs assessments.
- Apply culturally appropriate methods and models to assess the assets and needs of a community and facilitate knowledge transfer and advocacy
- Explain how ethical considerations are applied in a community assets and needs assessment context
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
