Data Usage in Bailey’s Crossroads

Located in Fairfax County, Bailey’s Crossroads is home to a racially and ethnically diverse community where many residents face barriers from unemployment and food insecurity to mental health and lack of legal status. As a result, a multitude of community-based organizations can be found in the Bailey’s Crossroads area working every day to address these issues. As part of a larger place-based initiative, our team met with various community-based organizations to discuss the barriers they face when utilizing the power of data to advance their mission and work in this region. This project examines barriers and opportunities community-based organizations in Culmore face when utilizing data and how GMU can help organizations utilize data over the next two years.

00:00:01.079 –> 00:00:08.280 Selassie Fugar : hi my name is Selassie Fugar and today we’re going to be talking about data usage in Bailey’s Crossroads, with my colleagues Fredy Lopez and Reagan wills. 2 00:00:10.019 –> 00:00:15.809 Selassie Fugar : In terms of the background of Culmore and the issue at hand Bailey’s Culmore is in an area that’s located in Fairfax County Virginia. 3 00:00:16.139 –> 00:00:29.340 Selassie Fugar : Culmore is a racially and ethnically diverse community that represents people from all over the world. Bailey’s Crossroads is home to many individuals who reside in the U.S. without legal documents, and they are among the most disadvantaged communities in Northern Virginia. 4 00:00:31.350 –> 00:00:38.670 Selassie Fugar : Our team is researching on ways that different Community based organizations use data to advance their mission in terms of uplifting Bailey’s Culmore. 5 00:00:40.380 –> 00:00:50.490 Selassie Fugar : Today, the Community hasn’t really come together to share certain sources of data; there’s also been no known mapping in terms of data sources that can help people collaborate together. 6 00:00:50.910 –> 00:00:59.190 Selassie Fugar : We interviewed multiple organizations that serve different needs organizations such as faith based groups, legal and non profits, as well as health clinics. 7 00:01:01.200 –> 00:01:08.250 Selassie Fugar : In terms of perception of data and how data plays a role in organizations, they play a role through grants, launching campaigns, 8 00:01:08.550 –> 00:01:14.640 Selassie Fugar : How frequently people visit their organizations or transitioning from paper filing to using computer based systems. 9 00:01:15.120 –> 00:01:22.560 Selassie Fugar : In terms of what data is considered in their organization, they consider quantitative to be more important than qualitative. 10 00:01:23.490 –> 00:01:32.190 Selassie Fugar : Others use data for tracking purposes or purchasing decisions and some meet the demand of the population that visits their organization in terms of providing people with what they actually need. 11 00:01:32.730 –> 00:01:37.500 Selassie Fugar : In terms of looking at major trends of health and relying on data to predict their next steps. 12 00:01:38.880 –> 00:01:40.290 Freddy Lopez: To expand on what my colleague Selassie said 13 00:01:40.290 –> 00:01:45.720 Freddy Lopez: that the extent to which organizations in Bailey’s Culmore use data could be divided into three different levels. 14 00:01:46.020 –> 00:01:57.030 Freddy Lopez: organizations in the basic level, their data was very general, they purposely collected as little information as possible, and they only saw data as trackable: collected for the purpose of tracking the amount of services given 15 00:01:57.300 –> 00:02:06.840 Freddy Lopez: and clients reached. Saying this, they only used data for assessment and they did reports, maybe once or twice a year. Organizations at the intermediate level, 16 00:02:07.290 –> 00:02:16.320 Freddy Lopez: their data was still general, but they also saw data as informational, meaning that it provided insight that helped inform decisions of operations, and as reportable 17 00:02:16.860 –> 00:02:24.180 Freddy Lopez: able to demonstrate impact of services provided to donors and higher ups. They also collected data externally from outside sources. 18 00:02:24.480 –> 00:02:31.440 Freddy Lopez: And they ran reports multiple times a year, from two to three times a year, and they also used data for strategic planning. 19 00:02:31.800 –> 00:02:35.130 Freddy Lopez: Meaning that they use it to plan ahead and identify gaps and services. 20 00:02:35.490 –> 00:02:43.380 Freddy Lopez: Organizations in the advanced level their data was much more detailed. Due to the nature of services that they provided, they collected as much data as possible. 21 00:02:43.740 –> 00:02:49.950 Freddy Lopez: They also collected data very carefully with protocols in place for methods of collection and analysis. 22 00:02:50.670 –> 00:03:02.970 Freddy Lopez: They also ran assessments multiple times a year – some organizations stating that they rab reports every month – and they also used data for innovation, so the data was what drove changes in operations and services. 23 00:03:05.220 –> 00:03:08.280 Reagan Wills: So some obstacles that we saw consistently throughout our interviews. 24 00:03:09.000 –> 00:03:18.150 Reagan Wills: One of the big things was under funding and these nonprofits which they’re nonprofits so it can become difficult for data collection utilization when there’s not enough money there. 25 00:03:18.840 –> 00:03:30.960 Reagan Wills: There are grant applications but they go through cycles, it is a possibility for funding, but sometimes the amount it can’t sustain a nonprofit and a lot of times nonprofits will go out of business. 26 00:03:31.800 –> 00:03:42.660 Reagan Wills: There is a necessity for a data analyst for utilizing the data post collection, people are needed that are educated in this field, however, those people typically have jobs. 27 00:03:43.290 –> 00:03:54.120 Reagan Wills: And they can only volunteer a few hours, out of their week and a lot of times, it takes a lot to collect data in the area as it’s constantly changing people are constantly moving in and out and. 28 00:03:54.720 –> 00:04:07.410 Reagan Wills: we’re constantly seeing changes and what would be considered data. It can also be difficult to collect this data due to different issues such as illiteracy in the area, distrust with the system and cultural differences as well. 29 00:04:08.820 –> 00:04:13.260 Freddy Lopez: When we asked organizations what they would like to see to address the obstacles previously mentioned. 30 00:04:13.890 –> 00:04:16.800 Freddy Lopez: They mentioned that they would like to see some experts and consultants 31 00:04:17.250 –> 00:04:30.150 Freddy Lopez: to inform them on how to better collect data and how to better analyze data. They also would like to see some technical assistance regarding how to tap into the power of the software that they currently use or guidance on what software to use. 32 00:04:30.720 –> 00:04:37.950 Freddy Lopez: All organizations mentioned they would really love to see a centralized location of data resources. They all expressed concerns regarding 33 00:04:38.190 –> 00:04:44.100 Freddy Lopez: How it was difficult and time consuming to research data sources but having a centralized location. 34 00:04:44.370 –> 00:04:52.770 Freddy Lopez: could alleviate this issue. Regarding approaches, they really wanted proactive approaches, where they utilize data to not only figure out what was wrong in the region 35 00:04:53.100 –> 00:05:04.470 Freddy Lopez: but how to stop issues in the region before they even happen, and they wanted to have more collaborative approaches expressing that organizations in the area could do a better job of working with one another. 36 00:05:04.830 –> 00:05:13.320 Freddy Lopez: in exchanging resources in regards to data, since they all serve the same region. Lastly, they also wanted to see intersectional approaches to complex issues. 37 00:05:15.240 –> 00:05:28.950 Reagan Wills: And so, as we’ve seen and as we’ve shown having proper and thorough data collection and utilization in the area, it would better assist understanding the needs of the Community and how we can best provide those needs to the people in the Community. 38 00:05:29.640 –> 00:05:34.860 Reagan Wills: This project in this data presented it’s a part of a larger place-based initiative with Kaiser permanente. 39 00:05:35.400 –> 00:05:48.300 Reagan Wills: In order to improve the conditions and social determinants of health in the area, the findings that we presented and other findings as well, will be used to provide recommendations on how this initiative can bring the Community vision to life.