This copyright material may be reprinted with the following attribution: "Reprinted with permission of John P. Kretzmann and John L. McKnight, pp. 19-25, from Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets, Evanston, IL: Institute for Policy Research (1993)."
Hello. I'm with (local organization's name). We're talking to local people about their skills. With this information, we hope to help people contribute to improving the neighborhood, find jobs or start businesses. May I ask you some questions about your skills and abilities?
Part I -- Skills Information Now I'm going to read to you a list of skills. It's an extensive list, so I hope you'll bear with me. I'll read the skills and you just say "yes" whenever we get to one you have. We are interested in all your skills and abilities. They may have been learned through experience in the home or with your family. They may be skills you've learned at church or in the community. They may also be skills you have learned on the job.
Health Caring for the Elderly ________ Caring for the Mentally Ill ________ Caring for the Sick ________ Caring for the Physically Disabled or Developmentally Disabled ________ Now, I would like to know about the kind of care you provided. Bathing ________ Feeding ________ Preparing Special Diets ________ Exercising and Escorting ________ Grooming ________ Dressing ________ Making the Person Feel at Ease ________ Office Typing (words per minute) ________ Operating Adding Machine/Calculator ________ Filing Alphabetically/Numerically ________ Taking Phone Messages ________ Writing Business Letters (not typing) ________ Receiving Phone Orders ________ Operating Switchboard ________ Keeping Track of Supplies ________ Shorthand or Speedwriting ________ Bookkeeping ________ Entering Information into Computer ________ Word Processing ________ Construction and Repair Painting ________ Porch Construction or Repair ________ Tearing Down Buildings ________ Knocking Out Walls ________ Wall Papering ________ Furniture Repairs ________ Repairing Locks ________ Building Garages ________ Bathroom Modernization ________ Building Room Additions ________ Tile Work ________ Installing Drywall & Taping ________ Plumbing Repairs ________ Electrical Repairs ________ Bricklaying & Masonry ________ Cabinetmaking ________ Kitchen Modernization ________ Furniture Making ________ Installing Insulation ________ Plastering ________ Soldering & Welding ________ Concrete Work (sidewalks) ________ Installing Floor Coverings ________ Repairing Chimneys ________ Heating/Cooling System Installation ________ Putting on Siding ________ Tuckpointing ________ Cleaning Chimneys (chimney sweep) ________ Installing Windows ________ Building Swimming Pools ________ Carpentry Skills ________ Roofing Repair or Installation ________ Maintenance Window Washing ________ Floor Waxing or Mopping ________ Washing and Cleaning Carpets/Rugs ________ Routing Clogged Drains ________ Using a Handtruck in a Business ________ Caulking ________ General Household Cleaning ________ Fixing Leaky Faucets ________ Mowing Lawns ________ Planting & Caring for Gardens ________ Pruning Trees & Shrubbery ________ Cleaning/Maintaining Swimming Pools ________ Floor Sanding or Stripping ________ Wood Stripping/Refinishing ________ Food Catering ________ Serving Food to Large Numbers of People (over 10) ________ Preparing Meals for Large Numbers of People (over 10) ________ Clearing/Setting Tables for Large Numbers of People (over 10) ________ Washing Dishes for Large Numbers of People (over 10) ________ Operating Commercial Food Preparation Equipment ________ Bartending ________ Meatcutting ________ Baking ________ Child Care Caring for Babies (under 1 year) ________ Caring for Children (1 to 6) ________ Caring for Children (7 to 13) ________ Taking Children on Field Trips ________ Transportation Driving a Car ________ Driving a Van ________ Driving a Bus ________ Driving a Taxi ________ Driving a Tractor Trailer ________ Driving a Commercial Truck ________ Driving a Vehicle/Delivering Goods ________ Hauling ________ Operating Farm Equipment ________ Driving an Ambulance ________ Operating Equipment & Repairing Machinery Repairing Radios, TVs, VCRs, Tape Recorders ________ Repairing Other Small Appliances ________ Repairing Automobiles ________ Repairing Trucks/Buses ________ Repairing Auto/Truck/Bus Bodies ________ Using a Forklift ________ Repairing Large Household Equipment (e.g., refrigerator) ________ Repairing Heating & Air Conditioning System ________ Operating a Dump Truck ________ Fixing Washers/Dryers ________ Repairing Elevators ________ Operating a Crane ________ Assembling Items ________ Supervision Writing Reports ________ Filling out Forms ________ Planning Work for Other People ________ Directing the Work of Other People ________ Making a Budget ________ Keeping Records of All Your Activities ________ Interviewing People ________ Sales Operating a Cash Register ________ Selling Products Wholesale or for Manufacturer (If yes, which products?) ________ Selling Products Retail (If yes, which products?) ________ Selling Services (If yes, which services?) ________ How have you sold these products or services? ________ Door to Door ________ Phone ________ Mail ________ Store ________ Home Music Singing ________ Play an Instrument (Which one?) ________ Security Guarding Residential Property ________ Guarding Commercial Property ________ Guarding Industrial Property ________ Armed Guard ________ Crowd Control ________ Ushering at Major Events ________ Installing Alarms or Security Systems ________ Repairing Alarms or Security Systems ________ Firefighting Other Upholstering ________ Sewing ________ Dressmaking ________ Crocheting ________ Knitting ________ Tailoring ________ Moving Furniture or Equipment to Different Locations ________ Managing Property ________ Assisting in the Classroom ________ Hair Dressing ________ Hair Cutting ________ Phone Surveys ________ Jewelry or Watch Repair ________ Are there any other skills that you have which we haven't mentioned? Priority Skills When you think about your skills, what three things do you think you do best? Which of all your skills are good enough that other people would hire you to do them? Are there any skills you would like to teach? What skills would you most like to learn? Part II -- Community Skills Have you ever organized or participated in any of the following community activities? Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts ________ Church Fundraisers ________ Bingo ________ School-Parent Associations ________ Sports Teams ________ Camp Trips for Kids ________ Field Trips ________ Political Campaigns ________ Block Clubs ________ Community Groups ________ Rummage Sales ________ Yard Sales ________ Church Suppers ________ Community Gardens ________ Neighborhood Organization ________ Other Groups or Community Work? ________ Let me read the list again. Tell me in which areas you would be willing to participate in the future. Part III -- Enterprising Interests and Experience Business Interest Have you ever considered starting a business? Yes _____No _____ If yes, what kind of business did you have in mind? Did you plan to start it alone or with other people? Alone _____Others _____ Did you plan to operate it out of your home? Yes _____No _____ What obstacle kept you from starting the business? Business Activity Are you currently earning money on your own through the sale of services or products? Yes _____No _____ If yes, what are the services or products you sell? Whom do you sell to? How do you get customers? What would help you improve your business?
Part IV -- Personal Information Name_____________________________ Address _____________________________ Phone _____________________________ Age _____________________________ Sex: F_____ M_______