How to make a spot map? Why do the spot mapping? Community mapping for outreach purposes represents an effective and relatively easy way to make sure you are adequately responding to the needs of your community. Developing a community map to document your work may also increase the sustainability of your program, allowing others to recognize and understand the importance of outreach.

1. COMMUNITY MAPPING
By ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

2. WHAT IS COMMUNITY MAPPING?
• It is a process of creating maps to gain a visual representation
of community-specific data organized by geography.
For example:
- it is possible to track where you or other staff has
performed outreach, or plan to perform outreach, by marking
these sites on your community map.
- You can also track where your community needs you to
be, allowing you to answer the question where are the
underserved individuals in the service area
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
•
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

3. WHY DO COMMUNITY MAPPING?
•To identify
- client housing areas
- potential transportation barriers (such
as a
neighborhoods with little or no
accessible
bus lines)
- to target and track prime outreach
sites. By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

4. WHY DO COMMUNITY MAPPING?
- to target and track prime outreach sites.
“Community mapping can make a strong case for
critically needed social services, increased or
better use of outreach funding, or a refocusing of
outreach activities (such as shifting where you
perform outreach to reach those who are most
underserved”
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
•
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

5. WHY VISUALLY PRESENT A MAP?
• it is easier to identify and analyze
patterns based on location
•it provides a visual way of quickly and
vividly communicating those patterns to
a broad audience
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
•
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

6. WHEN SHOULD COMMUNITY MAPPING BE
DONE?
•Ideally, always update community map to
show the most current information available
- update community map, or create an
entirely new community map, during
slow
points throughout the year.
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
•
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

7. WHEN SHOULD COMMUNITY
MAPPING BE DONE?
•When conducting a community needs
assessment, consider simultaneously
creating, overhauling, or revising your
program’s community map.
- these tools inform each other,
developing
both at the same time streamlines your
efforts.
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

8. THE STEPS OF
COMMUNITY
MAPPING
5 Key Stages to
Implementing and
Using a
Community Map
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

9. 1. Determine key information that your map should
include.
*consider your goal, for example:
- areas where the majority of target population
lives, works, congregates
- identify partner agencies
- plot areas in your service region that have a
high
concentration of food insecurity
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

10. 2. Determine the appropriate
geographical
scope to be covered in the process
- countywide?
- statewide?
- organizational service area?
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

11. 3. Collect data
- existing census data
- primary research data from focus
groups
- survey information you have
collected in the past
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

12. 4. Create maps with locations of:
- client housing
- community assets such as
churches,
social clubs, local grocery stores,
laundromats
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

13. 5. Use your community to advocate for
community health and well-being by
promoting a more efficient use of
community
resources
- if your mapping project reveals a
patient
population living adjacent to pesticide-
laden fields, advocate for your
organization
to prioritize pesticide safety trainings
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

14. HOW TO
MAKE A
MAP?
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

15. THE INTERNET
MAKES IT EASIER
THAN EVER TO
CREATE AND KEEP
COMMUNITY MAP
CURRENT.
- GOOGLE MAPS REPRESENTS AN
ONLINE APPLICATION DESIGNED
TO EFFICIENTLY CAPTURE,
MANAGE, ANALYZE, AND DISPLAY
ALL KINDS OF GEOGRAPHICALLY
REFERENCED INFORMATION.
IF NO
INTERNET
ACCESS, USE A
WALL MAP.
REFERENCE:
HEALTH OUTREACH PARTNERS. (2011). COMMUNITY MAPPING. [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://OUTREACH-PARTNERS.ORG/2011/10/01/COMMUNITY-
MAPPING/#:~:TEXT=COMMUNITY%20MAPPING%20IS%20A%20PROCESS%20OF%20CREATING%20MAPS [ACCESSED 5 SEP. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

16. STEP 1
Locate geographical map (either physical or
on the internet):
- geographical wall maps provide a
detailed
visual overview of the service area
- use Google maps to access a web-
based
map of the service area.
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

17. •STEP 2
Highlight sites of the target population
congregates:
- Using pushpins, flags, color-coded
pegs, or
stickers draw attention to important
sites
and outreach areas with pushpins, or
stickers.
- If using a Google map, use the feature
that
pinpoints sites or mark off regions
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

18. STEP 3
Highlight outreach program activities:
- incorporate specific elements of the
outreach program onto the geographical
wall map, like using different colored
flags
or dots to represent first-time visits
versus
follow-ups.
- If using a Google map, edit the shape,
color,
and descriptions of the markers.
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

19. WHY USE
GOOGLE
MAPS FOR
COMMUNIT
Y
MAPPING?
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

20. Google maps is free and easy
to use, allows to quickly begin
the community mapping
project.
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

21. FEATURES OF A GOOGLE MAP
• Shareable and others can edit the map, allowing for
multiple people to edit and update the map.
• can color code and change the icons used to mark
locations or places of interest, for example sites where the
target population congregates or important healthcare
access points.
• can color code and edit shapes to mark off regions of
interest, for instance a neighborhood where outreach
services can be provided.
• Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

22. FEATURES OF A GOOGLE MAP
•can get driving, walking, and public transport
directions between important outreach locations.
•can zoom in and out of the map and view the
map via satellite and in a 3D view though
Google Earth.
•can print, send, and link the map as well as
keep a comment log.
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-
mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep. 2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

23. HOW TO START USING A
GOOGLE MAP?
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

24. 1. Open Google maps. Go to maps.google.com.
2. Click on My Maps.
3. Click Create New Map.
4. You will need to sign-in with a Google account.
5. Enter a title and description for your map into the
appropriate fields.
6. You can decide to make the map public or
unlisted. Public maps are published in search
results and available for anyone on the internet to
see.
Reference:
Health Outreach Partners. (2011). Community Mapping. [online] Available at: https://outreach-partners.org/2011/10/01/community-mapping/#:~:text=Community%20mapping%20is%20a%20process%20of%20creating%20maps [Accessed 5 Sep.
2022].
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

25. 8. You can create site makers on your map to indicate
important locations of interest by clicking on the
balloon
icon. Enter a title and description of your site marker
and
click OK.
- You can also edit the color and shape of the
marker by
clicking on the balloon icon within the pop-up
bubble.
- You can also mark off regions on your map by
clicking
on the drop-down arrow within the line icon.
By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III

26. How to mark off regions on the
map?
- click on the drop-down arrow within the line icon.
- Click on the draw a shape option.
a. Enter a title and description of the site
marker
and click OK.
b. You can also edit the color and shape of the
region by clicking on the box icon within
the By: ROMMEL LUIS C. ISRAEL III