Community assessment of Riverside, California's diverse neighborhoods

Communities

Understanding and Assessing Communities

The community studied for the immersion project was based in Riverside, CA, between the University of Riversdale and the downtown area of Riverside. A community can be thought of as any location in which the people have a sense of cohesiveness. The cohesiveness can be a result of a wide variety of different factors such as proximity, shared resources, beliefs, political affiliations, needs or many other factors. The area studied is a walkable community that stretches from a ten mile area from one end of University Blvd. To the other end of University Blvd. Understanding the various aspects that influence community members within a location can be beneficial to social workers because they can relate to the individuals better. By understanding an individual's surroundings, a social worker can be more empathic to the unique challenges people face.

General Description of the Immersion Community

In the ten mile trek from the University of California -- Riverside campus and the downtown area, one will witness a very diverse community. In proximity to the university, you would generally witness college students going about their daily activities. However, as you approach the downtown area, you will see a more diverse population that includes Latinos and African-American families as well as a significant homeless population.

Figure 1 - Google Map Image of the Community Studied

The college are appears to be a safe environment where many people socialize publically. The demographic composition of this group appeared to consist of mostly Asian and Caucasian ethnicities. There are various shopping centers mixed in with student housing. There are also several parks and sporting complexes. The roads are lined with Palm trees and the overall experience seems relaxed and inviting. The campus consists of more than twenty thousand students who attend anyone of several degree programs (UCR, N.d.). The university is also recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the nation. It was founded in 1907 as a research center dedicated to citrus production and has been evolving ever since and is currently going through major expansions (UCR, N.d.).

One the other end of the University Ave the scene is remarkably different. It is estimated that there are over sixty-two hundred people in Riverside County and a significant portion of these individuals congregate in the downtown area (Alvarez, 2011). Many of these individuals come to this area because there are several churches and community centers located here that provide them essential services such as food and shelter. The homeless population has over doubled in the last few years and there have been many encampments which have sprung up in nearby areas such as in Fairmont Park (Rokos, 2012).

Community Structure

The City of Riverside is governed by an elected board of supervisors oversee the governing body of the County, certain special districts, and the Housing Authority. The Board enacts ordinances and resolutions, adopts the annual budget, approves contracts appropriates funds, determines land use zoning for the unincorporated area, appoints certain County officers and members of various boards and commissions (Riverside County, N.d.). There is also a city council that is broken up into different wards. The community studied lies within ward 1 which is under the leadership of Mike Gardner. Mr. Gardner has overseen many projects in this region such as the development of the Hunter park area in 2011 which brought over a thousand jobs to Riverside and is currently working on an Innovation Economy Hub which will help market the area to new high tech and research companies (Riverside, N.d.).

Summary and Community

The area studied through immersion is incredibly diverse on many different levels; especially in just a ten mile stretch. The area studied is a walkable community that stretches from a ten mile area from one end of University Blvd. To the other end of University Blvd. On one end of the area there is the downtown area which has been economically impacted by the recession. In this area it is common to see many Latino and African-American families as well as a significant homeless population. However, on the other end street it leads to the University of California -- Riverside which constitutes a totally different scene. The college are appears to be a safe environment where many people socialize publically. The demographic composition of this group appeared to consist of mostly Asian and Caucasian ethnicities.

The area studied is plagued by social and economic inequality which represents a broader trend that is sweeping the nation. It is important for social workers to not only recognize the trend but to understand many of the challenges that individuals face. By studying an area through emersion, this enhances many of the aspects of studying an area because it adds a dimension that isn't available by researching demographics or community characteristics online or in a classroom. It allows for an in-depth perspective that cannot be gained in any other way and prepares a social worker to be able to empathize with the people they are tasked with helping.