Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Mapping Opportunity - Casey Community Opportunity Map

Community Opportunity map view
On Monday I posted an article showing a map of Chicago's West Side neighborhoods, using an Opportunity Atlas which was featured last week in a New York Times article, and has been mentioned often on social media since then.

Today I found a different Community Opportunity Map, created and hosted by the Casey Family Programs.

Opportunity Atlas map view
Both of these platforms offer a load of information.  I am particularly impressed with the Casey map, in how easy it is to draw boundaries around an area and receive a table of data showing different indicators for that area.  I drew the entire West side just to compare one map with the other, and with the map I host that shows non-school youth tutor and/or mentor programs in the same area.

Chicago Tutor / Mentor Programs
Neither of the two opportunity maps has layers of information showing youth and family services and other assets in these areas, which all need consistent attention and an on-going flow of talent, ideas and operating dollars to be effective.

Thus, users will need to do what I do, which is combine map views from different platforms in order to tell a story that starts out showing where people need help, then moves to an analysis of what help is already available, and then a conversation of how to help existing services grow and stay available, while also filling voids where more services are needed.

If this is a process you're applying through your planning and community support efforts, please share a link to a web site where you describe and show your work.

Like the information I'm sharing? Go to this FUND ME page and send a contribution to help me keep doing this.

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