Mixed-methods evaluation of a New York City resource guide for low-income residents

Abstract

The Citywide Guide (“Guide”) is an online and bound publication in New York City that lists low- or no-cost resource and service providers—organized by 21 different service categories—available at no cost to New York City residents and service providers by the Women Creating Change (formerly Women’s City Club of New York). Women Creating Change (WCC) aims to empower underrepresented women with the information and tools they need to become civically engaged change-makers. The primary purpose of the evaluation was to determine the value of the Citywide Guide to New York City residents living in or near poverty, and to determine how web-based information resources can be better marketed and utilized by the less advantaged populations in large urban settings. This mixed methods evaluation of the Citywide Guide includes information collected from end-users of the Guide including results of an online survey with 57 total respondents and of a focus group discussion of seven participants that was held at WCC headquarters. Forty-seven percent and 38% of the survey respondents reported using the online and hardcopy versions of the Guide, respectively, and “Housing and Homelessness” was the category explored most frequently by respondents when using the Guide. We conclude that the Citywide Guide is a valued resource for New York City residents, however recommendations for improvement were provided regarding format, distribution, and content of the Guide.