Which step is NOT included in a community assessment process?

The community assessment process typically involves a systematic approach to understanding the various aspects of a community, including its strengths, weaknesses, and needs. The correct choice highlights that obtaining guarantees of support from powerful business and political leaders, while potentially beneficial for the implementation of projects, is not a standard or necessary step in the assessment phase itself.

In a thorough community assessment, collecting demographic information about community members is essential. This information helps identify who lives in the community, their needs, and any specific challenges they may face. Similarly, identifying key community resources and assets is crucial as it allows social workers and stakeholders to recognize existing strengths that can be leveraged for community development. Engaging with community members plays a significant role in ensuring that the assessment reflects the true dynamics of the community, fostering authentic participation and collaboration.

Obtaining assurances of backing from influential figures, while it may be a strategy for gaining support for initiatives later on, does not directly contribute to the assessment’s primary goal of understanding the community's current situation. This phase should focus on gathering factual information and insights from the community itself rather than seeking external validation or support.