Community outreach is the activity of providing services to any population that might not otherwise have access to those services. It involves meeting someone in need of an outreach service at the location where they are, and it is often carried out by non-profit, nongovernmental organizations. Outreach services are provided closer to where people may reside, efforts are very often voluntary, and have fewer, if any, enforceable obligations. In addition to delivering services, outreach has an educational role, raising the awareness of existing services. Outreach can be categorized into four groupings: domiciliary (undertaken at individual homes), detached (undertaken in public environments and targeting individuals), peripatetic (undertaken at public or private environments and targeting organizations rather than individuals), and satellite outreach (where services are provided at a dedicated site).
Community outreach can take many forms, such as providing professional services or services of a specific expertise to a group of people who may not otherwise have access to them. It can also involve engaging with the local community to identify existing problems or challenges and provide solutions. The importance of community outreach is reflected in the improved health and economic outcomes of those who benefit from outreach programs. It helps bridge the gap between those with adequate financial means and those without by connecting individuals to the help they need while also developing programs to benefit entire communities.
Community outreach can impact different segments of the population, such as youth, the elderly, or those with special needs. Social workers who practice community outreach may work directly with individuals, assessing their needs and then guiding them to the appropriate resources. Others design large-scale programs that benefit the entire community. Successful planning and implementation of community outreach is a key component of many degree programs, such as the Touro University Worldwide online Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree program.
