2
Smoke Signals
Grand Ronde Tribal members overage 17
residing in the Grand Ronde WillaminaSheridan area
and a random selection of community members.
CrzrJ Trl r-:rs
C;x Cc-r.ty Czn'.zi Arcs.
8V J"W..
f i v . s ! "
X j ! k 5
J j I i j
V i r -i t .
I j 'n.!
I i
J Y
The Social and Economic Assessment (SEA) information
will guide Tribal actions throughout the next five years.
Member response will influence the Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde's planning process.
1 i 'A j
i i
' i J
A
A Y
Your returned survey is
eligible for big cash prizes.
TO toe's
Results could shape the future of Tribal programs; prizes offered.
An opportunity to determine the future direction of the Tribe and its programs
will be coming to Grand Ronde in the form of a survey. Every Tribal member over
the age of 17 will receive a Social and Economic Community Assessment (SEA)
survey and be asked an assortment of questions aimed at establishing the wants
and needs of our members. Surveys will be mailed, done by phone and some
interviews will be conducted in person.
Substantial prizes will be offered, including one prize of $500, five prizes of $250,
five prizes of $100 and various other prizes like logo items and a Pendleton blan
ket. Surveys must be completed and returned in the allotted time and then prize
drawings will be random.
Tribal Council, in response to community input, is encouraging Tribal members
to participate in this important step in the Tribe's planning process. Council has
endorsed this process as a means to gather vital, timely information through
which they will establish goals for both short-term and long-term community
growth.
Information gathered from the SEA will be used to create a database. The data
base will help Tribal Council and the various Tribal programs to do meaningful
planning and to establish the Tribe's goal to better serve the membership.
"The membership will be defining the direction of the Tribe by completing the
survey and returning it in a timely manner," said Grants Developer Bob McElderry.
McElderry said the SEA is designed to answer fundamental questions like: Why
do people live here? Why do people want to move here? How do people see the
Grand Ronde Tribe five years from now? How do people describe the Grand Ronde
Tribe now?
The answers from the questions will provide a social overview of the communi
ties and groups that will be affected by Tribal planning and a description of changes
in the communities based on their traditional relationship to the Grand Ronde
Tribe.
Ideally, the SEA will be an information tool that will provide the Tribal Council with
the needs, wants and opinions of Tribal members. The SEA will assist the Tribe's
Policy and Planning department with their new five-year plan. The plan would look
at the viability of future Tribal social and economic projects.
"This is the community's opportunity to provide direction for the Tribe," said
Self-Governance Coordinator Janell Haller. "The effects of the Tribal social pro
grams and its economic enterprise programs extend far beyond the exterior
boundary of the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation or the local communities of
Grand Ronde, Willamina and Sheridan."
Northwest Economic Associates of Vancouver, Washington has been selected
to assist the Tribe's Policy and Planning department with the SEA. Northwest
Economic Associates will provide professional expertise including survey design
and statistical analysis.
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is seeking a Tribal member, or possibly
two, to assist Northwest Economic Associates in conducting the Social and Com
munity Assessment. One intern position would entail working closely with the
consulting team to contact and interview community members. Ideally this person
would live in the Grand Ronde, Willamina, Sheridan area. The time involved would
be 5-10 hours per week from about mid September to mid November.
The second intern position would involve assisting Northwest Economic Associ
ates with the writing, distribution, and analysis of the community assessment sur
vey. The intern would need to be able to work in the NEA offices in Vancouver,
Washington. This opportunity could be especially beneficial to a college student
working in any area of health, economics, or community development, as the in
tern will gain valuable research experience while learning a great deal about the
Tribe. This second position would involve a commitment of 10-20 hours per week
throughout September and October. If you are interested in one of these positions,
please contact Janell Haller, Program Planning and Policy department at 1-800-422-0232,
ext. 2252 as soon as possible.