DESCRipiioN

Focus groups are facilitated discussions about the site and the community by small groups of
stakeholders. A focus group usually consists of three separate group sessions of seven to 12
individuals. Each group is somewhat homogenous (e.g., one group may contain residents living
near the site with children at home). Although appearing informal, focus group discussions are
structured around a series of questions carefully designed to help people talk freely. Focus
groups are useful to understand stakeholders" opinions on site activities, why stakeholders feel
as they do. and stakeholders" needs and expectations. By holding separate focus group
sessions with different groups, you can find out exactly how each group feels, and why. This
helps you address group concerns and find common ground to unify the community.

RequirecI Activity?

No.

MUkiNq it WoRk

WlfEN TO USE

Focus groups are useful throughout the Supcrfund process to learn about citizen know ledge
and expectations. Focus groups also help you learn why residents feel as they do. By under-
standing where opinions and beliefs come from, you can more effectively address concerns
and avoid problems. Focus groups foster communication better than large public meetings
where individual discussion is not practical. Focus groups may provide feedback to improve
outreach tools. If you sense that a particular group of stakeholders is unhappy with a site
activity, a focus group is an excellent way to begin a meaningful dialogue without exposing the
entire community to issues that are pertinent to only a small group.

How TO USE

As with any communications tool, refer to your Communication Strategy first. Then, identify
focus group participants and invite them individually to participate. Invite participants who will
contribute to the process, who may have something thoughtful or thought provoking to say,
who won't be intimidated, and who won't argue for argument's sake. Have a list of 15-20
people to allow for those who fail to attend. See the list at the end of the tab for ideas on
appropriate homogenous groupings for small group sessions.

You do not have to rent a fancy facility with two-way mirrors. However, the facility should
comfortably accommodate up to 13 people (the facilitator plus 12 participants) around one
table. There should also be room for an additional desk and chair for the assistant moderator,
and several additional chairs to accommodate observers, such as yourself. The chairs should
be comfortable. The facility must meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA). For requirements, visit the Center for Independence (CFI) Internet site:
www.centerforindependence.org/. The site includes weekly updates and information about
making your public space accessible. For a free copy of the ADA Guide for Small Businesses,
published by the U.S. Department of Justice, call CFI at (970) 241-0315.

Finding a time and location that satisfies everyone is impossible, so select a place that is
centrally located and convenient and a date and time that is convenient for you, your modera-
tor. and the majority of participants. Focus group meetings usually last about two hours. EPA
will not pay for food or beverages, either directly or indirectly through its contractors. How -
ever. refreshments can be purchased by a sponsor.


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Focus Groups

Meet with your moderator to thoroughly choreograph the session. Know what kinds of infor-
mation you want and help the moderator develop questions to elicit that information. If you and
the RPM plan to attend the sessions, be detached observers, not participants; otherw ise, your
involvement could affect participants" reactions. Have the moderator tape record the entire
session, and announce the recording in the scripted introduction. After the focus group is over,
meet with the moderator and assistant moderator to review the results. Think about how to use
the information you get. either by improving a specific outreach tool or designing a CI activity
to address concerns raised during the focus group. Respond to any information requests from
participants. Brief the site team on the results.

Tips

® Use a trained, objective, third-party facilitator.

® Make sure your facilitator understands the objectives.

® Work with the facilitator to script the introduction and questions.

® Inform everyone that the purpose is not to reach consensus, but to gather information.

® Ask participants to complete a brief evaluation form before they leave.

® If you or the RPM attend, restrict your role to non-reactive observation.

ReIatec] TooLs/Resources In ihE Toolkii

® Informal Activities. Tab 20

AuAchEd Items Wiihiw This Tool

® Attachment 1: Focus Group Check List
® Attachment 2: List of Possible Groupings
® Attachment 3: Sample Introduction
® Attachment 4: Sample Questions


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Attachment 1: Focus Croup Check LisT

Site:	

FOCUS CROUP PREPARATION

	Meeting date & time:	

	Meeting location: 	

Rental rate: 	

	Seating capacity:	

	 Directions distributed:	

Staff or contractors name:	

	Translator needed:

Yes	No	

Name:	

Contacted/confirmed:	

Rate: 	

	Site team members notified:

	RPM:	

	Tox:	

	Hydro:	

	State:	

	 Local officials: 	

	Others:	

	 Prepare meeting evaluation forms

INVITATIONS

	Invite all participants (phone, mail, or both) at least 2

weeks in advance
	Record responses

	Verify participants attendance 2 days before meeting

	Send materials to information repositories

EQUIPMENT

	Cassette reco rde r/tapes/batte ries

	Microphones (stationary & remote)

	Video camera/tape

	3-Prong electric adaptor (several)

ROOM ARRANGEMENTS

	 Room layout 	

	Room setup

Who does it? You	 Them	

	Coffee/tea/soda/snacks setup

Who donates it? 	

	Point of contact for facility arrangements

Name:	

Phone #:	

	# of people expected: 	

	Someone to record session:

Yes	No	

	Time available	

	 Set up time:	

	Must vacate by time: 	

	Security (meet prior to & day of)

	Janitorial services

	Restrooms open

	Ventilation

	First aid supplies

	Return room to original condition

Who does it? You	Them	

	Telephone access in case of emergency

BASIC SUPPLIES

	Name plates/name Tags

	Directional signs

	Evaluation form

	Copies of most recent fact sheets

	3" x 5" index cards

	Pens/pencils

	Markers

	Easel/flip chart

	Poster paper

	Pad of blank paper

	Masking tape

	Scissors

	Business cards

	Plastic drinking cups ~ pitcher

	 1 yard of strong cord

MEETING FOLLOW-UP

	Return equipment

	Debriefing among meeting participants

	Respond to requests for information

	Prepare/distribute meeting summary

	Prepare meeting evaluation

	Prepare and distribute recommendations for future

sessions

	Add meeting attendees to mailing list

	Send names & phone #s to GPRA contractor

Focus Croups

A5


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Attachment 2: LisT of Possible GnoupiNqs

®	Local officials

®	Residents living adjacent to the site

®	Residents living within known paths of migration

®	Residents within "X" miles of the site

®	Residents as above with children at home

®	Residents as above with elderly at home

®	Local health care providers

®	Leaders of local civic/service clubs

®	Members of local environmental groups

®	Members of citizens" groups organized in response to the site

®	Local business people

<®	Members of the local Chamber of Commerce

<®	Local clergy

®	Local media

Although focus groups usually comprise three separate smaller group sessions, you are not limited to just three.

A4

Focus Croups


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Attachment J: SampIe iNTRoducTioN

Hi. welcome to our session tonight. On behalf of EPA, I want to thank you for taking time out of your busy day to take
part in our discussion about the name of site here in your community. My name is ***; my assistant tonight is * * *. We
work for a company called ***, which has been hired by EPA to do some research into communities affected by
hazardous waste sites, like yours, and advise EPA about how to work with your community in reaching decisions that
will lead to a good cleanup.

EPA believes that a successful cleanup can only happen if informed citizens are involved in the process. They have a
program called community involvement that is dedicated to working with local residents throughout the cleanup pro-
cess. and they will use the information we provide, through sessions like this, as well as through written questionnaires
and telephone interviews, to make that process meaningful and effective.

You are one of two groups we'll be meeting with this week. These sessions are called focus groups because the
discussion and the participants are highly focused. Our discussion will focus on EPA's communications with you about
the site, and their community outreach efforts, not on technical or site-specific issues. You were invited because you
participated in our community interviews and have expressed a serious interest in this site.

The other group is made up of local officials and other community leaders. EPA wants to know what's important to
you, what you need from EPA, and what you expect from them (in terms of involvement and communications). EPA
needs to know this so that they can prepare a community involvement plan that meets those needs and expectations.

We have several questions that we hope will stimulate discussion among you. However, we are not trying to change
anyone's mind or convince anyone of anything. We are not trying to solve any problems, make any decisions, or forge
any consensus. We want to hear your ideas and understand your feelings about EPA's outreach work in your commu-
nity. We want to know if what EPA is doing is working for you. There are no right or wrong answ ers. There are
differing points of view, and each one is just as important and valid as the next. That said, let me emphasize that the
only stupid idea is the one that isn't shared.

Before we begin, let me suggest a couple of things that should make the discussion more productive. First. I need to
point out the microphone that's on the table, and tell you that we are audio taping this; we must provide a report to
EPA after we return home, and a clear tape recording is the only way that we can be sure to accurately capture the
points that you make. Let me assure you that no names will appear in the report that summarizes this meeting;
so. if you feel more comfortable not using names as you address each other, that is fine. The microphone is pretty
sensitive, but it would be helpful if you would speak up. even if you're responding to the person right next to you. You
don't need to raise your hand to talk, but it would be more helpful and considerate if only one person speaks at a time.
And please keep in mind that we're interested in negative comments as well as positive ones; we want to hear what
you really think.

My job tonight is to be your guide through this session. I'll ask questions, and listen; I'll keep things moving and on
track; but I won't participate in the conversation, so please feel free to talk with one another. I want to emphasize that
neither *** nor I work for EPA; we cannot answer your questions about the site, the cleanup, where they are in the
process, or anything of a technical nature.

Let's begin by finding out a little more about each other. We'll start over here to my left and go around the table. Tell
us your name, what prompted your interest in the site, and how you first learned about the site.

Focus Croups

A>


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Attachment 4: SampIe Questions

For All Sites

1.	How would you describe EPA's efforts to communicate with your community'.'

Do they seem to be really interested in providing you with information'.'

Do they seem to be really interested in hearing what you have to say?

Do they seem to be trying to provide opportunities for you to become actively involved'.'

Do they seem to want you to be involved'.'

Is the information you've received from EPA easy to understand and needed'.'

2.	What stands out in your mind as the most successful thing EPA has done in working with your community so
far? What made it so successful?

3.	What was their biggest failure'.' What made it such a failure'.'

Hand out the report card.

4.	PLEASE — JUST SET THIS IN FRONT OF YOU; DO NOT OPEN IT OR TURN IT OVER UNTIL I
TELL YOU TO. You're going to use this to give EPA a report card on how they're doing in your community;
but this is a little different from most report cards. On most of them, somebody in authority tells you what's
important, and then tells you how you're doing relative to some scale they developed. On this one, you get to
tell EPA what's important to you, and then you get to tell them how they're doing. But we found that this works
best if we give you a reference point to start from, so we'll start with things that EPA thinks they should do in
their outreach and communications if they are to be successful. Here's a list of things that EPA uses to judge its
success in community involvement. In the next column, grade EPA on how well you think they're doing. A =
exceptional; B = exceeds your expectations; C = meeting your expectations; D = less than you expect, F =
failing.

5.	In the third column, I want you to tell me whether you agree that each item is a measure of success in your eyes.
If you agree that it is, put an Y; if you don't agree, put a N.

6.	Now, open the sheet to the full page; you'll see a blank chart. In the column to the far left, write down any other
things that you think you would expect from EPA and that would figure into your judgement of their communica-
tions as successful or not.

7.	Grade them on how they're doing. If they aren't doing it at all. then they're failing.

8.	Now, in the last column, rank all of the factors on both tables in terms ofimportance. What's MOST important
to you, next, and so on.

9.	Let's talk for a few minutes about this.

What do you think about EPA's list of measures of success'.'

What did you add to the list?

How did you rank them'.'

For New Sites

10.	Take a minute to think about what concerns you most about this site; write down the three issues or concerns
about this site that weigh the heaviest on your mind.

Pause a few minutes to let them think and write.

Focus Croups


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OK, let's go around the table and share what you've written. Let's start on the right this time.

Have the assistant record responses on the flip chart.

11.	All things considered, of these things, which is the most important to you? Write it down.

Pause a minute or two.

Let's go around the table and see what you think. Let's start over there in the middle.

Assistant puts check marks in front of each of the issues selected to tally score.

12.	Assuming that this group is a fair representation of the community, these are the top three concerns in the
community. What would you expect EPA to do to help you and your neighbors deal with them?

OK, we're just about finished. Our discussion tonight was about EPA s attempts to keep your community
informed about and involved in what is happening at this site. I think we had some good discussion and, before
we close it up, I'd like to make sure that we captured the essence of it accurately. ***, would you please give
us a quick summary of what you heard tonight9

Thanks, ***. (To the group) Have we missed anything9 (Pause) Is there anything that stands out in your

mind?

Thank you very much for your help. We'll provide a report of this session to the Community Involvement
Coordinator (or CIC), to EPA Headquarters, to the EPA Regional Office, and to each of you. Thank you.

Focus Croups

A7


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