Capacity Assessment

What is it 

focusing on assets and strengths (resources)

systemic process to collect info about resources

• educational activities

• recreational activities

• resources

• experiences

identification and measurement of resources

• inherent 

• potential for developing 

Purpose

identify the needs of the priority population

determine the degree to which the needs are being met

Capacity

refers to the resources that can enable a community to be able to take action

• individual or collective resources which can enhance health

• assets or protective factors

• sources of support

• resources you can use to carry out your program

defined as individual and collective resources that can be used for health enhancement

• identify areas that need enhancement prior to implementing a health education program in order to ensure program sustains long term

• examine potential assets at the individual, group, or community levels

• measures actual or potential resources that can aid in the maintenance or enhanced of health education programs

Community capacity

to self address social and public health needs as community

• identify need

• mobilize resources

existing characteristics

Community asset

human resources

• leadership

• relationships

physical structure

community services

business

community identified assets

operations

infrastrctures

politics 

Can be brought together to enhance the experience

ex) people, transportation, etc.

What role do community assets play in program planning

serves as a foundation for community improvement

identifies resources from a community

• can use the resources within the community for your project

enables community members to take action

make efforts from effective and longer lasting

• because the resources to sustain the program are already there

incorporating strengths of the community build supports 

provide a trusted location and resources for your program 

Why evaluate capacity

provides opportunity to engage stakeholders/population (prevent learned helplessness)

allows members to identify resources

establish realistic starting point

determine project sustainability

allows planner to learn about the population first hand

When do you identify assets

everyday

• need to find assets to mobilize to address community needs

• community member’s skills or talents are underutilized

• you cannot provide services but need options

• the population need encouragement to take pride and responsibility for local concerns and improvements

• there is a need to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones to help the community 

ideally during assessment

community capacity assessment

easy to develop and implement

provides opportunity for active involvement of residents

process can be repeated at various times 

cons

• possible surface assessment

• residents may be skeptical and want anonymity

Ask yourself

what is the size of the population

what peeps are available 

how much time do you have or can allow

what financial resources if any can you count on for support

what do you want to do with the results

Who has the assets

groups, organizations, businesses, associations

• larger communities

• larger geographical area

• can be applied to smaller populations/geographical areas

individuals, peeps, human resources

• within the community

• working with you

• smaller communities/population

• smaller geographical areas

• can be applied to larger populations/geographical areas

Take an inventory of organization

• take inventory of all groups in the community

• start with what you know

• search resources

• make a list

• refine list

• think of how to best use the resources on the list

itemized catalogue or list of tangible goods or property of the intangible attributes or qualities

Sources of organization/business association asset information 

community websites

yellow pages

town directories

list of businesses

list of organizations and institutions

bulletin boards

friends/colleagues/classmates

Individuals

decide on the geographical area to cover

decide how many peeps to ask

• depends on what you are looking for

• decide this early

draft standard questions to get the info needed

try questions on a sample group

collect the info 

What to do with the inventory 

publish the assets identified

target an area for development

find ways to bring the organizations together to learn about each other, and to inform the community

publicize the assets to attract new opportunities to the community

create a school curriculum to teach local students about the assts

• builds community pride and increases health

create a community coordinator

track asset use in the community

set up a skill exchange program

set up a system to review assets

Call you into action

create the inventory

• what is available for you to use

research population

• know how they live, breath, eat, sleep

• know why they make the decisions they do

• what in their community are they proud of