Capacity Building

What is Capacity?

• Various types and levels of resources within the community and within an organization such as a coalition

• The community’s level of readiness to engage in and support prevention efforts

Capacity= Resource + Readiness

Capacity: Why is it Important?

To “build capacity” means to increase the resources, people, partnerships, coalitions, and skills that are essential to the successful implementation of prevention plans.

Assessing Capacity

• Identifying and recruiting coalition members• Coalition Infrastructure• Sustainability• Community Readiness• Coalition Readiness

Examples of Capacity Building• Ensure the coalition reflects the cultural and ethnic

make-up of the community• Enhance how the coalition works (i.e. structure,

decision making, and planning)• Build the community’s resources that support

programs, practices and strategies to address alcohol

Capacity Building Activities

To improve the ability of the community to deliver substance abuse prevention services by:• Improving awareness about underage drinking, binge

drinking, and alcohol related crashes• Building new relationships and strengthening existing

relationships• Improving organizational resources• Developing and preparing prevention workforce• Ensuring sustainability of the project

Capacity Building Involves:

• Creating sustainable partnerships• Developing readiness and leadership• Developing cultural competence and building on

existing prevention infrastructure• Strengthening capacity through education and

training on the five steps of the SPF process

Membership

Tools:• Coalition Roster• Community Mapping• Recruitment Plan

Membership

• Have you done community mapping? When?• Do you have membership packets?• Do you utilize Coalition Interest Surveys?

Questions for Communities

1.Who are the key stakeholders in your community?

2.Are these individuals actively involved in planning and implementing successful prevention efforts?

3.Who is the connector in your community?

Activity

• What sector are you missing?• Who do you know to fill this sector (organization or

individual)?• What skills/resources can they bring to the

coalition?• How are you going to sell the mission/vision of the

coalition to them? WIFM?• How will you reach out to the potential new

members?

What gets/keeps people involved?

• Role• Results• Respect• Recognition• Relationship• Reward

Sustaining Coalition Membership

• Building “ownership” of the vision/mission• Engaging in meaningful roles, responsibilities,

and activities• Providing training• Fulfilling their WIFM• Providing appropriate recognition • Keep people informed• Cultivate program champions

http://www.parentsmattercsd.com/

Coalition Infrastructure• Organizational Chart• Coalition By-Laws and Guiding Principles• Job Descriptions-Clearly defined roles and

responsibilities• Guidance documents for the coalition ( Meeting

agenda, meeting minutes, MOUs,)• Committees: Types of Committees and

Roles/Responsibilities• Levels of Commitment: Individual & Organization

• Additional resource: http://www.marshfieldclinic.org/patients/default.aspx?page=cco-strategic-prevention-framework

Community Readiness

Readiness is the degree to which a community is prepared to take action on an issue.

Why is Community Readiness Important?

• If the coalition’s strategic plan selects strategies that are too ambitious for the general population (i.e., arresting adults who purchase alcohol for minors) the coalition is likely to fail because the general population is unwilling to support the efforts.

Community Readiness….

• Is very issue-specific• Is measurable• Is multi dimensional• May vary across dimensions• May vary across different segments of a community• Can be increased successfully• Is essential knowledge for the development of strategies and

interventions

The Community Readiness Model

• Is a model for community change that integrates a community’s culture, resources, and level of readiness to more effectively address an issue.

• Increases community capacity for prevention and intervention

• Encourages and enhances community investment in an issue

Purpose of the Model

The purpose of Community Readiness is to provide communities with the stages of readiness for development of appropriate strategies that are more successful and cost effective.

What the Model CAN Do?

• Facilitates community-based change• Uses a nine stage, multidimensional model• Builds cooperation among systems and individuals• Helps identify resources• Helps identify obstacles• Provides an assessment of how ready the community is

with respect to accepting an intervention as something that needs doing

• Identifies types of efforts or strategies that are appropriate to raise community readiness

Dimensions of Readiness

• Community Efforts (Programs, activities, policies, etc.)

• Community Knowledge of the Efforts• Leadership (formal and informal)• Community Climate• Community Knowledge of the Issue • Resources Related to the Issue (People, time,

money, space, etc.)

Who is Interviewed?

Individuals may represent:• Schools/Universities• City/county government• Law Enforcement• Health and medical professions• Social services• Mental health and treatment services• Clergy or spiritual community• Community at large• Youth

Stages of Readiness

1.No Awareness2.Denial3.Vague Awareness4.Preplanning5.Preparation6.Initiation7.Institutionalization/stabilization8.Confirmation/expansion9.Professionalization

Appropriate Strategies for Readiness Level

Capacity Action Plans

• Capacity Plan for Coalition Membership• Capacity Plan for Data

Collection/Analysis• Capacity Plan for Community

Readiness

Capacity Plans

• Step 1: What are your desired outcomes• What exactly would you like to see different or

further developed in your community system?• Step 2: Create your capacity action plans• Problem, Goal, Objectives, and Strategies• Define• Activity• Who will take the lead?• When will this be accomplished?

• Step 3: Implement the plan!

Capacity Building Success

• Engagement of stakeholders• Community Mobilization• Partnerships

Capacity Success• Drug Free Marion County is reaching out to

neighborhood groups with the development of an alcohol permits remonstration guidebook to help increase community knowledge of the permit process including hearing dates and changes.

• Monroe County Asset Building Coalition has successfully stopped the issuance of a new liquor license by mobilizing neighborhood families.

• Monroe County Asset Building Coalition has partnered with State Excise Police on Alcohol Laws reminder posters to be distributed to all alcohol licensees.