Building Community Capacity

What is community capacity and how does it help revitalize the community that you live?

Community capacity is the ability of local residents to utilize local resources to effect community development that enhances the well being of the total community. It can be defined as "... a broad and complex set of activities that will, if successful, enable people of diverse backgrounds in communities to take a more active role in shaping their economies and determining their collective futures". Ratner, (1995:2). Instead of devaluing low income and persistently poor populations, community development practitioners should regard them as a resource and embrace them in the development process..

The barriers to resources associated with community capacity in rural and low income neighborhoods are formidable. Wilkinson points out that "increasing access to these resources [jobs, incomes,and better services] can serve as a foundation for community interactions to emerge and persist in the local society". Wilkinson, (1993:93)

Instead of focusing primarily on community negatives and needs, McKnight & Kretzman (2007:156) stress identifying community assets such as personal income, gifts of labeled people, individual local businesses, home based associations, etc.; as the first steps needed for building community capacity in communities where intra-and inter- community linkages are ineffective. Emery suggests "the first elements in an asset based approach revolve around helping local leaders build capacity for this community development effort by assessing their assets." Emery, Wall, & Macke, (2004:90). Assessing community assets entails documenting all of the groups, organizations, and associations who are involved in any types of activity of a civic, cultural, or social nature. This list would include the various organizations that work with youth, women, housing, the arts, and religion. One of the most glaring shortfalls of community building in Chester is the complete lack of a unified base of cooperation among those operating in the city. ( to be continued)