Community Capacity Building can be defined as:
'activities, resources and support that strengthen the skills, abilities and confidence of people and community groups to take effective action and leading roles in the development of communities'.
Strengthening Glasgows Communities is the name of the action plan being implemented by Community Planning Partners to support community capacity building in Glasgow. The Partnership will support the capacity building process in a number of ways. Guidance has also been produced to help Community Planning partners and residents through the process.
Our end outcome for capacity building is a Glasgow with a thriving network of community groups and organisations that are appropriately supported, and effective in improving life for their communities.
Our vision is of a city with groups and organisations for communities of place, or of common interest such as disability, ethnic monitory. We want to see these groups be effective and well supported, with appropriate places to meet, basic running costs and development support. We want to see community groups that include and involve all sections of their community, and which link with other groups over common interests. We want to see community groups that have articulate and assertive relationships with public bodies to find the best ways forward for public services.
We have identified a number of elements that will help support the end outcome, including:
- improving access to support
- raising awareness and commitment
- targeted capacity building
- a support infrastructure is put in place; and
- a high standard of support
A number of actions have already been put in place to support our end outcome, including:
The development of a resource library (or toolkit) for community capacity building and engagement at numerous locations across Glasgow. These libraries help equip Community Planning Partners, staff and community residents with a resource which provides robust and consistent reference materials for Community Engagement and Community Capacity Building across Glasgow. The Scottish Government also has a more detailed directory of CCB resources many of which are available free to download.
In order to support training and development, the CPP has developed an extensive learning programme for Community Reference Group members across the City. For 2009/10, over 150 CRG members took part in a range of development sessions to enhance their understanding of and contribution to community engagement and service delivery.
A practice framework for community capacity building has been produced to support staff across partners to provide the best support to communities in Glasgow. This complements the national CCB Framework Capacity for Change.
Strengthening Glasgow’s Communities learning events have taken place: one for managers, and two for practitioners and community members and practitioners. More recently a number of learning events have taken place as part of the national Community Learning and Development (CLD) Upskilling programme.
A citywide event took for community capacity builders took place in March 2011 called Strengthening Glasgow’s Communities: Now More Than Ever. This aimed to take stock of the current position and make recommendations for how to take forward CCB in the city. A report of the event is being finalised and will be available via this page.
A Community Groups support guide is in development. This aims to help community groups identify the different kinds of support available and who to contact.
Useful Documents and Links (including Background information)
CommUNITY: Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan
Making an Impact. A series of case studies compiled by the Scottish Government which demonstrate the impact of Community Learning and Development on achieving agreed local and national outcomes. This includes an example from Glasgow.
National Standards for Community Engagement set out best practice principles for the way that government agencies, councils, health boards, police and other public bodies engage with communities.
VOiCE. An online tool to plan, record and evaluate community engagement, based on the National Standards.
Better Community Engagement. A learning framework for community engagement.
Public Asset Transfer: Empowering Communities. Aims to promote awareness of the benefits and risks associated with transfer of assets from public bodies to communities.
Resources and Toolkits to support community groups
A range of useful resources and toolkits for community groups and the people who support them are available online from the following links:
Glasgow Community Toolkit and other resources from GCVS
Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) information and resources page
National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) advice and support page
Voluntary Arts: Running Your Group
Voluntary Action Sheffield downloadable resources including information sheets
Tenants Information Service (TIS) produce a number of Basic Guides and Information Sheets that are relevant for a range of community groups.
Gender Works Toolkit for women’s groups, community groups and public bodies from Oxfam download or order free hard copy.