Working with Toronto neighbourhoods toward developing indicators of community capacity

Abstract

Often the goal of health and social development agencies is to assess communities and work with them to improve community capacity. Particularly for health promoters working in community settings and to ensure consistency in the definition of health promotion, the evaluation of health promotion programmes should be based on strengths and assets, yet existing information for planning and evaluation purposes usually focuses on problems and deficits. A model and definition of community capacity, grounded in community experience and focusing on strengths and assets, was developed following a 4-year, multi-site, qualitative, action research project in four Toronto neighbourhoods. There was significant community involvement in the four Community Advisory Committees, one for each study site. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews and focus groups were conducted with 161 residents and agency workers identified by the Community Advisory Committees. The data were analyzed with the assistance of NUDIST software. Thematic analysis was undertaken in two stages: (i) within each site and (ii) across sites, with the latter serving as the basis for the development of indicators of community capacity. This paper presents a summary of the research, the model and the proposed indicators. The model locates talents and skills of community members in a larger context of socioenvironmental conditions, both inside and outside the community, which can act to enable or constrain the expression of these talents and skills. The significance of the indicators of community capacity proposed in the study is that they focus on identifying and measuring the facilitating and constraining socioenvironmental conditions.

Taking the Initiative

“…75,76 As described here, assessment also involves determining the capacity of the community and organizations to address CVD prevention. This determination includes identifying and describing existing programs and policies affecting CVD 77 (see Table 1, PATCH, Community Programs/Policy Matrix and Community Resource Inventory) Instruments have been developed to assess the capacity to promote heart health, 78,79 although more work needs to be done in this area. Assessments of CVD burden in populations at the county or city level or in smaller jurisdictions can be difficult, especially when resources or time is not available to conduct data gathering and analyses for small areas.…”

Planning for resilience: A case study of Kitimat, BC.

“…The literature review indicates that resilience relies on the capacity of a community to come together in times of need (Jackson et al 2003). This capacity develops through the creation of networks and trust associated with social cohesion and social capital.…”

“…List of Tables Table 3.1 Kitimat Dwelling Type, by Year 32 Table 5.5 Length of Occupancy (1971) 70 Table 5.6 Mover and Non-Movers 71 Table 5.7 Dwelling Type, in Percent (2006) 80 Table 5.8 Average Household Income, by Neighbourhood (2006) 80 Table 5.9 Period of Construction, in percent (2006) 81 v hometown (Jackson et al 2003). This literature review addresses several variables considered important in the development of resource town resilience, beginning with place and the planning of place, followed by how interaction is structured and addressing the concepts of social capital, social cohesion, and community capacity in resource towns and how they affect resilience.…”

“…Community capacity is the ability to work together to overcome hardships and to achieve common goals that will allow for resilience despite change (Jackson et al 2003). In order to attain this capacity, a community must have both social cohesion and social capital developed through interaction (Temkin and Rohe 1998).…”

“…The high levels of interaction in Kitimat lend to the development of social cohesion. Social cohesion is represented by acts of coming together in times of need (Jackson et al 2003), as well as feelings of comfort and safety within a place, a sense of that place as home, and that everyone knows who you are, that you are important (Chavez 2005, Martinez-Brawley 1990. It is often represented in a town by levels of participation and volunteerism (Jones 2000).…”