Capacity Building

Community Capacity is the interaction of human capital, organization resources, and social capital existing within a given community that can be leveraged to solve collective problems and improve or maintain the well being of that community. It may operate through informal social processes and/or organized efforts by individuals, organizations and social networks that exist among them and between them and the larger systems of which the community is a part .¹ When looking at the impact of tobacco on communities, one must examine not only tobacco use rates and patterns, but also the ability of a community to respond to tobacco control comprehensively.² The more skills, assets and strengths that a community has, the better prepared it is to achieve its goals. Capacity building activities may include leadership development, technical assistance, network building, fundraising and training. It lays the foundation upon which a community can comprehensively address tobacco control in terms of research, infrastructure and program and policy initiatives.

Sources:
_{1- Chaskin et al. Building Community Capacity. 2001

2- Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy, and Leandership (APPEAL)}

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