Spring 2026 SOWK 531 Week 08 Building Capacity in a Community

title: Spring 2026 SOWK 531 Week 08 Building Capacity in a Community

date: 2026-03-10 22:05:30

location: Heritage University

tags:

  • Heritage University
  • MSW Program
  • SOWK 531

presentation_video: > Embed Video

description: >

Week eight is asynchronous. Students reading from Kirst-Ashman and Hull (2018) discuss strategies for creating meaningful change in communities. There are forums that explore community empowerment and the textbook’s content. Examples of a more drastic social action approach are shared and discussed by students, along with a case study with prompts. Students also have an opportunity to share about how they keep information organized. A short lecture video is shared discussing community building.

The agenda includes:

  • Week’s content
  • Community Building
  • WA’s Prevention Planning Framework
  • Capacity Building

Learning objectives over this week include:

  • Identify strategies for capacity building in community work.
  • Analyze confrontational approaches to social action.
  • Identify the steps in assessing community change potential.

Week Eight Plan

Agenda

Week’s content Capacity Building WA’s Prevention Planning Framework

Learning Objective

Students will be able to identify strategies for capacity building in community work.

Week Eight Content Read chapter 9, watch one of the documentaries Complete at least four replies across any

  • Questions Drawn From Textbook Chapter Nine
  • More Drastic Approaches to Social Action
  • How Do You Keep Information and Organization
  • Community Change Case Study
  • Empowerment and Community Work

Community Building

How do we create the conditions that make collective action possible

Community building strengthens the foundation that a community needs to take action on its own behalf. It brings residents together around shared goals and values, increases participation, and reinforces the connections between people and institutions that already exist in a neighborhood.

  • Set clearly articulated, neighborhood-directed goals
  • Maximize participation by community residents
  • Build on existing assets and strengths
  • Tailor efforts to the specific neighborhood where the need exists
  • Strengthen shared social and community values
  • Strengthen existing community institutions
  • Reinforce social networks and linkages among people

Strategic Prevention Framework

I really like the graphical representation that Washington State created when they adapted their prevention planning framework on the one from SAMHSA (on the left)

The strategic plan has starting place, where it is identified that their is a unique nature to getting started with creating community change.

The framework identifies… Assessment

The assessment phase helps define the problem or the issue that a project needs to tackle. This phase involves the collection of data to:

  • Understand a population’s needs
  • Review the resources that are required and available
  • Identify the readiness of the community to address prevention needs and service gaps.
  • To gather the necessary data, States and communities will create a workgroup. The data gathered from this workgroup is vital because it will greatly influence a program’s strategic plan and funding decisions.

Planning

Planning involves the creation of a comprehensive plan with goals, objectives, and strategies aimed at meeting the substance abuse prevention needs of the community. During this phase, organizations select logic models and evidence-based policies and programs. They also determine costs and resources needed for effective implementation.

Implementation

The implementation phase of the SPF process is focused on carrying out the various components of the prevention plan, as well as identifying and overcoming any potential barriers. During program implementation, organizations detail the evidence-based policies and practices that need to be undertaken, develop specific timelines, and decide on ongoing program evaluation needs.

Evaluation

Evaluation helps organizations recognize what they have done well and what areas need improvement. The process of evaluation involves measuring the impact of programs and practices to understand their effectiveness and any need for change. Evaluation efforts therefore greatly influence the future planning of a program. It can also impact sustainability, because evaluation can show sponsors that resources are being used wisely.

After evaluation goes back to assessment in a looping process of creating change.

What I really like about their graphic, is how they portray capacity building. It is shown as necessary throughout the whole process.

They define capacity building as involves mobilizing human, organizational, and financial resources to meet project goals. Training and education to promote readiness are also critical aspects of building capacity.

The graphic goes on to showcase… Sustainability

the process through which a prevention system becomes a norm and is integrated into ongoing operations. Sustainability is vital to ensuring that prevention values and processes are firmly established, that partnerships are strengthened, and that financial and other resources are secured over the long term.

Building Capacity

The textbook describes a couple of methods we can engage in to develop capacity.

These can include…

  • Providing education and training to enhance relevant skills in working with groups to achieve identified goals (orientation, training in meetings, town hall events)
  • Providing opportunities for people to be successful in change efforts, which builds confidence and capacity in individuals (helping events - sticker shock, drug take back events, )
  • Helping people become more assertive with regard to their anger, needs, and frustrations (coaching)
  • Making invisible issues visible so that they can be addressed (Lakeview community and bringing the bus to them, surveys, hidden in plain sight)
  • Strengthening social networks (fun activities, ice breaker activities)

(Rubin & Rubin, 2008, as cited in Kirst Ashman & Hull 2018 p. 355)