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Summary of Resources Reviewed
Section One: General resources
General resources include both general introductions to and overviews of capacity building and collections of resources that cover a wide field.
For a thorough overview of the reasons for undertaking the work and a guide to the main considerations, Strengthening Communities is the single most comprehensive and readable guide. The best overall planning and evaluation framework is LEAP- Learning Evaluation and Planning, which includes tables suggesting the main processes and outcomes from all aspects of capacity building work. Our review is of the 2002 edition: a revised edition is forthcoming which will reflect the outcomes of CLD as set out in 'Delivering Change'. To understand the importance of capacity building within community development, and the importance of community development itself, the Community Development Challenge is both readable and convincing. Of the variety of practical tools and resources to help work on the ground, the Community Toolbox is the most comprehensive, freely available collection of materials to develop skills.
Key resources
- Strengthening Communities: a guide to capacity building for communities and the public sector, Steve Skinner
- Learning, Evaluation and Planning ( LEAP), SCDC
- The Community Development Challenge, CDF and others
- Community Toolbox, University of Kansas
Recommended resources
- Achieving Better Community Development ( ABCD), SCDC
- How Good is Our Community Learning and Development?2, HMIE
- Skills in Neighbourhood Work, Paul Henderson & David N Thomas
- Start with People: How community organisations put citizens in the driving seat, Paul Skidmore and John Craig
- Firm Foundations, Civil Renewal Unit
- Building Community Strengths: A Resource Book on Capacity Building, Steve Skinner
- North Lanarkshire Framework and Toolkit for Community Capacity Building
- Aberdeenshire Community Capacity Building Handbook
- Eldis Participation Resource Guide, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex
Other resources
- National Occupational Standards for Community Development, LLUK
- Lessons for Community Capacity Building: A Summary of Research Evidence, Chapman & Kirk
- Together we Can, DCLG
- 'Local Community Involvement: A Handbook for Good Practice' CDF
- Training for Transformation: a handbook for community workers
- Capacity.org ( http://www.capacity.org/)
- Coming Together: building collaboration and consensus
- Community Building Resource Exchange ( http://www.commbuild.org/)
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