Last week South Lanarkshire Rural Partnership held their annual Communities Conference. For some unknown reason, I was asked to facilitate a workshop on ‘Community Capacity Building’, this being one of the themes of their new Leader programme.  Aside from feeling I didn’t make a very good job of facilitating the workshop (It was our local panto the week before and I’d been treading the boards for four nights on the trot. That, coupled with a stinker of a cold was the major factor affecting my lack of effectiveness!), it really got me thinking. Just what is this ‘community capacity building’ that we keep talking about? And how can we ensure that it’s effective? Skinner (Strengthening Communities, 2006) defines it 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’ For me, the success of community capacity building lies in the way the activities, resources and support are delivered. Training courses, seminars and workshops all have their place, but surely there’s nothing better than getting stuck in and having a go!

In Douglas, we’ve been having some cracking meetings recently with a group of people who are keen to develop a former coal yard site in the centre of our village. The group has been meeting now since around September of last year. The site in question is owned by the local estate and the group would like it to become something of a focal point for our community, triggering the regeneration of the village. From a ‘Communities on the Edge’ perspective, it’s exactly the kind of thing we’re all about!There are about ten local enthusiasts involved at the moment.

We’ve lost and gained a few others along the way, but a pretty distinct core has emerged over the last few months. I think it’s important never to underestimate the message that an open door sends out. It’s too easy to get lost in the enormity of a project like this, and perceptions of a clique or ‘closed shop’ can develop quickly in a small community. So continually checking in with local people, offering them opportunities to contribute and encouraging participation is a really important part of the process.

The group made the pretty huge step of agreeing to formally constitute in order to take the project to the next stage just last week. It may not sound like a big deal, but it means lots. It means that for the first time the group will have a formal identity, and members of that group will be committing time, energy and very probably some sleepless nights over a number of years before any building work starts!

The next stage in the process is about feasibility. It’s a term that makes everyone sigh with boredom, but it’s a really important stage in the development process. We’ve been supporting people to become really familiar with the ins and out’s of it all and as a result they understand and appreciate the need for this next stage. It’ll be an interesting and challenging time. But I’m pretty excited! So yes, making progress, obvious progress, but there’s also the less obvious stuff like the change I can see in the individuals involved. They’ve learnt so much about so many things in the past few months (a relatively short time!) and it’s a privilege to have been a part of that. It’s most certainly been about getting stuck in and having a go. Skills and knowledge has been amassed through a learning experience which has been tough, exciting and fun. As well as the skills and knowledge which has been collectively accrued, the group has become stronger and more resilient, ready for the next challenge which no doubt awaits!

Surely this is effective community capacity building?