Community Capacity Building Strategy

The Community Capacity Building Strategy (CCBS) was one of four integrated strategies developed by the BC Healthy Living Alliance (BCHLA) to support British Columbians to eat healthy, get active, and live tobacco free.

The Canadian Cancer Society – BC and Yukon Division, a founding member of the BCHLA, led the CCBS from 2008 – 2010.

Why capacity building?

The BCHLA identified capacity building as a critical element of health promotion and a population based approach to addressing risk factors related to tobacco, physical activity, and healthy eating. A review of the evidence clearly supports capacity building as a necessary condition for the development, implementation, and maintenance of effective community-health promotion and disease prevention programs.

"Health promotion works through concrete and effective community action in setting priorities, making decisions, planning strategies, and implementing them to achieve better health. At the heart of this process is the empowerment of communities – their ownership and control of their own endeavours and destinies."
— Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion 1986

Capacity building is a tool used in the field of community development to develop capabilities that create or direct action or change within the community. Capacity building occurs on three levels – individual, organizational, and social. The combination of all three creates the long term stability and strong foundations necessary for individual, organizational, and community change.

Capacity building aims to enhance the skills, abilities, resources, and commitment of communities and community members to care for each other, nurture unique talents and leadership, and act on challenges and opportunities the community faces. As a result, individuals and groups increase their ability to impact the health and vitality of their communities in a positive, sustainable manner through collaboration, education, communication, and cooperation.

Share in the lessons learned during the implementation of the CCBS and learn more about the capacity building outcomes that took place in communities in Capacity Building in Action: Learnings from the Community Capacity Building Strategy.

Hear stories and meet some of the people from the Strategy in this video