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Once the vision has been agreed upon, record it and make at least one copy for safe-keeping. The
community may wish to format it differently and post it in a visible location.
TOOL: Assessing Community Capacities
Purpose: This tool can be adapted and used as a visual depiction of different stages of strengthening
capacities within the community. It can serve as a baseline for comparison with future measurements of
capacities. It can also be used as a basis for mobilizing resources and collective action to address key
issues and opportunities.
Resource: Adapted from material provided by COMPAS Network for Endogenous Development
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Facilitate a discussion about which capacities are most important to achieving the community’s
vision. If necessary, prioritize the list into a manageable number.
Develop a scale to measure the capacities in a visual way. One example provided in Figure 6
depicts a tree growing from seed to fully
fruit-bearing, with each of the five stages
representing certain characteristics.
Addressing each prioritized capacity in
turn, ask the community members to
assign a value according to the agreed
upon scale. If this is the first time the
assessment is being done, the value will
be based on capacities at the present
time.
Capacity scale
They could also be assessed in relation
1 = embryonic, nascent, dormant
to visions of how the community would
2 = sprouting, emerging
like the capacities to be in the future.
3 = growing, young, some fruit, still needs nourishment
Using a similar approach, assess the
4 = well-developed, starts to bear some fruit
same capacities after a period of time to
5 = fully mature, strong, self-reliant, resilient
illustrate impacts of particular activities.
Consider consolidating the assessments Figure 6: Diagrammatic way to represent community
into a visual graph such as Figure 7 to capacity scale (Source: COMPAS, 2010)
elicit clear comparisons and trends.
Facilitate community discussion and reflection of the meaning of the assessments. If some
capacities require further attention or support to achieve the visions, the community could
consider particular activities or plans. If other capacities have reached the vision or highest level
on the scale, the related activities or interventions could possibly be phased out.