Transcript Document

The Story of CAPC and CPNP
“Valuing Our Work”
What is CAPC and CPNP?
• The Community Action Program for
Children (CAPC) was designed to
improve the health and well-being of
children (from birth to age six) and their
families, particularly those families who
require additional support because of
difficult life circumstances.
• The Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program
provides programs and services for
pregnant women who are most likely to
have unhealthy babies because of poor
health and nutrition.
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Capacity Building from a
Program Perspective
• Community based program
• Capacity building is a core element of
project goals
• Programming is designed to increase
capacity at 3 levels
– Individual
– Community
– Systems
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Capacity Building
through
Participatory
Food Costing
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
What was learned
• Successful capacity building requires:
– Supportive environments – these exist when
– Participation and involvement – these exist when
• CAPC and CPNP have learned that
these two core elements build on each
other to achieve capacity building
• Measuring these three things is difficult
because it is difficult to measure change
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
A “critical intermediate variable between
community health intervention programs and
the achievement of health outcomes is
believed to lie in the ability of these programs
to enhance community capacity and create
conditions that facilitate empowerment”.
(Minkler et al, 2002, p.783)
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
CAPC and CPNP Evaluation Story
• Framework was created in Atlantic
Canada using a participatory process
• Evaluation tools were created to
measure change on three levels
• The product produced was a
comprehensive Resource Kit on the
Evaluation and Reporting System for
CAPC and CPNP in Atlantic Canada
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Benefits of Community University
Partnerships
• Collaboration
• Community people (organizations) have
a good tool
• Academics published about the process
• Legitimacy and credibility
• Engaging in the participatory process
itself increased capacity
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Being Mindful of the Community
University Partnership
• It takes time to build partnerships
• Be respectful
• Acknowledge that community-based
organizations bring expertise
• Acknowledge that there is another way
to do the research
• Have the capacity to work within
different power structures
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW
Thank you for your time!!
Debra E. Reimer, MSW, RSW