Community Capacity Building and Mobilization in Youth Mental Health Promotion 

The Story of the Community of West Carleton 

How the Community Helpers Program Evolved from a Community's Experience with Youth Suicide

Written by:
Peggy Austen
Child and Youth Program Manager
Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre

For:     
Health Canada
Mental Health Promotion Unit 

Community Capacity Building and Mobilization in Youth Mental Health Promotion 
(47 Pages 322 KB)

Table of Contents 

Introduction 

At a conceptual level, creating a shared community vision intrinsically lies in the adamant belief that every individual brings a unique and essential voice to youth mental health promotion. This is as important at the community grassroots as it is at the national level. In order to reduce stigma and increase awareness with regard to youth mental health issues, diverse collaborative partnerships must be fostered and a common community language developed. 

This paper will explore key concepts in youth mental health promotion, demonstrating how these concepts can and have been operationalized and implemented at the community level. Key concepts in youth mental health promotion will be first defined including community capacity building, community mobilization and youth mental health promotion. The experience of youth suicide in a rural community will be used to illustrate, in practical terms, how these concepts have real-life application. Specifically, in the context of a community's response to a tragic event, the importance of developing a shared vision and creating a common community language around youth mental health will be emphasized. This will be done with an appreciation of the extent of the problem, both in terms of the specific issue of youth suicide as well as the more global issue of youth mental health. 

The identification, engagement and sustainability of a range of community assets and partnerships will be explored as relate to community capacity building and mobilization. Key assets that will be discussed include youth themselves as well as the business community. The Community Helpers Program will be presented as a model for community capacity building around the issue of youth mental health promotion. 

Finally, the implications of successful community capacity building from both a policy and a systems perspective will be discussed. The emphasis will be on how communities and the systems that support them can experience fundamental and lasting change. 

In the context of youth mental health promotion, in order to build capacity, we must always look for "teachable moments."  Such moments can be found throughout the process of capacity building and mobilization. This begins with the event or situation that helps to define the problem. These moments exist throughout the identification of assets and the forging of partnerships that create and implement initiatives to promote and maintain individual and community wellness. This paper illustrates how communities can capitalize on such "teachable moments." 

Defining Key Concepts 

Community Capacity Building 

Community capacity relates to the assets that already exist within a community. These can include concrete resources needed to address particular issues, as well as the wisdom, expertise and leadership to make things happen. The underlying assumption of community capacity is that all members in the community have something to offer in terms of problem solving and strategies to undertake collective concerns. 

Capacity building refers to the means by which a community can tap into its own strengths. "Capacity building places the emphasis on existing strengths and abilities, rather than being overwhelmed by problems or feelings of powerlessness" (HRDC, 1999). It is not possible for "outsiders" to come into a community and create capacity. Capacity building is not likely unless the community has the assets to begin with and the will to mobilize these assets. Assets cannot be fabricated or imposed. "Communities are never built from the top down or the outside in" (Kretzman & McKnight, 1993). 

Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), in The Community Development Handbook (1999), describes several benchmarks regarding the outcomes for community capacity building. Capacity building creates stronger community relationships and sets the stage for the enhanced ability of community members to share ideas on a course of action. There is also an increased ability to set and realize common goals in the action plan. The community begins to have a collective appreciation and respect of the limited resources, both in human and financial terms. The community also takes ownership for the action plan and has an "expanded intuition in sensing what to do, when to do it and when to quit" (HRDC, 1999). In terms of youth mental health, capacity building also increases awareness of the issues and promotes community advocacy to make a difference. Capacity building taps into the natural leadership skills of those in the community and acknowledges and nurtures the interest in young people to be leaders. These outcomes of capacity building will be demonstrated throughout the paper. 

Community Mobilization 

Community mobilization is the use of capacity to bring about change by joining together the strengths of the community into an action plan. "Community mobilization is based on the belief that when a community is mobilized to address and solve its own problems, more efficient and effective results will materialize than could be achieved by any other means" (Hastings, 2001). The anticipated goal is for a safe and healthy community with "buy in" from all community members. With respect to youth, such problems can include youth violence, substance abuse, eating disorders, or even youth suicide, which was the catalyst for the real-life example that will be referred to throughout this paper. 

Several key components are required for effective community mobilization to occur. These include creating a shared vision, a common understanding of the problem, leadership, and establishing collaborative partnerships, increased community participation and sustainability. This paper will explore these components as they relate to the experience of addressing youth mental health issues. 

Youth Mental Health Promotion 

Youth mental health promotion can be seen as the process of enhancing an approach to increase both the individual's, and the community's capacity to improve youth mental health - using strategies that foster supportive environments and individual resilience. "The concept of mental health promotion recognizes that people's mental health is inextricably linked to their relationship with others, environment and lifestyle factors, and the degree of power that they have over their lives"  (Canadian Mental Health Association, 1999). 

This would suggest that in order to increase the mental health wellness of the youth population, not only do we target the youth, but the entire community itself. "It is our responsibility to work with youth to find ways to maintain, enhance and improve their health. Not only do our approaches have to move with the times and the changing society, but also with the attitudes and perceived needs of and by our youth" (Hanvey et al. 1994). Essentially, youth are viewed as primary partners in maintaining and embracing their health and well-being. 

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