| Community based services are viewed as a promising model for services in neighborhoods affected by several risk factors such as poverty, inadequate health care, inadequate housing and neighborhood disorganization. The current study explored the processes used in implementing initiatives funded by an organization and a community capacity building model developed in Miami-Dade County, Florida, namely The Children's Trust. To address the research questions, a case study format was used to describe five selected initiatives funded by The Trust. Using a mixed method design, this inquiry examined the capacity knowledge of the participants, the capacity elements in place, the implementation processes, and perceived lessons learned and barriers to success. All sources of data were examined for content and framing of key themes. The data were assessed with regard to the entire sample, by initiative, and by the participant's role within the initiative. The findings include: moderate levels of capacity building knowledge components, categories and elements among participants; very little evidence to suggest that Trust initiative representatives differ in their capacity building knowledge components and their capacity building categories and elements with respect to the initiative that they are associated with, nor is there much evidence that they differ across these variables with respect to their position role. In terms of lessons learned and barriers to capacity participants listed concerns about program growth and issues around financial management as their top considerations. The study results have professional implications. The qualitative findings suggest that initiatives which focus on Program Design and Strategic Planning may have increased capacity levels in other areas that are needed like leadership, community engagement and financial management. The study of The Trust and its influence on a community should be of significance to those interested in the processes that lead toward capacity building in a community setting. |
