Are we there yet? A check list for building community connections

This checklist and planning tool aims to help local organisations and people make sure that, in tough times, the real wealth of local communities is released and sustained. It helps you work out how you can mobilise and extend your capacity to support disabled and older people and enable them to contribute as full citizens.

Clive Miller et al have developed this checklist and planning tool to help organisations and their partners assess their capacity-building activities and develop a plan for building social capital in the future.

The document asks:

- What would it look like if people and local organisations in any one area were all operating in a way that developed and made the most effective use of local 'social capital', so that it benefited those older and disabled people who are often the most isolated and marginalised?

- As a local organisation, leader or interested citizen, how would you know if you were doing a good job?

We suggest a vision of what the 'gold standard' might look like and help you to identify the stepping stones towards achieving it. In this way it challenges us all to aspire to the 'gold standard' but also enables us to measure progress and plan further developments. Click here (opens new window) to download the planning tool.