Building Community Capacity to Advocate for Policy Change: An Outcome Evaluation of the Neighborhoods Working in Partnership Project in Detroit

Abstract

This article presents results of the outcome evaluation of Neighborhoods Working in Partnership (NWP), a community-based participatory research project of the Detroit Community–Academic Urban Research Center, designed to enhance policy advocacy skills through training and support, thereby increasing community capacity, engagement, and empowerment of Detroit residents to change policies. Focus groups and conversational interviews were conducted with NWP participants. Results indicate that the workshop empowered participants and enhanced dimensions of community capacity. Participants reported engaging in policy advocacy activities and various policy successes. Participants identified challenges and facilitating factors to their policy campaigns. Recommendations for similar trainings are provided.

Keywords:

• Policy practice
• community capacity building
• community organizing
• program evaluation
• community/civic engagement
• community-based participatory research

Acknowledgments

We appreciate the contributions to the work described in this article of all partners involved in the Detroit Community–Academic Urban Research Center (Community Health and Social Services Center, Inc., Communities In Schools, Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice, Friends of Parkside, Henry Ford Health System, Latino Family Services, Neighborhood Service Organization, Warren Conner Development Coalition, and University of Michigan Schools of Public Health, Nursing and Social Work); the trainers and staff involved in Neighborhoods Working in Partnership; and our colleagues at PolicyLink and Michigan's Children. The work presented here was supported by The Skillman Foundation and the University of Michigan.

Notes

¹ Within quotations, the text in brackets provides context or replaces pronouns with the position of a person or name of an entity about whom/which the respondent is speaking to protect confidentiality.