The Neighborhood Development Division is charged with developing and implementing the Department's non-housing strategies to promote stronger neighborhoods, increase residents' leadership abilities through capacity-building activities, prevent homelessness, and offering services such as mini-grants and free tax preparation through a federal program known as VITA---Volunteer Income Tax Assistance.

 

Our office is  located at 201 Fourth Street in a facility which contains a computer center, conference room, and staff offices.  12 computers are available for public use during business hours as well as for VITA activities during tax season.

 

All people and communities have a certain capacity or ability to function, at some level.  Some are more advanced than others, but no one is completely without capacity.  Community capacity-building involves many aspects and considerations.  Most often it refers to skills, knowledge and ability of community members but it can also include such things as access to community resources, leadership, infrastructure, time and commitment.  What is important is that the heart of capacity-building is people.  If neighborhood or development groups cannot mobilize people to access resources and help people work together on a problem or issue effectives, few neighborhoods will grow and be successful.  Capacity is simply ability to accomplish tasks to improve the quality of life in a particular community or neighborhood.  Most often, it includes the following components:

 

• People who are willing to be involved, or “citizen participation” 
• Skills, knowledge, abilities 
• Inclusiveness of community diversity
• Understanding of community history/values
• Ability to identify and access opportunities
• Motivation to carry out initiatives
• Infrastructure, supportive institutions and physical resources
• Economic and financial resources
• Community leadership
• Community organizing
• Inter-organizational collaboration & social networks
• Partnerships among organizations, constituency, funders and “capacity builders”
• Flexibility and use of a variety of approaches
• Acknowledgment of new people/organization to expand energy pool
• Good, consistent communication through exchange, transfer and understanding of information

 

The Community and Neighborhood Development Division is committed to providing community capacity programs throughout High Point.  We provide information and offer assistance on getting a GED, free computer classes, homebuyer education, adult illiteracy, financial literacy, how to start a small business, and how to establish Neighborhood Watch and/or neighborhood associations.  Call our office, 883-3274.