Capacity building as social action

This brief article explores what is really meant by capacity building and how it can be made effective through grassroots empowerment. The author examines social action as an organised set of action and socio-political process, explaining the concept of capacity building as social action. He looks at capacity building as social action based on an analytical approach seeking to integrate the ethical, political and pragmatic aspects of capacity building, based on values of human rights, socio-ecological justice and equitable social change. A spiral of empowerment illustrates the process of empowerment, moving from the self (experimental reflection) to social change, through capacity building. A conceptual framework for capacity building for empowerment is presented including the elements of perspective, information, skills and models/systems. The importance and processes of each of these elements are explored further looking at enhancing the perspective for social action; links between information, knowledge and power; and skills-modes of effectiveness and efficiency. These processes and links between them are explained with diagrams. Finally reflections are made on advocacy capacity building linked to social action, as a communicative act, and capacity building as social action through learning by doing.