Managing the Organisation

Capacity Building

Community Legal Centres operate within challenging environments with limited funding and resources to respond to ever increasing demands on their services and programs. Having said that, it is also the case that all organisations have existing capacity. Building on this existing capacity, to develop and improve upon it further, allows the organisation to go to the next level of effectiveness and so increase it’s ability to address its mission or purpose.

The stronger and more robust the organisation, the greater it’s ability to successfully execute its mission, and sustain ably negotiate change and the challenges that confront the community legal sector.

Concerned and committed people form organisations to achieve missions. Therefore, if the organisation is the main vehicle by which to achieve that mission. Then a top priority must be the development and nurturing of that organisation and all of the processes systems and people it comprises. You must have in place a strong organisation in order to be able to pursue your objectives.

Capacity Building is a process....here are some resources to help you on your way.

The Federation is here to help as well...contact the Organisational planning can take many forms, including strategic planning, business planning, market plans and development of work plans.

• The Capacity Building Project - Final Report and Action Plan (2006, PDF, 1179KB)
• CLC Health Check & Why we do it (2006, Word, 178KB)

• Advocacy Capacity Building Project Report 2007 (2007, Word, 2.35MB)

If you have a good model or resource that you would like to add to this Toolkit, or if you want to know more about how capacity building can help your organisation, contact the Federation's Sector Development Officer.