The Community Tool Box is a free, comprehensive online resource designed to support professionals in building healthier communities through effective prevention and community development strategies. It offers practical, step-by-step, evidence-informed guidance across core areas of practice, including community assessment and planning, program implementation and evaluation, coalition building, stakeholder engagement, communication, leadership and organizational development, advocacy, cultural responsiveness, and sustainability. Together, these resources provide practitioners, coalitions, and organizations – particularly in child welfare, mental health, and prevention fields – with actionable tools and examples to plan, strengthen, and sustain meaningful, positive change for youth and families.
Type: Website and Power Point Slides
The Community Toolbox: Learn a Skill
This webpage offers a wide range of free information and tools to support community work, all organized for easy access and practical use. Users can browse 46 chapters comprising more than 300 sections that provide step-by-step guidance on essential community-building skills. In addition, concise toolkits cover 16 core competencies, including conducting community assessments, developing strategic plans, writing grants, and evaluating community efforts.
Afterschool Alliance – Lights On Afterschool Event Planning Kit
The Afterschool Alliance’s Event Planning Kit provides prevention professionals with comprehensive guidance for organizing Lights On Afterschool celebrations. It includes a detailed planning timeline, checklists, and templates to help teams coordinate logistics—from budgeting and securing venues to inviting media and policymakers . The toolkit also offers event ideas and activity themes like community festivals, performances, or STEM showcases to spotlight youth achievements and civic engagement. Downloadable resources include sample invitations, flyers, press release templates, branded artwork, and social media messaging to enhance outreach and visibility. Ideal for prevention-minded leaders aiming to mobilize support, raise awareness, and build partnerships, the kit makes planning accessible, scalable, and policy-relevant.
Ready, Set, Go, Review: A Toolkit for School-Based Mental Health Screening.
This toolkit is designed to guidine schools through the process of planning, implementing, and evaluating effective behavioral health screening systems.
Protective and Risk Factors Explained
The New Brunswick Health Council’s article, Protective and Risk Factors Explained, outlines how certain conditions can either support or hinder health and well-being. Protective factors like strong relationships and adequate sleep can buffer against challenges, while risk factors such as social isolation or poverty increase vulnerability to issues like substance use and poor mental health. The piece emphasizes that these factors can be individual, familial, or community-based, and some are modifiable over time. For prevention professionals, this information is crucial for designing strategies that strengthen protective factors and reduce risks, ultimately improving resilience and long-term outcomes.