Nowledge about the health and Social needs of their communities and about How those needs can be met. Their everyday Experience of home visiting and their long-term Knowledge of individuals, families and net-Works built up over time are valuable resources. As a result they are well placed to identify com-Munity leaders and build alliances with local Groups. Community health practitioners also Have a role to play in the recruitment and sup-Port of lay health workers from the local com-Munity who are key players in community Health development programmes.A fundamental shift is required, however, to Enable practitioners to change their focus ofPractice in order to address not only the indi-Vidual and the family but also the wider com-Munity. Community development necessitates A change in ‘mind set’ from a task- to a com-Munity-orientated form of practice recognising The individual as part of a collective group with Specifi c needs. This may also pose an additional Threat or challenge to practitioners who may fi nd It diffi cult to relinquish their supposed superior Knowledge and power (Jones & Wiggle 1987).Practitioners wishing to be more proactive in Their communities require skills, training and Support to do so. In order for this to occur com-Munity development must become an integralPart of the fundamental role of the community Box 4.3 LEAP evaluation frameworkThe key outcomes are:● Healthy people who have:— Awareness and knowledge— Confi dence, choice and control— Independence and self-reliance— Connections to community● Strong communities characterised by:— Community skills— Equalities— Community organisation— Community involvement● Quality of life – likely to be context specifi c But include indicators in the following:— Community economy— Community services— Community health and safety— Community cultureThe role of community health ProfessionalsThis section discusses:● Why community nurses should be engaging In community development work● How it relates to their scope of practice● What are the competences and aptitudes Required to carry out this kind of