Intro to Asset Based Community Development

Intro to Asset Based Community Development

• 1.
  Asset Based Community Development AnIntroduction to ABCD Principles and Techniques
• 2.
  What does ABCD meanto you?
• 3.
  ABCD Defined ABCD isa methodology that considers local assets as the primary building blocks of sustainable community development; ABCD draws upon existing community strengths to build stronger, more sustainable communities
• 4.
  What Are Assets? SixTypes of Assets • Individuals – people we know, people we label • Economy – businesses, commerce • Associations – informal and formal groups • Physical – spaces and places • Stories – memories, experiences, histories • Institutions – formal organizations
• 5.
  ABCD Approach ABCD isall about… • Identifying and mobilizing the assets of individuals, especially those who are “clients” of social services • Building relationships among community members, especially those that are mutually supportive • Giving community members more roles and power in local institutions; citizens lead efforts • Believing that everyone has gifts and everyone must give gifts
• 6.
  In small groups,share some ways your organizations are currently using ABCD techniques or ways they could begin implementing ABCD techniques
• 7.
  Asset-Based vs. Need-Based
• 8.
  Potential Community Needs: gangmembers | school dropouts | mental illness unemployment | child abuse | homeless housing projects | poverty | teen parents Illiteracy | truancy | uninsured | addiction disease | bullying | intolerance | crime delinquency | addiction | violence
• 9.
  businesses | youth| parks hospitals | churches | elderly | culture groups income | citizens associations schools | natural resources | historical landmarks neighborhoods | volunteers community colleges | libraries | artists nonprofits | sports teams | festivals Potential Community Assets:
• 10.
  Needs Survey vs. Gift Survey
• 11.
  Should we justforget about all the things our community really needs??
• 12.
  Using Assets toAddress Needs Proponents of ABCD believe focusing on local assets will build stronger communities that are better able to respond to and repair deficiencies In small groups, practice connecting community assets to groups or organizations that could use them to address needs.
• 13.
  Implementation • Inclusion– challengeeveryone to be a leader • Collect Stories – draw out people’s experience to uncover gifts, skills, talents an abilities of individuals in the community
• 14.
  • Asset Mapping– assess a community’s potential with an inventory of strengths • Be Action-Oriented – seek to make immediate improvements • Empower Others – inspire and coordinate bottom-up solutions
• 15.
  Tools for ABCD •Gift Survey • Asset Mapping • Power Ladder • ABCs of ABCD • …and many more!