Asset Based Community Development or ABCD is a method which puts at the forefront, the development of a community’s assets and potentials in a sustainable manner while simultaneously acheiving broader transition goals in the process. It involves building capacity and empowering individuals, associations and informal networks to come together and leverage their strengths to mobilise action in their communities, hence unlocking several co-benefits in the planning and implementation process.
Name of Method
Brief description
Asset Based Community Development or ABCD is a method which puts at the forefront, the development of a community’s assets and potentials in a sustainable manner while simultaneously acheiving broader transition goals in the process. It involves building capacity and empowering individuals, associations and informal networks to come together and leverage their strengths to mobilise action in their communities, hence unlocking several co-benefits in the planning and implementation process.
Type/Level of Method
Challenges
Financial limitations: Through the connections with local networks, organisations and associations that citizens build in ABCD, they are able to self-mobilise financial resources both internally and externally. They are able to leverage resources and service within the community and thereafter reach out externally to other partners based on the needs identified.
Inadequate public participation: Asset Based Community Development puts people and their strengths at its centre. As more people come together to exchange ideas, services and abilities, they build stronger connections in the process. Therefore this sustains a continuous participation process where people build social relationships, match with networks and build trust in each other.
Inadequate representation of affected communities: ABCD recognises that every person and community has an asset or gift to offer. Local citizens are in control of the organisation of the engagement efforts and are hence empowered to take important roles in bringing the all groups of the community together.
Scaling challenges: ABCD builds upon existing skills, gifts and assets of the local community and builds capacity to nurture and scale up these abilities. Through training, new skills are also imparted based on self-reflection and interests of the citizens.
Problem, Purpose and Needs
The Asset Based Community Development approach focuses on problem solving by first identifying potentials in the community rather than the conventional approach of identifying needs and deficits. It builds on existing strengths, talents, assets, resources (knowledge, economic, spatial) and skills of the community which are then scaled up, using the influence and connections of informal networks, non-profit groups and associations. The process is led and managed by the citizens deliberately, and is used as a way to build local community capacity, while also building a cohesive support network for vulnerable people. It has been applied in diverse contexts as a means of achieving complex sustainability transitions like energy transition and climate adaptation through holistic community development.
Relevance to Climate Neutrality
Challenges
Thematic Areas
Impact Goals
Issue Complexity
Issue Polarisation
Enabling Condition
Essential Considerations for Commissioning Authorities
Collaborating with local organizations and community representatives is essential to build trust from the beginning. The commissioning authority is predominantly a facilitator and supports the needs of the local communities.
Engagement Journey
Governance Models and Approaches
Enabling Conditions
Democratic Purpose
Spectrum of participation
Communication Channels
Actors and Stakeholder Relationships
Through a first reflection within the local community, a core group of individuals is put together. These individuals are citizens and existing informal groups and networks who are interested in taking on a leadership role and are committed to spearheading the process. This core group then continuously maps community potentials and builds relationships with other groups that can be classified into 5 asset inventories, namely:
- Individuals with gifts and skills
- Associations and informal groups
- Institutions that are structured around assets (e.g. government agencies, schools etc.)
- Place based assets such as historic buildings, parks etc
- Connectors who facilitate trust, social relationships and connections within the community
Based on the identified assets, there is a strategic discussion on how to leverage these to reach the broader transition goal.
Participant Numbers
Actors and Stakeholders
Participant Recruitment
Interaction between participants
Format
Social Innovation Development Stage
Scope
Time commitment
ABCD is a continuous process of community development. However, it is mostly driven by the community itself. The external facilitator takes an observational role and provides any necessary support to the community to organise its activities. The process of ABCD requires consistent relationship building over a long period of time. The ABCD process often tends to run parallel throughout the process of transition, lending support at various stages.
Resources and Investments
Typical duration
Resources and Investments
In-house
Step by Step
1. Social workers or other community facilitators first collect stories from the neighbourhood to identify the motivations, skills, interests and assets in the community.
2. A core group of motivated individuals and groups is brought together.
3. The core group then acts as connections into the community to extensively map its gifts, capacities and assets of its individuals, associations, institutions, places and connections. Additionally, the local services and economy is also mapped.
4. Key connectors within the communities are then identified to further strengthen connections that will drive community development
5. The group of identified asset groups, together create a neighbourhood plan, vision and priorities. In this process, citizens actively participate and co-create a shared vision.
6. Based on the defined vision, the local groups self-reflect and mobilise internal resources to achieve its goals. At this stage, these groups form new types of collaboration and associations of working together and leveraging their assets.
7. The institutions support the local associations in making decisions and mobilising external resources wherever needed. These resources and investments are then utilised by the local community.
Evaluation
Measuring the number of Individuals, associations, institutions, places and connectors identified. Total aggregated population/members that can be extended to via these groups
Measuring the action outcomes, events, initiatives, services and funds mobilised through this process. Internal and external collaboration and partnerships created (eg. Association of different associations who come together to create an action)
Degree of community participation in initiatives, projects and actions.
Measuring change of attitude, behavioural and lifestyle changes
Connecting Methods
Flexibility and Adaptability
It is important to map all 5 types of asset diversities. The Institutions play a supporting role and empower people and associations to mobilise action. ABCD can be adopted to various climate and energy transitions at the neighbourhood scale. Local context and culture plays an important role in the identification of community assets.
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