Asset Based Community Development

An Introduction to ABCD Principles and Techniques

What does ABCD mean to you?

ABCD Defined

ABCD is a 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

What Are Assets?

Six Types 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

ABCD ApproachABCD is all 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

In small groups, share

some ways your

organizations are

currently using ABCD

techniques or ways they

could begin implementing

ABCD techniques

Asset-Based vs.

Need-Based

Potential Community Needs:

gang members | school dropouts | mental illness

unemployment | child abuse | homeless

housing projects | poverty | teen parents

Illiteracy | truancy | uninsured | addiction

disease | bullying | intolerance | crime

delinquency | addiction | violence

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:

Needs Survey vs.

Gift Survey

Should we just forget about all the things our community really

needs??

Using Assets to Address 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.

Implementation• Inclusion– challenge everyone to be a leader• Collect Stories – draw out people’s experience

to uncover gifts, skills, talents an abilities of individuals in the community

• 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

Tools for ABCD

• Gift Survey• Asset Mapping• Power Ladder• ABCs of ABCD

• …and many more!