Values, Faith & Community Building Applying Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) in a Faith Context Mary Nelson ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry Community Needs Map Unemployment Housing Projects Crime Child Abuse Gang Members Teen Mothers Illiteracy Poverty School Dropouts Mentally Ill Homeless Truancy Addiction Delinquincy Uninsured ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry TWO PATHS ---TWO SOLUTIONS Needs Assets (What is not there) (What is there) Services to meet Connections & needs Contributions Consumers Citizens Programs are the People are the Answer Answer Definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry LIMITS OF CHARITY Charity is not the answer to poverty. It only helps poverty to continue. It creates dependency, takes away the individual’s initiatives to break through the wall of poverty. Muhammad Yunus Blessing snatchers Labeled people Sharing what works, not what’s wrong (appreciative enquiry) Gifts of head, heart, hands, relationships ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

GOD’S VISION FOR COMMUNITY God’s vision for the human community? How should we live together? Who’s at the table? Left out? What’s difference between God’s vision and our reality? ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry VALUES & MOTIVATION What are the values that come out of our faith commitments? What are the common values that are shared with the community? ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry BUILT on a ROCK faith based Glue, gasoline and guts Faith focus: God’s call to be about justice God’s reminder that every person is sacred, loved by God God’s promise of victory sustains us with hope (King quote) God’s love can turn lives around God’s plan for the human community is without borders or barriers - community ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

Community Assets Associations Block Clubs Gifts of Residents Local Institutions Businesses Schools Associations Churches Block Clubs Gifts of Residents Parks Income Artists Libraries Youth Elderly Labeled/Marginalized Social Groups Self-Help Groups Nonprofits Hospitals ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry FIVE LOAVES, TWO FISHES Identifying the gifts, talents, resources Of your group (individuals, etc) Of your community Assets of Individuals Associations Institutions Economy, businesses Place Faith and hope ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

Building on Strengths - Individuals Create time/space to share gifts Share self first Learning interviews-Beyond the labels to see the gifts, hopes Gifts of head, heart, hands, human relationships Everyone has gifts, no exceptions Everyone must share their gifts Powerful communities create a place for people to share their gifts “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. I Peter 4:10 ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

Building on strengths- Institutions Identifying strengths within - group process; learning interviews -What do we care about? What do we have to offer? Asset mapping inside Identifying community institutions/associations; learning interviews What do they have to offer? What do they want? One on one -relationships inside & outside institutions Coming together around common issues; sharing ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

Assets- Community (physical, social capital) Recognize your physical assets & economic ones Look with new eyes Bethel - abandoned school, closed down hospital, transit stop, conservatory Build partnerships Keep evolving ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry AN ABCD APPROACH Identifies and mobilizes the assets of individuals & institutions, especially those who are “clients” of social services. Builds relationships among community members & institutions, especially those that are mutually supportive. Gives community members more roles and power in local institutions. Citizens lead efforts. ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

DISCOVERING ABUNDANCE Asset Mapping - teams of two (community and institution) - eyeballing New eyeglasses Learning conversations Discovering with our feet Discovering together ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry Learning Conversations to Discover Motivation To Act Less Successful More Successful Start with the answer Start with learning conversations Recruit people to implement Discover what people care the answer about, how they see the situation, & what they Look for answers to the to offer additional problem of “lack of motivation” Mobilize assets to action ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

LEARNING CONVERSATION Tell us about something good that happened in the community recently Issues & concerns you want to work on? Gifts, capacities & skill to share? Strong relationships with others (associations/institutions) Further contacts you would suggest (other people-name, phone, address) ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry Social capital - the connections among individuals, social networks-with reciprocity; the more relationships someone (or some institution) has in their community, the more likely to be effective, employed, engaged, volunteer ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

PARTNERS: RELIGIOUS INVOLVEMENT IN COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT Congregations Interfaith Religious Regional Individual Religious Organizations Jurisdictions Leader Advocate/Convenor Enabler/Facilitator Community Organizer Resource Provider Development Partner Developer Other ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

Tools for Action-Discovery Asset mapping -physical-eyeball Mapping associations, institutions Learning Interviews: Individuals - gifts to share, want to learn (in congregation, in community) Neighborhood Learning Interviews: 1)3 best things about community 2) 3 things need working on 3) what are you willing to work on? Putting it all together to move into action-1) get back to people, businesses 2) connect people, institutions around ideas, issues; 3) ID role you will play ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

FIVE LOAVES and TWO FISHES Start with what you have Asset based approach-gifts of individuals, associations, institutions, physical; local economy Experience the abundance Linkages and connections Leveraging funds Social entrepreneurship Building poor ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry EXERCISE How can you link the resources of your people, organization & community to accomplish? What are the first 4 steps (and timetable) to get it done? ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

Partnering & Persistence Moses & Jethro (Exodus 18:13-27) Servants into friends (John 13:1-17) Widow going to Judge (Luke 18: 1-8) Where are your scars? Wounded healer ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Go to the people Live among them Learn from them Love them Start with what they know Build on what they have; But of the best leaders when their task is done The people will remark “We have done it ourselves.” ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry

ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry Resources for Action Building Communities from the Inside Out -McKnight, Kretzman - ACTA actapublications@aol.com Asset Based Strategies for Faith Communities - ACTA (800)397-2282 Power of Asset Mapping-How Congregation Can Act on its Gifts-Luther Snow; Alban Institute www.alban.org When People Care Enough to Act - Mike Green with Henry Moore & John O’Brien; Inclusion Press, 2006 (www.inclusion.com) ABCD-Strengths-based Ministry