Asset Based Community Development Todd Wellman 2006 The Leadership Practice Public Allies, Inc. 633 West Wisconsin Avenue Suite 610 Milwaukee, WI Phone Fax Public Allies ABCD Institute Corporation for National & Community Service A Special PowerPoint Reproduction for Attendees of Our Charlotte, NC event on October 3, 2006

2 The Leadership Practice Who We Are The Leadership Practice is a collaboration between Public Allies and the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute at Northwestern University. We are a national consulting network that works to strengthen communities by discovering and mobilizing the full range of local community assets. As the official training and technical assistance provider of Community Strengthening for the Corporation for National and Community Service, we are convinced that the active involvement of local citizens in the life of a community is a powerful force for the common good.

3 What is this ABCD? A sset B ased C ommunity D evelopment Needs to Assets Assets & Use Gifts & Talents Associations & Social Capital Transforming Institutions How We Serve

4 Personal Assets Make a list of all those things you are good at with your brain Make a list of all those things you can do with your hands Make a list of all those things you are passionate about Make a list of important relationships in your neighborhood, community, and beyond – people you can ask to get things done HUMANHEART HANDHEAD

5 Needs Map :: Community UnemploymentHousing Projects Poverty Uninsured Illiteracy Child Abuse Truancy Crime Teen Mothers Gang Members Mentally Ill School Dropouts Homeless Delinquency Addiction

6 Needs Map Functions Internalized labels Destroyed relationships Foundation funding decisions Foundation funding categories Power gained by pointing out needs Failure rewarded therefore dependency Hopelessness created

7 The Two Approaches Needs Services Consumers Programs Assets Connect & Contribute Citizens People

8 ABCD Principles & Goals Everyone has gifts For ABCD to work, everyone must give gifts Identifies and mobilizes the assets of individuals, especially those who are marginalized Builds relationships among community members, especially those that are mutually supportive Gives community members more roles and power in local institutions; citizens lead efforts

9 Asset Map :: Community ChurchesBlock Clubs IncomeArtists Labeled People Elderly Culture Groups Youth Local Institutions Citizens Associations Gifts of Individuals BusinessesSchool Libraries Parks Community CollegesHospitals

10 Community Wheel Individuals PhysicalInstitutions Associations EconomyStories Community

11 Wheel :: Associations Associations Animal Care Groups Veterans Groups Block Clubs Business Organizations Charitable Groups Environmental Groups Health Advocacy Groups

12 Wheel :: Institutions Institutions Schools Police Departments Hospitals Libraries Social Service Groups Nonprofits Museums

13 Wheel :: Economy Economy For Profits Chamber of Commerce Banks Foundations Corporations Merchants Development Corporations

14 Wheel :: Stories Stories Background & Personal History Like to Do Realizing & Engaging Skills Community Development Economic Growth Addressing Racism Including Those Who Are Marginalized

15 Wheel :: Physical Physical Gardens Parks Playgrounds Bike Paths Forests Housing Vacant Land & Buildings Streets

16 Wheel :: Individuals Individual Capacities Youth Older Adults Artists Welfare Recipients People with Disabilities Activists Ex-Offenders Parents

17 Social Capital Belief The more relationships someone has in their community, more likely to: Be Employed Volunteer Participate in Political and Civic Activities Join Clubs Participate in Childs School Life Be Honest & Trusting

18 Social Capital Questions How does your work foster communication and relationship- building among the people you serve and residents in your community? What are the associations in your communities? What might they be able or willing to do to improve the community? How could you increase the associational life of your community and the people you serve?

19 Engaging Institutions Their Nature – legal / fiscal / political Who controls the Institutions? Institutional assets in your community How can community gain more influence with these institutions? How can these institutions resources be put to use to strengthen the community?

20 Engaging Institutions (cont) What is your organizations relationship to community residents? How accountable is your organization to the people and community it serves? How does your service define and engage constituents? What power do they have? How does your service strengthen community relationships and social capital? What can you do to make your service more asset-based?

21 Engaging Institutions (cont 2) Who do you hire from the neighborhood? Who do you do business with from the neighborhood? What neighborhood groups do you belong to or meet with regularly? How do you relate to schools, churches, and CBOs in your neighborhood? What do you feel you contribute to the neighborhood and what else might you contribute? Are neighborhood people on your board of directors, advisory groups, or committees?

22 The Transformation Assets Focus on assets Opportunity identification Collective responses Focus: community Develop potential See people as citizens People are the answer Needs Focus on deficits Problem response Individual responses Focus: Individual Fix people See people as clients Programs are the answer

23 Steps to Transformation Rediscover and mobilize the capacities of individuals and associations Put decision making power in the hands of those affected Practice ABCD internally and encourage, evaluate, and reward learning inside your organization Develop leadership inside and outside your organization

24 Steps to Transformation (cont) Be a team player inside and outside your organization Learn about and build relationships with other community stakeholders Think systemically about issues and with whom you can collaborate to impact that issue Put the community first

25 Organization Capacity Window

26 Organization Capacity Window (cont)

27 ABCD & Your Work How will you utilize ABCD in your work? In your life?

Asset Based Community Development Todd Wellman 2006 The Leadership Practice Public Allies, Inc. 633 West Wisconsin Avenue Suite 610 Milwaukee, WI Phone Fax Public Allies ABCD Institute Corporation for National & Community Service