Nicolette Teufel-Shone, PhD Dine College

Strength or Asset Based Thinking  Focus and identify what is going well  Taking stock of what we already have in terms of resources, abilities, and commitment  Public Health tends to use deficit based statements  Example? American Indians have the highest rate of diabetes in the US

Asset based statements  American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescent females were 30% more likely to receive an HPV vaccine in 2011, as compared to non-Hispanic whites  The 32 tribally controlled colleges experienced a greater increase in AI/AN student enrollment than all other colleges (Trujillo and Alston 2005)  A tribe-specific social service program documented a decrease in intimate partner violence over the last 5 years

Asset based thinking  Does not ignore the challenges  Identifies successes  Documents processes and lessons to be learned from positive outcomes  Tests application of successful approaches to other challenges  Encourages us to thinking outside of the box

Draw 9 Dots Connect using 4 lines

Solution

Words can be powerful  Health promotion  Protective factors  Heart disease  Opportunities  Learning from mistakes  Disease prevention  Risk factors  Heart health  Problems  Failure Change the way you see and talk about everything

Measuring or Evaluating Resilience  Individual outcomes? Academic achievement in a adverse/less than supportive environment  Individual process? Protective or contributing factors Family/peer support Cultural strength

Measuring or Evaluating Resilience  Community outcomes? Rate of college graduation in a community with low incomes and low numbers of high school and college  Community process - Protective or contributing factors Supportive community activities (recognition) Cultural connection activities

Result  Asset/Strength based thinking Builds on previous accomplishments Using existing resources and skills Recognizes resilience Builds confidence  Deficit based thinking Identifies barriers and limitations Creates a mentality of hopelessness Supports an environment of low morale and repressed motivation  Assets Success breeds confidence

How do you document and track community assets?

Asset Mapping  Provide information about strengths and resources of a community  Can help uncover untapped resources or connection between resources to build a solution  Relies on existing resources

So what as you Mapping?  Physical resources (physical capital) School Clinic Chapter house Boys and Girls Club Businesses  Social capital (connections) Booster club for school sports School club – health professions  Cultural capital (knowledge and practice)

When do you use Asset Mapping?  Start a new local program Need information on resources Health promotion – safe exercise  Making program decisions, need evaluation information Pre and post mapping – have the program improved resources As a community/group activity has the program increased awareness of resources

Exercise  Draw a collective or individual map of local community  Purpose: To assess formal and natural (informal) resources Color code Categories ○ Non-native resources (clinics, counselors) ○ Safe/neutral places ○ Healing places ○ Positive physical resources ○ Native resources

Reflection on the process  Other applications? Other health areas  Settings? Parents Community leaders Mixed groups or like groups, i.e. just teens or just health care professionals  Can reveal all resources using diverse experiences and perspectives