Asset Based Community Development (ABCD)

At Global Rise CIC, we use the ABCD (Asset-Based Community Development) approach to unlock the potential within communities. ABCD focuses on what communities already have their strengths, skills, and resources rather than what they lack. It emphasises that local solutions to local problems are most effective when communities are empowered to harness their own assets for positive change.

How ABCD Works

Understanding Community Assets

Community assets are the people, organizations, and physical resources within a community that contribute to its overall well-being. These include individual talents and skills, local businesses, community organizations, cultural heritage, and physical spaces like parks or meeting areas. By identifying these assets, we create a foundation for growth and collaboration that drives sustainable change.

Evaluating Community Assets

To effectively leverage these assets, we first engage with the community to evaluate and map them. This involves listening to local residents, observing existing networks, and identifying the strengths that may be underutilized. We look at everything from the skills of individuals to the support systems within the community. This thorough evaluation helps us understand the unique capacities of each community and how to align them with potential projects and initiatives.

Empowering People with Their Assets

Once community assets are identified, our goal is to empower people to take ownership of these resources and use them to address local challenges. We provide training, guidance, and the necessary tools for community members to apply their skills and knowledge. By fostering collaboration, we help individuals and groups come together to solve problems, whether it’s creating local employment opportunities, improving access to services, or supporting vulnerable populations.

From Projects to Social Enterprises

ABCD plays a key role in our process of facilitating community-driven projects. By leveraging existing assets, communities can develop initiatives that not only address immediate needs but can evolve into social enterprises. These enterprises provide sustainable income and job opportunities for local residents, reinvesting profits back into the community. For example, a simple training program in furniture repair can grow into a full-fledged business that benefits the wider community by generating revenue and developing further skills.

Sustainability Through ABCD

The ABCD approach helps us maintain long-term sustainability by ensuring that projects are community-led and grounded in local strengths. Because solutions are created from within, they are more likely to be embraced and sustained over time. This self-sufficiency reduces reliance on external funding and enables communities to continue developing their own projects, generating income, and addressing new challenges as they arise. Ultimately, ABCD helps us grow alongside the communities we serve, fostering resilience and shared prosperity for future generations.

ABCD departs from traditional methods that highlight deficits, instead spotlighting the inherent strengths in every community. By mobilizing these assets, ABCD fosters growth and resilience. It's a practical and proven approach that has transformed communities worldwide.

At its core, ABCD is a strategy for sustainable, community-driven development. It identifies and leverages existing community assets—like local skills, organizational networks, and physical resources—to drive positive change. This method shifts the focus from what a community lacks to what it can build upon.

Asset Mapping in ABCD: Unlocking Potential for Sustainable Community Development

Types of Community Assets

At Global Rise CIC, we categorize assets into several broad groups to ensure we capture the full spectrum of community potential:

1. Individual Assets: These are the talents, skills, knowledge, and experiences of community members. For example, local people may possess trade skills (e.g., carpentry, plumbing), artistic talents, business acumen, or leadership abilities. We engage with individuals to uncover these strengths and find ways to apply them in community projects and social enterprises.

2. Social and Cultural Assets: Communities often have rich social networks and cultural traditions that can foster collaboration and resilience. These include informal networks of neighbors, community groups, cultural practices, and local history. By identifying these social bonds and traditions, we create pathways for engagement and collective action.

3. Organizational Assets: Local organizations, such as schools, charities, community centers, and local businesses, are often underutilized assets. These institutions can provide resources, expertise, and space to support community development projects.

4. Physical Assets: Physical spaces, such as parks, vacant land, buildings, and community centers, represent potential venues for community gatherings, events, and social enterprises. These resources can be repurposed to serve community needs.

5. Economic Assets: Economic assets include local businesses, credit unions, financial resources, and community enterprises that contribute to economic development. These can be tapped into to foster entrepreneurship, create job opportunities, or support local enterprises.

6. Environmental Assets: Natural resources such as rivers, forests, and green spaces can be integrated into projects that focus on sustainability, environmental education, and conservation efforts.

What is Asset Mapping?

Asset mapping is a key process in the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach. It involves systematically identifying and cataloging the resources, strengths, and capabilities within a community. These "assets" include not only physical resources but also the skills, knowledge, and networks that exist within individuals, groups, and institutions. The purpose of asset mapping is to create a comprehensive picture of what the community already possesses, shifting the focus from deficits (what is lacking) to possibilities (what can be built upon).

How We Conduct Asset Mapping

At Global Rise CIC, we engage in a participatory process to map community assets, ensuring that the process is inclusive and community-driven:

1. Community Engagement and Dialogue: Our asset mapping begins by building trust within the community. We host events, workshops, and focus groups to initiate conversations around local strengths. The process is open, allowing individuals to share their talents and resources while learning about others in their community.

2. Data Collection and Surveys: We use surveys and interviews to gather detailed information about the skills, resources, and knowledge of individuals and groups. This helps us compile a robust database of assets, providing us with a foundation to identify opportunities for collaboration and development.

3. Mapping Tools and Techniques: We utilize digital tools and geographic information systems (GIS) to visually map the assets of a community. By creating both physical and digital maps, we are able to visually represent the distribution of resources across the community, helping us identify patterns and gaps.

4. Community Asset Catalog: Once the mapping is complete, we create a catalog of all identified assets. This resource is shared with community members, organizations, and project leaders, enabling them to access and leverage assets for future projects.

How Asset Mapping Fits Into Global Rise CIC’s Mission

Asset mapping is central to the work of Global Rise CIC. As a community-focused organization, we believe that sustainable development is only possible when it originates from the strengths already present in the community. By thoroughly understanding the community’s assets, we are able to design projects that maximize the use of local resources and skills, creating a sense of ownership among participants.

Asset mapping allows us to:

· Tailor Projects to Community Strengths: Rather than imposing external solutions, we design projects that align with the existing capabilities of community members. For example, if a community has skilled tradespeople, we can develop a social enterprise around home renovation, using their expertise.

· Foster Collaboration: Asset mapping helps us identify where there are overlaps in skills, resources, or goals among different stakeholders. This facilitates collaboration between individuals, businesses, and organizations, helping them work together more effectively.

· Build Capacity: Mapping enables us to identify gaps in knowledge or resources, allowing us to target specific areas for capacity-building. For example, if a community lacks marketing expertise for a social enterprise, we can introduce relevant training or mentorship programs.

· Promote Inclusivity and Empowerment: Asset mapping highlights the contributions of all community members, ensuring that no one is overlooked. This participatory approach builds confidence and empowers individuals to take an active role in community development.

How We Use Asset Mapping to Empower Communities

Once we have mapped a community’s assets, the next step is to activate them in a way that resolves local challenges and contributes to long-term development. Here’s how we do it:

1. Building Solutions from Within: By leveraging identified assets, we empower community members to co-create solutions to problems they face. For instance, if there’s a need for affordable home improvements, and local tradespeople are available, we can help organize a community-run home renovation initiative.

2. Connecting Assets to Projects: Asset mapping allows us to match resources to specific projects. For example, if we identify unused physical spaces like a disused warehouse, we can turn it into a training center or community hub, aligning with our social enterprise goals.

3. Leadership and Ownership: Community members who contribute their assets to projects often become local leaders. By positioning them as key players, we foster leadership skills and a sense of responsibility for the success of the initiative.

Turning Community Projects into Social Enterprises

The ultimate goal of our asset mapping is to create sustainable social enterprises. Once community projects are up and running, they can grow into businesses that benefit the community in multiple ways:

· Creating Jobs: By identifying skilled individuals and facilitating their involvement in projects, we create employment opportunities. These jobs not only generate income but also build local expertise that can be reinvested into the community.

· Generating Sustainable Income: Social enterprises built on community assets generate revenue that is reinvested back into the community. For example, our community store is stocked with donated goods, and the income generated supports other community development initiatives.

· Building Community Wealth: Social enterprises encourage economic growth and community resilience. By using local skills and resources, the community becomes less dependent on external support and more capable of sustaining its own development.

Ensuring Long-Term Sustainability Through Asset Mapping

ABCD, through asset mapping, is key to ensuring long-term sustainability for Global Rise CIC. Here’s how:

1. Self-Sufficiency: By focusing on community-driven solutions and projects, we reduce dependency on external funding. Projects that arise from asset mapping are often self-sustaining, generating income or solving problems using local resources.

2. Adaptability: Asset mapping enables us to remain flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the community. As new assets are identified, we can adjust projects or introduce new initiatives that continue to benefit the community.

3. Continuous Development: By periodically updating the asset map, we track the growth of community skills, resources, and networks. This helps us identify new opportunities and partnerships, driving continuous development and innovation.

In conclusion, asset mapping is a crucial tool in our mission to empower communities, create lasting change, and develop sustainable social enterprises. Through this participatory approach, we ensure that every project we launch is rooted in the strengths of the community, fostering resilience and long-term prosperity.