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Robert Francis Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership [RYASAP] 2470 Fairfield Avenue Bridgeport, CT06605 Phone: 203-579-2727 ext. 304 [email protected] Asset Based Community Development Institute Northwestern University www.abcdinstitute.org COMMUNITY “It’s not a place – it’s a relationship” Where youth and adult citizens address needs and develop responses Where people’s gifts are recognized and used to solve community problems and create healthy spaces to live COMMUNITY NEEDS MAP Unemployment Gangs Domestic Abuse Single Parent Families Dilapidated Housing Teen Pregnancy Mental Child Abuse Crime Disability Juvenile Delinquency Illiteracy Alcohol & Drug Abuse Poverty Homelessness Suicide & Depression COMMUNITY ASSETS MAP Local Institutions HOSPITALS GOVERNMENT Citizens’ Associations BUSINESS CHURCHES INCOME YOUTH PARKS BLOCK CLUBS Gifts of ARTISTS Individuals ELDERLY LABELED PEOPLE CULTURAL CLUBS LIBRARIES SCHOOLS HUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES COLLEGES PERSONAL ASSET INVENTORY HAND List of all those things you can do with your hands that you want to share. HEAD List of all those things you have knowledge of that you want to share. HEART HOME List of all those things you really care about that will move you to action List of important relationships in your neighborhood, community and beyond – your connections Types of Associations • Artistic Groups • Business Professional Associations • Charitable Associations • Church Groups • Civic Groups • Collectors Groups • Community Support Groups • Elderly Groups • Ethnic and Cultural Groups • Health & Fitness Groups • Special Interest Groups • Media and Communications Groups • Self Help Groups • Neighborhood Councils • Block Watch Associations • Outdoors Groups • Political Organizations • School Groups (PTA’s etc.) • Service Clubs • Alumni Associations • Sports Leagues • Study Groups • Survivors Groups • Veterans Groups • Women’s Groups • Youth Groups Assets of Institutions “Fortresses or Treasure Chests?” 1. Facilities 2. Equipment 3. Purchasing Power 4. Employment Practices 5. Training and Organizational Development 6. Employees and Their Skills 7. Clout to Open Doors 8. Financial Resources ACTION STRATEGIES FOR CREATING TREASURE CHEST INSTITUTIONS Join together with other institutions, citizen’s associations and community leaders to address issues in the community Convene groups to see what people really care about and are ready to act on Identify your organization’s assets and share these assets with the community to address major issues in the community Distribute small grants to involve citizens or the people you serve in your work Identify and connect local citizen’s associations to your work Use the clout of your board of directors and staff to involve citizen input and action Support citizen organizing – form community partnerships that involve citizens as well as other organizations to advance your issues Use your economic power – hire and train people from the community to strengthen the community Foundation grants Bartering of services Daily wages Government Staff Salaries Sale of local goods Business sales Tax revenues Government grants Grocery sales Tourism revenue LEAKY BUCKET* Social services Health related expenses Transportation Alcohol Recreation costs &Tobacco consumption Products for use by local institutions Taxes and social payments Education expenses Household consumables *The “Leaky Bucket” represents money coming into the community from outside and internal sources and how this money is spent both for effective and ineffective services and goods. Community Assets Building Blocks of Community • • • • • • • • • • Individuals with gifts [All] Associations Neighborhood Groups Congregations Nonprofits Government Schools Businesses Local Economy – $ Physical environment “Assets are not assets unless people want to share them!” START WITH A CONVERSATION The issue – adolescent sexuality Start with an answer… How can we distribute more condoms to prevent STD’s and HIV? Start with a conversation… What can we do as a community to address the issue of adolescent sexuality in order to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and HIV? Who should be involved? What qualities/assets are we looking for in these participants to help with the problem? What is the real question you want to answer? Discover What Discover What People Care Care About About People Conversations More Connections Meaningful Action “If its rats, it must be rats!” Websites Asset Based Community Development Institute www.abcdinstitute.org Coady International Institute www.coady.stfx.ca/ Inclusion Press www.inclusion.com Books •Building Communities From the Inside Out by John McKnight and John Kretzmann •The Careless Society by John McKnight •From Clients to Citizens by Alison Mathie and Gordon Cunningham •When People Care Enough To Act by Mike Green, Henry Moore and John O’Brien •Neighbor Power by Jim Diers •Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam •Discovering Community Power: A Guide to Mobilizing Your Local Assets And Your Organization’s Capacity by the ABCD Institute •A Guide to Building Sustainable Organizations From The Inside Out by the Chicago Foundation For Women •New Community Tools for Improving Child Health by John McKnight and Carol Pandak