Community Asset Mapping Mapping Assets for Biloxi’s Youth

Asset Mapping Community Asset Mapping is a capacity-focused way of strengthening communities. It’s a positive approach to community development that avoids the traditional focus on a community’s needs and problems.

Community Asset Mapping is a capacity-focused way of strengthening communities. It’s a positive approach to community development that avoids the traditional focus on a community’s needs and problems.

Asset Mapping The community asset mapping approach: starts with what is present in a community, concentrates on the problem-solving capacity of locals, stresses local purpose, creativity, investment, and control.

The community asset mapping approach:

starts with what is present in a community,

concentrates on the problem-solving capacity of locals,

stresses local purpose, creativity, investment, and control.

Asset Mapping Assets are the attributes of communities that its residents share and value. They are at the core of community life and central for the sustainability of the economy, society and environment in a community.

Assets are the attributes of communities that its residents share and value. They are at the core of community life and central for the sustainability of the economy, society and environment in a community.

Asset Mapping A map of the most valued aspects of a community serves as foundation on which conversations about how to enhance or leverage such assets can take place. It can inform strategic planning, and community & economic development.

A map of the most valued aspects of a community serves as foundation on which conversations about how to enhance or leverage such assets can take place. It can inform strategic planning, and community & economic development.

Case Study First, a Community Conversation was held entitled " Our Community and Our Children - What We Want From Afterschool Programs & Activities in Biloxi .“ Then, asset mapping approach used to build an inventory enabling further conversation about improving or expanding existing services, and to find opportunities for collaboration to better serve youth in Biloxi.

First, a Community Conversation was held entitled " Our Community and Our Children - What We Want From Afterschool Programs & Activities in Biloxi .“

Then, asset mapping approach used to build an inventory enabling further conversation about improving or expanding existing services, and to find opportunities for collaboration to better serve youth in Biloxi.

Kick-Off Asset Mapping Workshops On Tuesday, June 30 th 2009, Public Agenda in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Gulf Coast held two Asset Mapping workshops to begin to identify and collect the resources and assets available to Biloxi’s youth.

On Tuesday, June 30 th 2009, Public Agenda in partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Gulf Coast held two Asset Mapping workshops to begin to identify and collect the resources and assets available to Biloxi’s youth.

Kick-Off Asset Mapping Workshops 40 Biloxi residents, consisting of 20 young people (ages 13-18) and 20 adults representing various community organizations located in the city of Biloxi and the Gulf Coast, gathered to share their thoughts and opinions.

40 Biloxi residents, consisting of 20 young people (ages 13-18) and 20 adults representing various community organizations located in the city of Biloxi and the Gulf Coast, gathered to share their thoughts and opinions.

BiloxiYouthAssets.org To enable a broader group of interested citizens and stakeholders in the community to participate in the asset mapping process, Public Agenda created an interactive Asset Mapping website in addition to the workshops.

To enable a broader group of interested citizens and stakeholders in the community to participate in the asset mapping process, Public Agenda created an interactive Asset Mapping website in addition to the workshops.

BiloxiYouthAssets.org Results of the workshops were quickly posted online after each event. Workshop participants and others who logged on were able to edit or add information to the assets.

Results of the workshops were quickly posted online after each event. Workshop participants and others who logged on were able to edit or add information to the assets.

BiloxiYouthAssets.org The website served as a repository for everything that had been collected, whether during the workshops or online.

The website served as a repository for everything that had been collected, whether during the workshops or online.

BiloxiYouthAssets.org The website became a broad repository and a venue to start discussing how to leverage and communicate about the assets.

The website became a broad repository and a venue to start discussing how to leverage and communicate about the assets.

Next Steps Workshop Finally, Asset Mapping was only a first step. It is critical to involve representatives of each of the assets as well as community members in a discussion about how to move forward based on the new knowledge that has been created.

Finally, Asset Mapping was only a first step. It is critical to involve representatives of each of the assets as well as community members in a discussion about how to move forward based on the new knowledge that has been created.

About Public Agenda Non-profit, non-partisan organization Mission is to “bridge the gap” between leaders and the public Public opinion research on policy issues Public/citizen engagement Over thirty years of experience engaging and listening to the public Issues vary from education to health care, taxes, foreign policy, the federal budget, etc. www.publicagenda.org

Non-profit, non-partisan organization

Mission is to “bridge the gap” between leaders and the public

Public opinion research on policy issues

Public/citizen engagement

Over thirty years of experience engaging and listening to the public

Issues vary from education to health care, taxes, foreign policy, the federal budget, etc.

www.publicagenda.org

Contact Chris Haller Online Engagement Manager [email_address] 303-800-6368 Images courtesy of: Flatbush Gardener, richardmasoner, Chris Haller Lara Birnback Executive Project Director for Public Engagement [email_address] 212-686-6610 www.publicagenda.org

Chris Haller

Online Engagement Manager

[email_address]

303-800-6368