reflection

1. Clarissa Schooley
3/20/19
EXPL 390
ABCD Reflection
From what I have seen at my internship in the Volunteer Relations branch of Catholic
Charities, the organization focuses on assets more so than deficits. I have only seen a small part
of the agency, considering how widespread their work is, but I have noticed how well the leaders
use what they have to get things done. With limited funds and resources, teams have to make
things work no matter what. I believe that this necessity lends itself to an asset-focused approach
because the team members can only use what they have. It would be detrimental and pointless to
focus on what they do not have or what is not available to them. Catholic Charities uses its assets
to solve problems and serve the community.
One such example that I have seen is how Andrew built the Shower Program from the
bottom up. He was able to use the resources he had in the department to build this program from
scratch so that individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago can bathe, take their own bag
of toiletries with them, and get a clean new outfit. In a short interview I had with Andrew in the
fall semester, he told me that he reached out to hotels and companies that Catholic Charities has
worked with in the past to ask for donations. Through networking and donor generosity, he was
able to make the program happen. Because the agency also gets plenty of volunteer applications,
there is often a surplus of people who want to get involved. The Shower Program has become
another way for volunteers to participate in a meaningful way.
When examining a community problem, I think that although the focus should remain on
assets, deficits should also be considered. Because problems usually revolve around a lack of

2. something or some kind of service, the deficits must initially be acknowledged to name and
locate the problem(s) the community is facing. For this reason, I personally value both assets and
deficits in community development. However, I do believe that an asset-based approach is
exponentially more useful than a deficit-based approach from what I have learned in class and
through John McKnight’s educational videos. Creating my own asset map taught me that
although it can be challenging to focus solely on what is already there, rather than bringing in
outside forces, it can yield more rewarding results. Engaging with creativity is an important part
of solving any problem, whether it is small scale or community-wide.
Though I do not work directly with community development, I am able to see what other
people in the agency and the department are doing in regard to this kind of work. I have seen the
ways that non-profit organizations have to jump through hoops and get creative to work with
what they have. I think that the best way for me to get more exposure to community development
would be to attend meetings with Marie, Dalia, Andrew, and Noreen. By seeing the kind of work
they do hands-on, I can gain a better understanding of what kind of role community development
plays in their careers and how it could look in my own future career. Making my own asset map
and reflecting on community development has helped me to gain a better perspective on what
social justice looks like in a practical sense.