AGENTS
  RATHER THAN
       PATIENTS
REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
CONTENTS                                                                  CONTENTS
                                     1                                                                      31
                               INTRODUCTION                                                         AN AGENDA FOR ACTION

                                                                                 A summary of the discussion and deliberations of the Consultation
                                3
                ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
                                                                                                            37
                                   What is it?                                                   QUESTIONS STILL TO ANSWER

        Why do we need a new approach to community development?
                                                                                                           39
                           The importance of assets                                          SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION

                               A health warning
                                                                                                            43
                             CAN DO and CAN BE                                               PARTICIPANTS AT THE CONSULTATION

                         Being your own first investor

                               15
REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

                  A vital role for local groups and institutions

                          The institutional landscape

           Reducing barriers to asset-based community development

Building up hope: realising the potential of asset-based community development

                                  Money talks

                       Taking community efforts to scale
Introduction



Decades of well-intentioned institutional         inside out. A range of approaches has
efforts to stimulate community                    been developed to assist communities in
development have achieved remarkably              mobilising and developing their internal
little for marginalised communities. Despite      assets, in becoming their own first investors.
the billions spent, social and economic           Local community groups and institutions
inequalities continue to increase, and            have a crucial role to play, alongside the
socially excluded groups remain utterly           local people.
dependent on public money. Community
development policy has been primarily             It was the Nobel Prize winning economist,
focussed upon a community’s needs,                Professor Amartya Sen, who first used the
deficiencies and problems, with funding           term ‘From Patients to Agents’ in his work
allocated in proportion to their severity.        on a freedom-centred approach to
The ubiquitous needs survey counts up the         development. In this he recognises that
emptiness in a community, turning people          poverty arises as a result of deprivation of
into clients, customers or patients. People       basic capabilities or freedoms, rather than
have been treated as being helpless and           being simply a function of low income.
hopeless and, not surprisingly, have learned      The asset-based approach to community
to become so.                                     development helps to develop those crucial
                                                  freedoms for people living in poverty.
Time and again, however, case studies have
shown that when communities focus on              The Consultation at St. George’s House
what they have and are able to organise           was organised by the Building and Social
and mobilise these assets to fulfil a             Housing Foundation to consider how the
community vision, community-generated             potential of the asset-based community
development is achieved and the                   development approach could best be
community is successfully rebuilt from the        realised. Persons of experience and




                                         INTRODUCTION                                              1
expertise were brought together from
    around the world in order to share and
                                                             Asset-based community development
    develop ideas as to how to meet this
    challenge.

    A clear and simple Agenda for Action
    has been drawn up as a result of the
    deliberations of those at the Consultation,              What is it?
    setting out clearly the action to be taken by
    local communities, community groups,                     Asset-based community development                      Time and again case studies have shown that
    intermediary organisations and institutions.             (ABCD) works from the principle that every             the most socially sustainable communities are
    This seeks to provide guidance that is not               single person has capacities, abilities and            those that focus on what they have, rather
    specific to one particular national context.             gifts and that the quality of an individual            than what they lack or ‘need’. They seek to
    This Agenda is set out on pages 31-36 and                life depends in part on the extent to which            identify local skills, talents and resources – in
    outlines four broad areas for action. Firstly,           these capacities are used, abilities expressed         the individuals, local community groups and
    raising awareness and understanding of                   and gifts given. Recognising the assets of             institutions based in the neighbourhood –
    the asset-based approach to community                    individuals and communities is more likely             and later to organise and mobilise these
    development; secondly, reducing the                      to inspire positive action for change from             assets to fulfil a community vision. ABCD
    barriers that currently exist to implementing            within than an exclusive focus on needs and            training methods inspire communities and
    the approach and moving it into                          problems. ABCD focuses on what is present              groups to recognise that every individual has
    mainstream activity; thirdly, identifying the            in a community rather than what is absent,             something important to give for the good of
    institutional change that needs to take place            and requires us to look afresh at                      their community and that these contributions
    and fourthly, suggesting action that can be              marginalised communities and see                       can be mobilised, along with the resources of
    taken by communities in partnership with                 opportunities rather than problems.                    community groups, local organisations and
    local groups and intermediary                                                                                   businesses.
    organisations.                                           Asset-based community development,
                                                             however, is not:
    Contact points for the organisations referred
    to in the text, and others, can be found on              • An end in itself, it is a means to an end           … recognising the assets of individuals
    pages 39-41.                                                                                                   and communities is more likely to inspire
                                                             • An instant fix or silver bullet to tackle           positive action for change from within
                                                               all problems faced by marginalised                  than an exclusive focus on needs and
                                                               communities                                         problems …

                                                             • A ‘one size fits all’ solution.



2                                             INTRODUCTION                                 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                   3
Asset-based community development does                 Projects developed show that the ABCD             are normally fewer institutional barriers to           UN-HABITAT’s enabling approach as
    not ignore the fact that there are needs and           capacity-building process has proved to be        self-starting and self-correcting communities          reflected through the Habitat Agenda seeks
    deficiencies in the community, but has                 sustainable because the ideas, strategies         in developing countries and less                       to remove institutional barriers to civic
    shown that a capacity-focussed approach is             and skills to implement it derive from the        government finance available for                       engagement and is complementary to
    more likely to empower the community                   communities themselves. An asset-based            community development.                                 asset-based community development. Its
    and mobilise citizens to create positive and           approach to community development was                                                                    work in helping governments to become
    meaningful change from within. Focussing               set out in Building Communities from the          A combination of fortitude, leadership and             more open, transparent and accountable in
    on the assets of marginalised communities              Inside Out, by John McKnight and John             motivation, with appropriate external                  its dealings with civil society is crucial if
    does not imply that they do not need                   Kretzmann at Northwestern University in           support and investment, are sufficient to              communities are to be able to develop to
    additional resources or support from                   Evanston, Illinois. The Asset Based               raise the quality of life in a marginalised            their full potential. Its work in facilitating
    outside, they do. Rather, it means that                Community Development Institute there             neighbourhood in developed countries.                  secure tenure will better enable the poor to
    outside resources will be much more                    continues to support and facilitate the           In many developing countries, however,                 hold on to their crucial asset of a home to
    effectively used if the local community itself         approach throughout North America and             even the most basic assets can be withheld             live in. Slums are the most visible and
    is fully mobilised, as it can then ensure that         beyond, building upon and seeking to              or taken away at a moment’s notice from                extensive manifestation of urban poverty
    the external funds are used most effectively           complement other excellent neighbourhood          those living in poverty – shacks can be                and they are comprised of many real
    to create the greatest impact. Although                traditions of community organising. Similar       bulldozed overnight, illness can drain a               communities. UN-HABITAT’s mission of
    creating an asset base in marginalised                 approaches are established throughout the         family’s meagre resources completely. These            slum upgrading over the next twenty years
    communities is essential, it is not sufficient         world. In the United Kingdom the Scarman          situations are faced daily by the urban poor           provides an opportunity to use asset-based
    of itself to meet the huge development                 Trust pioneers the CAN DO and CAN BE              in many developing countries and make it               community development alongside the
    challenges faced by some communities, and              vision and is working with the government         harder for people to identify and hold on              structural improvements of bringing about
    government continues to have a significant             to bring these principles into action. It         to their assets. So much so that they do               secure tenure and improved urban
    role to play.                                          recognises that it is crucial to get people out   often need outside help – at least in                  governance.
                                                           of the spiral of believing that they can’t do     removing some of the very high barriers
                                                           things, that they are only half-people and        to community development.

    … the asset-based community                            that they don’t count and are invisible. It                                                              Why do we need a new approach to
                                                                                                             Many communities find it difficult to pull
    development capacity-building process                  seeks to replace learned helplessness with
                                                                                                             themselves up by the bootstraps without                community development?
    has proved to be sustainable because                   stories of hope.
                                                                                                             the goodwill of their central and local
    the ideas, strategies and skills to                                                                      governments and in many developing                     Community development aims to empower
                                                           The literature on ABCD has few examples
    implement it derive from the                                                                             countries the government takes little                  people in marginalised communities to take
                                                           of this approach being used in developing
    communities themselves …                                                                                 responsibility for its marginalised                    more control over their lives. It seeks to
                                                           countries, where it is in fact much more
                                                           commonly practiced than in developed              communities.                                           build confidence, capacity and sustainable
                                                           countries. The reasons for this are that there                                                           networks in communities and restore their
                                                                                                                                                                    physical, economic and social structures.




4                                 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                                               A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                5
Governments worldwide have been                                                                 The importance of assets                                     service-related, care-giving,
    committed to promoting community                                                                                                                             maintenance and repairs, construction
    development for the last three decades – so                                                     Assets are the range of resources that allow                 and many more
    why do we need to look for a new approach?                                                      citizens, organisations and communities to
                                                                                                    make their own choices about the future.                 •   Abilities and talents including art,
                                                                                                    Community assets fall into the following                     storytelling, crafts, gardening, teaching,
      • Previous approaches as applied by                   •   A dependency attitude has                                                                        sports, political activity, organising,
                                                                                                    five categories:
        governments have failed to achieve                      emerged in marginalised                                                                          volunteering and more
        any significant success. The                            communities that says it is the     • Community residents
        breakdown of economic and social                        role of government and donor                                                                 • Interests such as sharing of skills,
        systems worldwide is stark as                           agencies to provide and for the     • Local groups or organisations where                      enthusiasm for learning and exploring
        inequalities continue to increase.                      ordinary people to receive. Older     local citizens come together to pursue                   new ideas, participating in a new
                                                                people have lost faith in their       common goals (religious, cultural,                       activity
      • Very little has been achieved as a                                                            sports)
                                                                abilities to improve their own
        result of the huge expenditure of                                                                                                                    •   Experiences such as travel, education,
                                                                lives. Younger people know only
        time and money on promoting                                                                 • Local institutions (schools, hospitals,                    etc. give an individual a unique
                                                                dependency.
        community development over the                                                                libraries, local government)                               perspective to share.
        last thirty years and opportunities                 • The cost of dependency is
        to make a difference in people’s                      enormous and governments              • Physical assets (buildings, land, tools)
                                                              cannot afford it, especially with                                                              Once discovered, these capacities can be
        lives have been largely wasted.                                                             • Local economy (formal, informal and
                                                              rapidly rising population levels                                                               mobilised using a range of well-tested
      • Where large investments have                                                                  illegal businesses).                                   techniques towards all sorts of community-
                                                              and/or an increasingly ageing
        been made in neighbourhood                                                                                                                           building projects. Using a capacity
                                                              population.                           It is the knowledge, skills, resources, values
        renewal and regeneration of the                                                                                                                      inventory as a community-building tool
                                                                                                    and commitment of residents that lie at the
        physical environment, little                        • Fruitless approaches in the past                                                               produces both tangible and intangible
                                                                                                    heart of the process, however, and these
        attention has been given to                           mean that at least one generation                                                              results. Both are important and both
                                                                                                    constitute the first set of assets to be tapped.
        building capacities within                            of young people has been deeply,                                                               contribute to the overall well-being of a
                                                                                                    What all community groups discover through
        communities and promoting                             deeply failed. We cannot fail                                                                  community. The tangible results generally
                                                                                                    using a capacity inventory process is that
        community-driven development.                         another.                                                                                       take the form of specific community
                                                                                                    every community resident possesses an
                                                                                                                                                             building or economic development that
                                                                                                    extensive array of individual capacities.
                                                                                                                                                             emerges out of the increased awareness of
                                                                                                    These typically come in the form of:
                                                                                                                                                             residents and local organisations about their
    … community development seeks to build confidence, capacity and sustainable                                                                              own capacity to act effectively. The
                                                                                                    • Skills in a wide range of categories
    networks in communities and restore their physical, economic and social structures …                                                                     intangible results are those differences in
                                                                                                      including creative, office and retail,




6                                A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                                         A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                7
attitudes and feelings – community spirit                A health warning                                    The Scarman Trust is a national UK charity               assets, the Scarman Trust is now supporting
    and pride are enhanced, individuals have                                                                     committed to helping citizens bring about                can-doers in developing much larger scale
    a more positive view of their power and                  After the assets have been identified and           change in their community, in the way that               initiatives such as enterprise development,
    abilities, those who were ‘too young’,                   developed, it is important to remember              they want. It recognises that all communities            partnerships for public service delivery or
    ‘too old’ or ‘too poor’ are seen, and see                that they also need to be managed,                  are wealthy – rich in assets such as skills,             advocacy with government at all levels.
    themselves, as valuable members of the                   maintained and deployed. If not, they can           knowledge, land, buildings, networks,
    community.                                               become liabilities. There is no point just          organisational resources and spending power
                                                             holding assets for the sake of it. Asset-based      – but that these assets often go to waste. It is         Being your own first investor
    Owning assets enables a person to move                   community development is all about                  working with the British government to fund
    from the status of patient to agent; from                connecting the asset to make maximum use            and give practical assistance to hundreds of             There are many examples of how
    client to citizen, i.e. it gives greater control         of it, either by borrowing against it or            remarkable people with a 'can do' attitude.              marginalised communities have been able
    over their life. The benefits to be gained for           realising it to create other forms of asset.        These can-doers are people who act as a                  to turn around a depressing and despairing
    an individual from owning assets include                 Assets need to be managed and                       catalyst and mobilise assets for positive and            situation and go on to continue to achieve
    the following:                                           maintained. Social capital assets can be lost       concrete change. A credit union, a community             so much else. Whilst the two examples
                                                             if they are not looked after and it must be         business, a care scheme, a food co-op –                  given below are in very different parts of
      • Making it easier to cope better                      remembered that asset management has an             whatever it takes for community renewal.                 the world, they have many similarities:
        with life’s setbacks                                 associated cost. Proper education is needed         By mobilising assets in this way, communities
                                                             about assets and how they can be used.              can begin to negotiate and work with
      • Making it easier to look to the                                                                                                                                     •   Both have taken many years of
                                                             Assets can leak out of the system and               government as equal partners, gradually
        future with a more positive                                                                                                                                             struggle against intransigent and
                                                             people burn themselves out because they             redirecting public resources to better use and
        attitude                                                                                                                                                                self-serving bureaucracies and
                                                             want to go faster than the people around            providing people with the opportunity to live
                                                                                                                                                                                vicious politics
      • Having a stake in society                            them are capable or wiling to move.                 to their full potential.
                                                                                                                                                                            •    The community itself is at the
      • Having a feeling of self-worth                                                                           Small amounts of high-risk money,
                                                                                                                                                                                 heart of the process
        and status                                                                                               normally around £2,000, and practical
                                                             CAN DO and CAN BE
                                                                                                                 support are provided for the can-doers.                    • The initial success of the
      • Making it easier to seize                                                                                By March 2004 over 4,000 individuals                         community has led to an
        opportunities                                        With its overtones of morality, volunteering
                                                                                                                 will have been supported, reaching out                       expansion of its work to meet
                                                             and nostalgia, citizenship is a popular political
      • Being a catalyst for civic                                                                               to possibly 500,000 other people. This                       other community needs
                                                             bandwagon. It is, however, one of the
        involvement and enterprise                                                                               approach is designed to create as little
                                                             fundamental issues facing all societies – it is                                                                •   The communities now provide
        development.                                                                                             dependency as possible and encourage
                                                             about power and identity – the power to                                                                            expertise for other groups wishing
                                                                                                                 self-help and mutual aid. Building on its
                                                             achieve CAN DO and then self-realisation,                                                                          to follow their example.
                                                                                                                 ever-growing base of people, ideas and local
                                                             becoming who we would like to be – CAN BE.




8                                   A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                                                   A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                             9
The Eldonian Community is based in the                   Led by determined and tenacious local           The Eldonians continue to extend their                   • Innovation and business enterprise –
     poverty-stricken inner city area of Vauxhall             people, the fruits of 25 years struggle         activities, searching for sustainable sources              a commercial approach to developing
     near the Liverpool docks in the UK. Having               against red tape and political problems are     of income as well as grant aid for their                   sustainable local businesses has helped
     had to watch local housing and communities               there for all to see. 250 permanent jobs        work. A joint venture is being undertaken                  generate a stable and sustainable local
     around them being demolished and dispersed,              have been created. Over 400 high quality        with a private sector company, a successful                economy.
     a group of local people realised that the only           and affordable homes for rent have been         neighbourhood warden scheme is being
     way they were going to improve their living              built with an equal amount of private           provided for other communities and a large               •    Partnership – they always sought to
     conditions was if they did it themselves. In the         sector residential development. Volume          retail development is being planned for the                   work in partnership with the local
     face of nonsensical local politics and large job         house builders were attracted to this           community that still does not have a post                     authority and other agencies, but as an
     losses, as the major employers moved out of              former derelict area due solely to the          office or bank to serve its financial needs.                  equal partner with something on the
     the area, the Eldonians fought to keep their             successful work of the Eldonians in                                                                           table, rather than as a grant applicant.
     community together and to provide good                   regenerating it. 43 hectares of derelict land   The Eldonians identify the following reasons
                                                                                                              for their success:                                       •    Leadership – strong leadership and
     quality, affordable housing for themselves and           around the terminus of the Leeds-Liverpool
                                                                                                                                                                            visionary drive have united the
     others in need.                                          canal have been restored. A village hall,
                                                                                                              • Community ownership – over 600 local                        community and enabled its members to
                                                              sports centre, day nursery and residential
     Having successfully provided themselves                                                                    people are members of the Eldonian                          take responsibility for their own future.
                                                              care home for 30 older people have been
     with good quality homes after years of                                                                     Community Trust Ltd and are genuinely
                                                              designed and built, as well as managed                                                                   The Eldonians have shown what can be
     struggle, the local community set about                                                                    involved with the decisions that affect
                                                              workspace containing 55 office units and                                                                 achieved by local people with a commitment
     looking at other needs of the community                                                                    their lives and surroundings.
                                                              8 workshops.                                                                                             and enthusiasm to fight to recreate a better
     and addressing how to bring sustainable
                                                                                                              • Design and good practice – the local                   life for themselves and their children.
     development to their rundown area of                     Over £25 million of assets have been
                                                                                                                people were involved on the design of                  As well as the new housing and facilities
     Liverpool. Jobs were wanted and the                      created in the community and
                                                                                                                their homes to provide a safe, tidy and                created, a new sense of confidence and
     vulnerable groups left behind in the                     £100 million of inward investment
                                                                                                                attractive environment.                                security has been achieved, resulting in
     community needed care and support.                       has been attracted.




     Canal 1970s               Canal 1990s                Before                   After                      Before                  After                        Before                    After




10                                   A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                                               A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                11
increased levels of private sector                     sanitation work, laying underground piped       BARRIER            HOW IT WAS OVERCOME
     investment, new business and new jobs.                 sanitation and water systems at a fraction
                                                            of the cost that would be charged by the        Psychological      The people came to understand that the lane, and not just the house they
     At much the same time as the Eldonians                 city authorities.                                                  lived in, belonged to them.
     began the fight for their community in
     Liverpool, a small team led by Dr Akhtar               The lane was the unit of organisation.          Social             An organisation was created at the lane level and later on a federation of
     Hameed Khan was working to help local                  Each lane comprised 40 - 50 houses and                             lanes, to support the individuals.
     people in Orangi achieve their own                     was small and cohesive, providing good
                                                                                                            Economic           The cost of the work was made affordable by simplifying the technology
     development needs rather than rely on                  transparency. After being provided with a
                                                                                                                               and providing appropriate tools.
     foreign aid. Orangi is a squatter settlement           map and an estimate of labour and
     covering 60 hectares and is home to                    material costs, the lane manager would          Technical          Support was provided by OPP through designs, estimates, surveys and tools.
     1,200,000 people in Karachi, Pakistan.                 collect the money from the lane households
     The people had identified as their main                and initiate the work on sewage lines with
     priority the development of sanitation,                the assistance of other members. As more        OPP’s work was taken so seriously by the               culverts over natural drainage systems and
     followed by health, education and                      and more lanes began to provide their own       city authorities that they have since                  sewage treatment facilities. The federation
     employment.                                            sanitation, a federation of lane                cancelled loans from the Asian                         of lanes monitored these government works
                                                            organisations was formed and the work           Development Bank in favour of the                      and no substandard work was permitted.
                                                            extended throughout the entire settlement.      community-based approach pioneered by                  Having realised their ability to change their
     … to date, approximately 90% of                        To date, approximately 90% of Orangi            OPP It is the support of the communities
                                                                                                                .                                                  own environment, the communities
     Orangi households have built their own                 households have built their own sanitation      that gives credibility to OPP’s work and the           continue to meet other development needs
     sanitation systems …                                   systems. The people have invested $1.5m         successes achieved by the people have                  – providing education services, good quality
                                                            of their own money. Within 10 years of          meant that the government is willing to                building materials and housing, planting
                                                            starting the programme, infant mortality        carry out complementary work providing                 trees etc.
     Initially the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) led           had fallen from 128 per 1,000 to 37. Some
     by Dr Khan identified activists in individual          doctors are looking for situations elsewhere,
     lanes in the settlements. These activists              with better income earning opportunities…
     called a meeting of the lane residents. Once
     the residents had formed an organisation               Four major barriers had to be overcome in
     and nominated a lane manager OPP was                   order for the local people to believe that
     able to provide them with technical                    they could provide their own sanitation.
     assistance. Mapping and surveys were                   Once these barriers had been overcome,
     carried out by OPP and the community                   the people went ahead and did the work.
     members themselves completed the
                                                                                                            Environmental Context           Barefoot Architects                  Improved Roads and Sanitation




12                                 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                                             A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                               13
The OPP approach is now used in eleven
     other cities in Pakistan as well as
                                                                                Realising the potential
     internationally. Communities, activists or                                 for asset-based community development
     NGOs contact OPP. They come to Orangi
     and spend time seeing how the work is
     done. If interested, further visits are made.
     A small team of organisers and a technician
     receive training from OPP in surveying,                                    The vital role of local community groups            They do not need to have technical
     mapping, estimating, supervision,                                                                                              capacity or professional ability. Their
     documentation and accounts. The new                                        The presence of local groups working                indispensable contribution to community
     organisation becomes part of a network of                                  together for a common goal in a                     development is that they:
     similar organisations, for mutual support                                  community is critical to its capacity to
     and on-going training.                                                     develop successfully, reinforcing and               •   Can reach and involve more people in
                                                                                amplifying the gifts, talents and skills of             community action than institutions
                                                                                individual community members.
                                                                                                                                    •   Are recognised as being the most
                                                                                The depth and extent of these organisations             significant vehicles for changing
                                                                                and their activity in any community is                  people’s attitudes and behaviour
                                                                                mapped as part of asset-based community
                                                                                                                                    •   Mobilise members to take on
                                                                                development and is always found to have
                                                                                                                                        additional roles: for example, a church
                                                                                been vastly underestimated. Some groups
                                                                                                                                        group setting up a day centre for older
                                                                                are created by people of a common faith,
                                                                                                                                        people, a woman’s group running
                                                                                others are organised around a particular
                                                                                                                                        health awareness centre.
                                                                                need or issue, for example, a neighbourhood
                                                                                watch group or babysitting circle, a political
                                                                                or environmental group. Others are
                                                                                organised around recreational needs such as         … the presence of local groups working
                                                                                sports or arts or by physical proximity such        together for a common goal in a
                                                                                as neighbourhood improvement groups.                community is critical to its capacity to
                                                                                Their unifying feature is that they have            develop successfully, reinforcing and
                                                                                come together with a shared vision for              amplifying the gifts, talents and skills
                                                                                common action.                                      of individual community members …




14                                 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                   REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                15
Their strengths are multiplied even more            interests converge and will quickly come        local community groups and institutions.           best by understanding that they do
     when they are linked into coherent                  together to negotiate those interests. The      Intermediary organisations have an                 different things’.
     networks. This helps them to get organised          size of overlap between professionals and       important role to play in providing a bridge
     and powerful and increases their ability to         politicians is often directly proportional to   between community focuses and the larger           … intermediary organisations have an
     engage with local institutions. Once linked,        the distance from the people – the larger       scale strategic decisions. People working at       important role to play in providing a
     these groups can facilitate peer learning –         the interaction between these, the greater      community level often have trouble getting         bridge between community focuses and
     face to face exchange of information and            the distance from local community groups.       enough objective distance to understand            the larger scale strategic decisions …
     sharing of experience, which is recognised          There is a need for collective overlap          their role in a larger picture, whilst those
     as the best way to help people become               among all parties involved.                     working at the strategic level can’t
     more powerful. They are then in a better                                                            communicate well enough with the                   An example of one such intermediary is the
     position to have an effective say in those          Intermediary organisations are well             community to move the agenda along.                Common Ground Community in New
     issues that affect their area and to resist the     established in the US but are less so in        Intermediaries are also able to provide the        York. This issue-focussed organisation is
     inevitable opposition and inertia they will         other countries where community                 expertise needed when the practical limits         concerned to solve homelessness in the city.
     face. In order to organise successfully across      organising is not as advanced. They come        of citizens’ capacity to take on technical         Its emphasis is on the re-use of significant
     a number of groups it is important to have          in a range of forms, including the              issues is reached. Marrying the technical          under-utilised properties in marginalised
     a specific focus of interest and to ensure          federations of local community groups that      processes of housing development with a            areas of the city. Typically old dilapidated
     that there is a space where politicians,            provide mutual support to their members         citizen-based organisation almost always           and disused welfare hotels are restored to
     professionals and people can meet on an             as well as the professional community           results in the technicians and professionals       their former glory to provide homes for
     equal footing. Professionals and politicians        support organisations who facilitate,           dominating, however unintentionally. In the        homeless persons and low-income workers.
     are skilled at identifying where their              connect and weave relations between             US, most citizen groups quickly spin off the       The method used seeks to renew, support
                                                                                                         housing development element to a separate          and expand community renewal efforts and
                                                                                                         organisation as it threatens to overwhelm          works with other local community groups
                                                                                                         their levels of competence and engagement.         and organisations that are concerned with
                                                                                                         The awareness is ‘each do that that they do        broader community revitalisation.




                                                                                                         Common Ground Community – The Prince George     Before           After




16                   REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                 17
Common Ground Community is increasingly             Common problems faced by intermediary             excellent position to better support                “If institutions are to protect people and a
     recognising that community assets are more          organisations include the following:              community empowerment and agency at                 broad range of assets, they must respond to
     than just the buildings and that the homeless                                                         local level.                                        and shape the major changes that will unfold
     persons and local volunteers are extremely            • They are trying to coalesce efforts                                                               over the next 50 years…institutions must be
     valuable assets in themselves. When invited                                                           Unlike the community residents and small            capable of changing and adapting, and new
                                                             working from the ground up, but
     to work in a 250-block area of New York, it                                                           local community groups that are clearly             institutions must emerge.”
                                                             they themselves do not
     very soon realised that the first task was to                                                         responsive to local conditions, challenges
                                                             necessarily have roots in the
     organise the organisations, since there were                                                          and plans, the local institutions are often         This statement by the World Bank clearly
                                                             ground
     32 different organisations working on                                                                 directed and controlled by forces and               demonstrates mainstream acceptance of
     homeless issues in one form or another –              •   The institutionalising                      relationships outside the neighbourhood. In         an asset-based approach to community
     churches, transportation managers, mental                 arrangements are made too early             larger cities especially the leaders and staff      development. It is important to change
     health services. It has taken time for this               on in the life of the organisation          of these institutions answer first to the           institutional structures with more power
     grouping to come to a common strategy and                 and can restrict and set in stone           larger system of which they are a part, not         devolved to local agencies along with new
     a definition of homelessness, but it has been             their potential for activity                to the local residents, and they are often          accountability, i.e. the duty of partnership.
     extremely useful in terms of being able to                                                            based outside the area. Re-establishing the         It will also be important to pioneer new
                                                           •   Inappropriate structures are used           links between the community and these               larger-scale mutual institutions. These will
     share information and work together to
                                                               and limit the effectiveness of the          institutions is not always easy and local           include development trusts, community
     improve the situation.
                                                               organisations.                              people have to reassemble the political             development credit unions, neighbourhood
     It is important to have the right kind of                                                             power to re-root these institutions in the          service companies, community learning
     intermediary structure. Experience in the US                                                          neighbourhood. Much change needs to                 networks and many others.
     has shown that when they are created                                                                  take place within the existing local
     intentionally these structures tend to              The institutional landscape                       institutions in order to be more responsive
     become top down and authoritarian and it                                                              to community needs.                                 Reducing barriers to asset-based
     becomes difficult to maintain the fluid and         In addition to the assets represented by
                                                         local individuals and citizens’ organisations,    An institutional landscape is important in          community development
     dynamic structure of the organisation. It
     also shows that membership organisations            every community has some combination of           community development – it must contain
                                                                                                           small and large organisations, local ones as        In order to introduce an asset-based
     tend to work better than more formally              formal public, private and not-for-profit
                                                                                                           well as official ones, those that rely on self-     approach to community development it is
     created ones. Intermediary processes are            institutions – such as schools, parks,
                                                                                                           generated income and well as those                  important to understand the barriers that
     often confused with intermediary                    libraries, police stations, colleges, hospitals
                                                                                                           requiring grant support. Accountability,            currently act as an impediment to the
     organisations – it is vital to resist pressures     and faith centres. These institutions can
                                                                                                           devolution and strong working relationships         process. These barriers can be unintentional
     to institutionalise, formalise and organise         bring many assets to support the
                                                                                                           are all important.                                  as well as intentional. Identifying them is
     too soon and appropriate forms of                   community-building initiatives of citizens
                                                                                                                                                               the first step towards their reduction or
     organisation should be allowed to emerge.           and their associations. They are in an
                                                                                                                                                               removal.




18                   REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                    REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                  19
BARRIER                 MEANS OF OVERCOMING IT                                                       BARRIER              MEANS OF OVERCOMING IT
     Lack of awareness       • Overcome the conviction of people who believe that they are                Lack of access to     • Provide innovative, appropriate and easily accessible financial
     and confidence            hopeless, helpless and cannot win.                                         appropriate financial   products to meet community needs – small loans, low-cost
                                                                                                          opportunities           insurance, start-up finance for micro-enterprise.
                             • Map the assets of community residents and local community groups.
                                                                                                                               • Build up the discipline of repayment with the use of affordable
                             • Help a community to understand that it has to be its own first investor.
                                                                                                                                 loans rather than grants wherever appropriate.
                             • Tap into the confidence and energy of young people.
                                                                                                                               • Pioneer new larger scale mutual institutions and encourage greater
                             • Keep the fun – celebrate success and everything else!                                             investment in communities by the private and not-for-profit sectors.
                             • Include ABCD training in professional development and training for                              • Approach existing institutions in the community (schools, colleges,
                               those involved in the financial, education, housing and social work                               and housing organisations) to be more creative in how they can use
                               sectors.                                                                                          their assets to support the community.
                             • Use participatory planning tools, such as Planning for Real, to help
                                                                                                          Lack of technical    • Provide business support for small enterprises.
                               cut through the talk.
                                                                                                          support
                                                                                                                               • Establish a community exchange system and cross-community
     Isolation and           • Link up local community groups to form a mutual-help federation                                   collaboration to match up technical needs and resources.
     lack of support           to provide greater support and the ability to withstand problems.
                                                                                                                               • Provide technical support and training to support self-build and
                             • Create strategic alliances to support the community – in local                                    other initiatives, where there is little or no previous experience.
                               government, NGOs, media and academic institutions.
                                                                                                                                • Establish community-based technical and training institutes.
                             • Share experience by visiting other communities to learn from their
                               successes and problems.                                                    Inertia              • Identify and reduce the bureaucratic obstacles and red tape that
                                                                                                                                 currently prevent community action and financing.
     Existing power          • Provide training in asset-based community development for
                                                                                                                               • Reduce the departmental complexity so that there is a more direct
     structures                community development professionals.
                                                                                                                                 route for communities to work in cooperation with local government.
                             • Introduce financial and other incentives/regulations to change the
                                                                                                                               • Work to provide secure tenure and improved urban governance to
                               patterns of existing vested interests.
                                                                                                                                 create an enabling environment for community building.
                             • Ensure that local and central governments understand the political
                                                                                                                               • Fast-track innovative products.
                               and economic advantage to be gained from the approach.
                             • Ensure that paid staff and consultants remain answerable to the
                               community.




20                     REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T             21
Building up hope: realising the                     downward spiral of hopelessness and              The key to growth in the upward spiral is           community to take control of the process.
     potential of asset-based community                  despair (Spiral A).                              that the community owns the aims and                Assets are built up and used to take the
     development                                                                                          objectives of the interventions and                 community forward. This process is not
                                                         Communities are dynamic and will                 strategies, owns the development of                 carried out in isolation. There is a whole
                                                         continually change. The spirals continue         solutions and their implementations, the            range of uncontrollable external factors –
     Communities are different. Some are
                                                         and repeat, and do not come to an end,           processes and the monitoring. These                 governments changing, world changes.
     positive and cyclical, centred on solutions
                                                         hope will build on hope and despair will         upward spirals can be clearly seen in the           There will be additional assets going into a
     and action, and there is a continual
                                                         build on despair if there is no trigger to       examples of the achievements of the                 community and assets will also flow out,
     improvement (Spiral C), others don’t have
                                                         bring about a change of direction.               Eldonians and the communities in Orangi.            both positively and negatively. Some of the
     any major crises, coping and gradually
     improving as they go along, but not                                                                                                                      money will flow out of the community but
                                                         The aim of asset-based community                 The start of the process is the mapping of
     changing significantly (Spiral B). However,                                                                                                              so will knowledge, empowerment and
                                                         development is to change these downward          assets at all levels right across the spectrum
     a common denominator in marginalised                                                                                                                     experience going to other communities.
                                                         negative spirals into ones that are upward and   – from individual assets through to large
     communities, centred on problems, is the            positive, with a continual building of hope.     mega-land deals. Mapping leads to                   This process can be seen in the diagram
                                                                                                          catalysing – enabling and energising the            below.




22                   REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                   REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                 23
Governments at all levels will need to make        Two key elements are required:                    responsibility effective. Local leaders                to take out a loan for £250 to mend the
     a greater effort to genuinely listen and                                                             and activists set the process in motion,               roof – these are all vital financial services in
     respond to the intermediary organisations,                                                           beginning to build the skills, hope and                poor and marginalised communities and
                                                            •     Access to relevant finance,
     to the local community groups and their                                                              confidence of other people in the                      societies. The hard physical assets of cash in
                                                                  building wealth right across a
     federations. Money will need to be kept in                                                           community, thus adding impetus to the                  the bank, businesses, community buildings
                                                                  spectrum of assets
     communities longer than it is now, legal and                                                         upward spiral. Engaging people in the                  and home and land ownership are as
     financial changes will be needed. Power                • A propelling force to drive change          community development process will build               important as the social capital or
     relationships will need to change, with                  and maintain the upward                     energy and momentum, which will in turn                community spirit and cannot be ignored in
     existing barriers removed and a letting go of            movement of the spiral.                     feed back into the communities. It is a self-          asset-based community development.
     power. These are significant and far-reaching                                                        generating system that depends on the
     changes, but they are essential if a reversal                                                        power of a few individuals in the first
                                                        Propulsion requires a source of energy, a                                                                … asset-based community development
     of the spirals is to be achieved.                                                                    instance. Developing the skills and
                                                        trigger to set the process in motion.                                                                    begins with a community’s wealth, not
                                                                                                          determination of others will ensure that
     So how will this change be brought about?          Experience has shown that change is most                                                                 its poverty, with its abilities rather than
                                                                                                          there is a continual supply of energy.
     Will it be through evolution, revolution,          often triggered by the following factors:                                                                its powerlessness …
     step changes, a quantum leap or all of                                                               It will take time for an upward spiral to gather
     these? What is certain is that it is needed        •       A crisis – for example, a new motorway    pace. It will begin slowly in many                     It is important to highlight the link between
     NOW, before millions more lives are                        or flooding in the local area             communities but will grow exponentially.               individual asset building – savings, investing
     damaged and destroyed in a downward                                                                  Once the energy is created and the perception          in education or starting a business – and the
                                                        •       Fear – a growing sense of fear usually
     spiral of despair. There needs to be                                                                 in, and of, the area has changed from                  wider asset-based community development.
                                                                linked to the level of safety in a
     innovation and creativity, thinking outside                                                          hopelessness, it is likely that property values        Both are interlinked and unless the asset-
                                                                community
     the box and learning from everything – the                                                           will begin to increase, crime will begin to decrease   building capacities of individuals can be
     successes, the failures and the just               •       Opportunity for access to authority and   and jobs, banks and shops will come back in.           unleashed it will not be possible to
     interesting. Bending the spend of existing                 responsibility that was not there                                                                maximise the capacities of communities.
     programmes is necessary to make sure they                  previously.
     are more effectively used and will support                                                                                                                  Marginalised communities are virtually
                                                                                                          Money talks
     the assets that are being built.                   The successes achieved by asset-based                                                                    entirely dependent on grant aid, with a
                                                        community development have identified                                                                    current average expenditure by government
                                                                                                          In a capitalist society it is financial assets
                                                        this third factor as a way to trigger change.                                                            of just less than £11,000 per person in the
                                                                                                          that give people and communities a voice.
     … engaging people in the community                 It grows from the serious reallocation of                                                                UK – but what is there to show for it? In
                                                                                                          Marginalised communities are rarely heard,
     development process will build energy              authority, which requires people to                                                                      most cases these communities are still in a
                                                                                                          and even more rarely listened to. Having
     and momentum, which will in turn feed              reconceive who is responsible and identify                                                               dire state. Where does this money go? Most
                                                                                                          the right to acquire property, access to
     back into the communities …                        the tools to be developed to make that                                                                   of it leaves the community – in the form of
                                                                                                          credit to start a small business, being able
                                                                                                                                                                 goods and services purchased from outside




24                  REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                      REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                      25
the community, on the salaries of                  Over time it also breeds a culture of          The ABCD institute gives the following              Access to credit is a major problem for
     contractors, consultants and professionals         dependency on those that provide the           guidelines for community-based groups               individuals and organisations in marginalised
     who do not live in the community, on land          grants and all understanding is lost of how    applying for capacity-oriented funding:             communities. Often for individuals the only
     and buildings owned by others outside the          anything can ever be done otherwise.                                                               source of credit is predatory lenders – loan
     community, on repayment of debts. Very                                                              • Clearly identify the skills, abilities,         sharks or moneylenders – who can, and do,
     little is left to circulate in the community       Current systems of payments according to                                                           charge ridiculously inflated interest rates.
                                                                                                           capacities and assets that local
     and foster growth. It is important to              deficiency or needs perpetuate the mindset                                                         Likewise, funding for organisations and small
                                                                                                           residents will contribute to the
     prevent money leaking from the local               of learned helplessness. This is not to say                                                        businesses is hard to obtain, with banks and
                                                                                                           proposal.
     economy in marginalised communities.               that a complete overhaul needs to be made                                                          insurance companies preferring to lend
                                                        immediately of all grant determination and       • Clearly identify the capacities of              elsewhere.
     Asset-based community development                  delivery mechanisms, but rather that               community’s citizens’
     begins with a community’s wealth, not its          changes could be introduced at local level         associations, and indicate how                  The provision of available and affordable
     poverty, with its abilities rather than its        in order to ensure that funds are allocated        they will be involved in both                   financial mechanisms to create community
     powerlessness. This is a world away from           on a capacity-oriented basis rather than a         governance and problem solving.                 control of assets is crucial in promoting
     the practices of most government agencies          multiple misery index.                                                                             sustainable community development. In the
     and programmes. Most government grants                                                              • Indicate how this proposal will                 United States, Community Development
     and those of other funding organisations           Grants and soft (low-interest) loans,              mobilise, use, enhance and                      Finance Institutions (CDFIs) represent one of
     are awarded on the basis of how bad things         however, do have a place in a                      expand these local capacities.                  the most successful ways of bringing
     are, or continue to be. As well as creating        comprehensive funding system. They are                                                             financial services to marginalised
                                                        very important for start-ups, for developing     • How will it contribute to building
     perverse incentives for people not to try to                                                          the local economy, for example                  communities and to encourage mainstream
     increase their income, it spreads the general      and innovating new projects and products,                                                          repayment behaviour. It is not the case that
                                                        for new ideas and research. It is important        by employing community
     corrosive attitude amongst professionals                                                              residents, enhancing local                      poor people cannot afford to borrow money
     and organisations that really nothing can          that soft loans should not be written off or                                                       or will not repay it – repayment rates are
                                                        turned into grants. Even though the terms          purchasing, capturing public
     ever be done.                                                                                         budgets for local use, etc?                     typically higher than average. It is the access
                                                        may be soft, they should be enforced and                                                           to credit that poor people do not have. CDFI
                                                        outstanding debts should be chased in            • How will it show evidence of                    loans typically have high interest rates, to the
                                                        order that discipline of repayment is              significant investments of                      point where they are sometimes considered
     … the provision of available and                   retained and developed.                            resources and time by local                     usurious. These higher rates are due to much
     affordable financial mechanisms to
                                                                                                           residents and organisations before              higher costs of delivering financial services to
     create community control of assets is
                                                                                                           funding starts?                                 marginalised neighbourhoods, of providing
     crucial in promoting sustainable
     community development …                                                                                                                               significant levels of business support and of
                                                                                                                                                           sustaining their own small organisations. It is
                                                                                                                                                           these high costs that prevent the retail banks
                                                                                                                                                           from operating in this sector. Even 9% short-




26                  REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                     27
term lending rates (when the average rate is         These equity-like investments can leverage        need systemic solutions, however, and scale          the work of OPP with the local communities
     6% in retail banking) are still much more            through guarantees or other financial             solutions are needed to address the larger or        living in the lanes of Orangi gave it sufficient
     accessible than the extortionate rates               transactions to the tune of 40:1 their own        national structural issues.                          influence and authority to be used at the
     charged by the predatory lenders – the only          value in the activity within the neighbourhood.                                                        citywide and regional level.
     other source of finance in poor communities.                                                           Reaching scale is defined as linking small local
                                                                                                            efforts into a critical mass and is only desirable
     CDFIs have been established for many years                                                             if it conforms to the interests and goals of the     … scale in community work is achieved
                                                          Taking community efforts to scale                                                                      more effectively through knowledge
     in the United States and are heavily                                                                   local community. It is not desirable if it is only
     supported by the government with the                                                                   coming from the top down, for example large-         transfer than through the expansion of
                                                          The asset-based approach is increasingly                                                               individual organisations …
     provision of matching funding and low                                                                  scale government clearance and
                                                          being recognised by national governments
     interest rates. The long-term commitment                                                               redevelopment schemes that destroy
                                                          and other organisations such as the World
     enables them to become well established                                                                communities. It is well to remember that:            Community movements grow from sharing
                                                          Bank as offering a positive and valuable
     and self-sustaining. It is common practice for                                                                                                              information. The people themselves are the
                                                          approach to community development. This           • There is always more than one way of
     housing associations to set up CDFIs in their                                                                                                               primary actors and the best teachers.
                                                          in part reflects the reluctant acceptance that      doing something
     communities and there is mutual advantage                                                                                                                   Encouraging more collective action and cross-
                                                          there is little to show for the vast amounts of
     in the two activities being linked, especially                                                                                                              learning between groups is vital and exchange
                                                          money spent in the last thirty years on urban     • Action needs to be taken at a range of
     with regard to providing reassurance that the                                                                                                               initiatives that run from one community to
                                                          and community regeneration. Although                levels
     CDFI is not yet another loan shark.                                                                                                                         another are invaluable in this process. The
                                                          there are many differences, at heart there
                                                                                                            • The most effective solutions are the               Eldonian and Orangi communities are both
     The crucial thing to ensure is that people           has been no fundamental change.
                                                                                                              thievable ones – those that are taken              continually involved in talking to others. Most
     have the right amount of money, at the
                                                          Dissemination of any innovative approach            up spontaneously and rapidly by those              people learn from action and reflection and
     right time on the right terms, and there
                                                          takes place through a population of potential       who can use them.                                  not from bespoke training courses run by
     should be a mixed economy in terms of the
                                                          adopter organisations and individuals. The                                                             institutions. Coaching rather than controlling
     financing products available. It is healthier if                                                       Scale in community work is achieved more
                                                          process by which new practices are adopted                                                             relationships foster learning. Peer learning –
     there are a range of organisations providing                                                           effectively through knowledge transfer than
                                                          is iterative, complex and multi-directional.                                                           the face to face exchange of information and
     a range of sophisticated financial products                                                            through the expansion of individual
                                                          Five main stages in the adoption process have                                                          sharing of experience – is probably the most
     and services designed specifically to meet                                                             organisations. If an organisation expands it can
                                                          been identified: knowledge, persuasion,                                                                effective way in which people realise what
     the needs of the communities. The Ford                                                                 easily detach itself from its own roots and will
                                                          decision, implementation and confirmation.                                                             can be achieved and cross-group associations
     Foundation in the United States has done                                                               no longer reflect its mission and community
                                                          Spreading knowledge requires trust – trust in                                                          are vital in putting the infrastructure in place
     much work in this field over many years                                                                base. Multiple roots and community bases are
                                                          the people we know and trust in experience.                                                            to support this. It is important to maintain the
     and has found that patient capital (i.e.                                                               the way forward, rather than one effort on a
                                                          The adoption of new approaches frequently                                                              fun and passion in the process and to
     prepared to wait for social and financial                                                              massive scale. A certain degree of scale is
                                                          involves re-invention during the                                                                       celebrate victories. Involving young people
     returns) and long-term investments are very                                                            necessary, however, for a group to have
                                                          implementation process in order to match it                                                            and their creative energies will naturally
     big elements in leveraging funds.                                                                      sufficient leverage. For example, scaling up of
                                                          to its local setting. Systemic problems do                                                             bring life and dynamism.



28                    REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                     REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                     29
Other ways of going to scale and replicating         There are traps to be avoided when moving
     come through building strategic alliances and        to scale:
                                                                                                            An Agenda for Action
     gaining media support. Inclusion of ABCD
     approaches in the academic training of               •   Most replication ideas and approaches
     professionals will reap benefits in generations          are developed, inspired and dominated
     to come and getting professionals out to see             by institutions and are supply-led (i.e.
     action on the ground has a massive impact.               we have a solution here for you to copy)
     Positive and exciting case studies will help to          rather than demand-led. The reason for        The discussions and deliberations of the              The key areas for action fall into four broad
     raise profile and awareness. Unjustified local           this is that all too often people have        three-day consultation were distilled into an         categories. Firstly, raising awareness and
     fears are best defeated by those who faced               forgotten how to make demands. One of         Agenda for Action. This Agenda identifies             understanding of the asset-based approach
     similar fears in the past and have overcome              the achievements of asset-based               key actions that can be used by people and            to community development; secondly,
     them when reality was different from that                community development is that it helps        institutions from a range of cultures and             reducing the barriers that currently exist to
     which was expected.                                      people to take ownership of the               contexts to further develop the potential of          implementing the approach and moving it
                                                              demands they want to make and in              asset-based community development.                    into mainstream activity; thirdly, identifying
     As well as moving ideas between                          doing so having a much clearer idea of                                                              the institutional change that needs to take
     communities, it is also important to ensure              what supply can meet those demands.           The following principles should be used in            place and fourthly, suggesting action that
     that there is political and professional                                                               guiding all action:
                                                          •   Most replication approaches produce a                                                               can be taken by communities in partnership
     understanding and recognition. It is important,
                                                              formula or model that can be applied on                                                             with local groups and intermediary
     therefore, to create and institutionalise a space
                                                              a wider scale and transposed to other           • Communicate ideas and                             organisations.
     where people can meet with politicians and
                                                              situations. People in power are always            information simply
     professionals on an equal footing.
                                                              looking for formulae, trying to make            • Keep people at the centre of the
     Monitoring and measurement of impact are                 things simple for easy application. Whilst        process                                           Raising awareness and understanding
     crucial if others are to be convinced of the             such approaches of models and formulae                                                              of asset-based community development
     value of what is being achieved. Since                   are possible when it comes to technical         • Learn from the experience of
     anecdotal evidence or case studies are often             issues (such as construction methods), this       others                                            •    Bear in mind that many people do
     felt to be insufficient to convince, a proper            is not possible in the citizen-based sector                                                              not understand what asset-based
                                                                                                              • Do not accept existing practices
     assessment of the value gained for both society          when an individual answer is needed to                                                                   community development is. Its
                                                                                                                as unchangeable
     and the government is an important tool.                 the situation. The key issue is for local                                                                relevance and benefits need to be
                                                              people to have a purpose and to take            • Keep in the WOW!! factor to                            explained, as well as the fact that it
                                                              mutual responsibility for the development         inspire and raise the spirit                           complements other existing
     … it is important to create and
                                                              of their community.                                                                                      approaches.
     institutionalise a space where people                                                                    • Patience and persistence are
     can meet with politicians and                                                                              essential to achieve change.
     professionals on an equal footing …



30                    REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T                                                         AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N                                       31
• Share experience by facilitating visits            Reducing barriers to using an                  • Seek to change attitudes of dependency              •   Use approaches that are adjusted to
       between groups in different                        ABCD approach                                    and learned helplessness by building in                 meet individual circumstances of
       communities, since more is learned                                                                  the discipline of repayment with the                    different communities – there are no
       from action and reflection on the                  • Identify the barriers that exist at            use of affordable loans rather than                     ‘Lycra’ (one-size-fits-all) or silver bullet
       experience of others than from training              present, recognising that these can be         grants where appropriate.                               solutions.
       courses or books.                                    unintentionally as well as intentionally
                                                                                                         • Encourage greater investment in                    •    Prioritise action so that there is
                                                            created and that some people and
     • Highlight good news and positive case                                                               marginalised communities by reducing                    something for people to identify with
                                                            organisations have vested interests in
       studies to raise the profile of the                                                                 the artificially-created barriers between               and be inspired by – forge ahead,
                                                            maintaining the existing situation.
       benefits that can be achieved from the                                                              the profit and not-for-profit sectors.                  get results and build staying power.
       approach and attract media attention               • Provide training and organisational
       to the successful examples of what can                                                            • Get rid of the red tape that limits the             • Understand that it is easier to identify
                                                            development in public bodies amongst
       be achieved.                                                                                        activities of credit unions and other                 and replicate good practice for
                                                            both officials and elected politicians,
                                                                                                           small-scale financial organisations.                  technical solutions than for citizen-
                                                            so that they are equipped to respond
     • Extend understanding of the approach                                                                                                                      based solutions. There are dangers
                                                            more creatively and positively to            • Change the institutional rewards and
       through training of professionals,                                                                                                                        in creating simplistic formulae for
                                                            communities, and encourage rather              risk systems that lead to inaction.
       university and college students to                                                                                                                        replication at the citizen-based area
                                                            than block action for change.                  Create non-financial incentives to
       create a cadre of sympathetic and                                                                                                                         of action and the approach should be
       enlightened professionals.                                                                          encourage positive action and address                 to adapt and adopt.
                                                          •    Change the current practice of
                                                                                                           those elements of the benefit system
                                                               identifying needs and deficits in a
     • Help professionals in the public and                                                                that discourage individuals from saving            •    Recognise that scale in community
                                                               community by looking also at the
       private sectors and politicians to see                                                              and investing.                                          work is achieved more effectively
                                                               assets available.
       the benefits of reaching out to the                                                                                                                         through knowledge transfer than
       community as a whole rather than                   • Don’t allocate grant aid primarily on                                                                  through the growth of small
       just to those with specific needs.                   the extent of the needs identified           Moving to mainstream activity                             organisations into larger ones.
                                                            (truant youth, pregnant teenagers,
     • Recognise that security is as much to                                                                                                                  •    Accept that conflict and jealousies are
                                                            substance abusers, homeless persons          • Recognise that scaling up is important
       do with community development and                                                                                                                           inevitable and will have to be dealt
                                                            etc.) in order to avoid the categorisation     and that asset-based community
       involvement as it is with police forces                                                                                                                     with if progress is to be made.
                                                            of community problems.                         development is increasingly being
       and the military.
                                                                                                           recognised both nationally and                      •   Monitor and evaluate action to ensure
                                                                                                           internationally. Changes should be                      that it is possible to demonstrate
                                                                                                           implemented without delay.                              success where and when it happens.




32                                       AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N                                                                         AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N                                          33
Recommendations for change                            •    Recognise that membership-driven         • Think big as well as small with a range              Action by communities in partnership
     at the institutional level                                 organisations are more successful than     of finance options, from venture capital            with local groups and intermediary
                                                                ones that have been imposed, since the     to small loans, encouraging the                     organisations
     • Accept the reality of the downward                       latter quickly become top-down and         development of a range of enterprises,
       social and economic spirals that exist                   authoritarian.                             including micro-enterprises.                        •    Map the social and organisational
       in many marginalised communities.                                                                                                                            assets that will certainly exist within the
                                                           •    Redesign government funding to           • Evaluate the effectiveness of the
                                                                                                                                                                    community to raise awareness of the
     • Recognise that institutions don’t have                   promote ownership of assets and            funding methods used and the products
                                                                                                                                                                    latent capacity and skills that are available.
       all the answers. It is important to listen               finance and the circulation of wealth      available, including micro-finance.
       to the local communities who will be                     in communities, looking in particular      Make sure that existing funding                     •    Make community groups aware that
       able to give solutions.                                  at benefit payments and public             programmes are used effectively,                         they are assets in themselves and help
                                                                procurement.                               bending the spend where necessary                        them to understand the benefits of
     • Improve the quality of local                                                                        to achieve maximum impact.                               taking a positive role in their own
       partnerships by being more honest in                •    Encourage and facilitate the
                                                                                                                                                                    future and that of their community.
       dealings with the community and being                    development of community                 • Change emphasis away from grant
       prepared to place greater trust in the                   associations and intermediary groups,      dependency towards investment                       •    Understand that communities must be
       community enablers.                                      but without imposing structures and        funding where this is appropriate, but                   the first investors in their development
                                                                constraints too early in the               recognise that there are many possible                   rather than relying entirely on grant aid
     • Ensure that there is a known lead                        development process.                       answers and solutions. A menu of                         to do anything.
       department in central government for                                                                financial offers is necessar y, ranging
       ABCD and reduce the complexity of                   •    Develop innovative financial products      from traditional grants, through grants             •    Learn from others how to fight the
       departmental involvement and                             and methods to meet community              repayable in kind and low-interest                       inertia of bureaucracy and vested
       complicated funding arrangements.                        needs, including very small loans,         loans, to loans at commercial rates.                     interests that will have to be faced.
       Devolve power to local agencies                          low-cost insurance and credit for land
       wherever possible.                                       purchase where needed.                   • Create, nurture and ultimately                      •    Encourage the quiet and shy members
                                                                                                           institutionalise a space for interaction                 of the community to come forward.
     • Put flexible systems in place to grab               • Support the continuing development            between communities, formal and
       the sparks and innovators and support                 of community development finance              informal interest groups and                        •    Keep the fun and passion in all
       those people with vision.                             institutions and credit unions in a           government agencies.                                     activities to make it attractive for other
                                                             variety of shapes and sizes to meet                                                                    community members to join.
     • Help groups to work together but avoid                local needs and encourage housing
       formalising structures and arrangements               associations to become involved in
       too early in order to allow the most                  community investment approaches.
       appropriate frameworks time to emerge.




34                                        AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N                                                                         AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N                                            35
• Don’t let the government off the hook
       and remember that it still has
                                                                        Questions still to answer…
       responsibilities to work alongside
       communities.

     • Recognise that communities learn best
       from communities and that community
       concerns are best overcome by those                              Many questions were raised at the                  •   How can governments be encouraged
       who have shared similar concerns and                             consultation but not all were answered.                to create an enabling environment in
       fought similar battles in the past.                              Some of these unanswered questions are                 which an asset-based community
     • Keep money in the community by                                   included here as a focus for future debate.            development can be fostered and
       employing local residents wherever                                                                                      validated?
                                                                        • How can funders develop an investor
       possible.                                                          approach to funding that better
     • Cultivate friends and allies at different                          supports asset-based community
       institutional levels – in universities,                            development?
       NGOs and local governments where                                 • How can we turn the energy and
       they can help and support community                                ingenuity of the informal economy in
       initiatives.                                                       marginalised communities to positive
     • Ensure the long-term viability of                                  effect?
       intermediary organisations as well as                            • How can an intermediary organisation
       implementing their mission.                                        establish roots in the community?
     • Don’t grow too large – keep the roots                            • What is the appropriate amount of
       of intermediary organisations in the                               money to be lending in communities?
       locality and seek to put people in touch                           What are the appropriate terms and
       with each other, matching up resources                             timescales?
       and needs.
                                                                        • How can grants be used more
                                                                          effectively in marginalised
                                                                          communities?




36                                        AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N                                      QUESTIONS STILL TO ANSWER                                  37
Sources of further information



                                 Asset Based Community Development                 Community Development Finance
                                 Institute                                         Association
                                 Northwestern University                           Room 101, Hatton Square Business Centre
                                 2040 Sheridan Road                                16/16a Baldwins Gardens
                                 Evanston, IL 60208                                London
                                 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                          EC1N 7RJ
                                 Tel    +1 847 491 3214                            UNITED KINGDOM
                                 Fax    +1 847 467 4140                            Tel    +44 (0)207 430 0222
                                 Web    www.northwestern.edu/ipr/abcd.html         Fax    +44 (0)207 430 2112
                                                                                   Web    www.cdfa.org.uk
                                 Civil Renewal Unit
                                 Home Office                                       CHF International
                                 3rd Floor, Allington Towers                       8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 800
                                 19, Allington Street                              Silver Spring, MD 20910
                                 London                                            UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
                                 SW1E 5DE                                          Tel    +1 301 587 4700
                                 UNITED KINGDOM                                    Fax    +1 301 587 7315
                                 Tel    +44 (0)20 7035 5302                        Web    www.chfhq.org
                                 Fax    +44 (0)20 7035 5386
                                 Web    www.homeoffice.gov.uk/inside/org/          Eldonian Community Based Housing
                                        dob/direct/cru.html                        Association
                                                                                   The Tony McGann Centre
                                 Common Ground Community                           Eldonian Village
                                 14 East 28th Street                               Liverpool
                                 New York, NY 10016                                L3 6LG
                                 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                          UNITED KINGDOM
                                 Tel    +1 212 389 9334                            Tel    +44 (0)151 207 3406
                                 Fax    +1 212 389 9312                            Fax    +44 (0)151 298 1464
                                 Web    www.commonground.org                       Web    www.eldonians.org.uk




38   QUESTIONS STILL TO ANSWER                                 SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N                             39
Ford Foundation                                 UN-HABITAT                       Other Useful Sources
     320 East 43rd Street                            PO Box 30030
     New York, NY 10017                              Nairobi 00100                    J.P.Kretzmann and J.L. McKnight (1993)
     UNITED STATES OF AMERICA                        KENYA
                                                                                      Building Communities from the Inside Out – a Path toward Finding and Mobilising a Community’s
     Tel   +1 212 573 4778                           Tel    +254 20 625001            Assets
     Fax   +1 212 351 3611                           Fax    +254 20 623919 / 624325
                                                                                      ACTA Publications, Chicago.
     Web   www.fordfound.org                         Web    www.unhabitat.org
                                                                                      (available from ACTA Publications, 4848 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60640, USA
     Housing Corporation                                                              Tel: +1 773 271 1030)
     149 Tottenham Court Road
     London                                                                           M. Pike (2003)
     W1T 7BN                                                                          Can do Citizens – Re-building Marginalised Communities
     UNITED KINGDOM                                                                   Social Enterprise Services Limited.
     Tel   +44 (0)207 393 2121
     Fax   +44 (0)207 393 2111                                                        J.P. Kretzmann and J.L. McKnight (1997)
     Web   www.housingcorp.gov.uk                                                     A Guide to Capacity Inventories
                                                                                      ACTA Publications, Chicago.
     Orangi Pilot Project -
     Research and Training Institute                                                  (available from ACTA Publications, 4848 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60640, USA
     37-D Muhammad Ali Society                                                        Tel: +1 773 271 1030)
     Karachi – 75350
     PAKISTAN                                                                         Community-led Estate Regeneration Handbook – by Residents for Residents
     Tel   +92 21 452 2361                                                            (available from www.regenerate-uk.org)
     Fax   +92 21 452 2361
     Web   www.urckarachi.org                                                         www.tmonatfed.com
                                                                                      (website of the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations)
     The Scarman Trust
     Kemp House                                                                       www.eurovisits.org.uk
     152-160 City Road                                                                (a community tenant-led organisation that helps communities, tenant organisations and
     London                                                                           professionals)
     EC1V 2NP
     UNITED KINGDOM
     Tel   +44 (0)207 689 6370
     Fax   +44 (0)207 689 6125
     Web   www.thescarmantrust.org




40                               SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N                                                    SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N                               41
Participants at the Consultation



                                         Mr Tony Brankin                                          Dr Rod Hackney
                                         Secretary                                                Architect
                                         National Federation of Tenant Management                 Past President of RIBA and UIA
                                         Organisations
                                                                                                  Ms Rosanne Haggerty
                                         Mr Michael Chapman                                       President
                                         Associate Director                                       Common Ground Community, USA
                                         Centre for Research into Socially Inclusive
                                         Services                                                 Mrs Eirwen Harbottle
                                                                                                  Chair of Directors
                                         Mrs Diane Diacon                                         Peace Child International
                                         Director
                                         Building and Social Housing Foundation                   Mr Dominick Harrod
                                                                                                  Former Director of Studies at St. George’s House
                                         Mr David Dickman                                         Chair of Consultation
                                         Head of Co-operative and Sector Development
                                         the Co-operative Bank                                    Ms Lorraine Hart
                                                                                                  Research and Development Officer
                                         Mr Alan Dunn                                             The Environment Trust
                                         Superchannel Programme Manager
                                         Foundation for Art & Creative Technology (FACT)          Mr Arif Hasan
                                                                                                  Chairperson
                                         Mr George Evans                                          Orangi Pilot Project –Research and Training
                                         Director of Housing                                      Institute, Pakistan
                                         Eldonian Community Based Housing Association
                                                                                                  Ms Kath Healy
                                         Ms Jill Gibbs                                            FACT High-Rise Tenant
                                         Chairman                                                 Community Representative from FACT
                                         Building and Social Housing Foundation
                                                                                                  Dr Judith Hermanson
                                         Ms Silvia Guimarães                                      Vice President
                                         Architect/Planner                                        Co-operative Housing Foundation International,
                                         Building and Social Housing Foundation                   USA




42   SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N                                       PARTICIPANTS AT THE CONSULTAT I O N                                     43
Mr Mike Holdgate                                           Mr Michael Parkes
     South-east Regional Co-ordinator                           Senior Planning and Architectural Advisor
     The Scarman Trust                                          Department for International Development

     Dr Jerry Kloby                                             Mr Matthew Pike
     Co-ordinator                                               Executive Director
     Institute for Community Studies                            The Scarman Trust
     Montclair State University, USA
                                                                Ms Benedetta Rolando
     Dr George McCarthy                                         Desk Officer, Europe and Africa
     Program Officer                                            Peace Child International
     Ford Foundation, USA
                                                                Mr Andy Rowland
     Mr Tony McGann                                             Manager
     Chairman                                                   EcoDyfi Community Energy Company
     Eldonian Community Based Housing Association
                                                                Dr Anna Tibaijuka
     Professor John McKnight                                    Under-Secretary-General, United Nations,
     Director of Community Studies                              and Executive Director, UN-HABITAT
     ABCD Institute, Northwestern University, USA               United Nations Human Settlements Programme,
                                                                Kenya
     Ms Ruth McLeod
     Chief Executive                                            Mr Andrew Williamson
     Homeless International                                     Managing Director
                                                                Hastoe Housing Association
     Mr Adrian Moran
     Policy Manager                                             Mr Charles Woodd
     The Housing Corporation                                    Head of Community Development
                                                                Home Office Civil Renewal Unit
     Ms Bernie Morgan
     Chief Executive
     Community Development Finance Association




44                                      PA RT I C I PANTS AT THE CONSULTAT I O N

Agents Rather Than Patients[1]

  • 1.
    AGENTS RATHERTHAN PATIENTS REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
  • 2.
    CONTENTS CONTENTS 1 31 INTRODUCTION AN AGENDA FOR ACTION A summary of the discussion and deliberations of the Consultation 3 ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 37 What is it? QUESTIONS STILL TO ANSWER Why do we need a new approach to community development? 39 The importance of assets SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION A health warning 43 CAN DO and CAN BE PARTICIPANTS AT THE CONSULTATION Being your own first investor 15 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT A vital role for local groups and institutions The institutional landscape Reducing barriers to asset-based community development Building up hope: realising the potential of asset-based community development Money talks Taking community efforts to scale
  • 3.
    Introduction Decades of well-intentionedinstitutional inside out. A range of approaches has efforts to stimulate community been developed to assist communities in development have achieved remarkably mobilising and developing their internal little for marginalised communities. Despite assets, in becoming their own first investors. the billions spent, social and economic Local community groups and institutions inequalities continue to increase, and have a crucial role to play, alongside the socially excluded groups remain utterly local people. dependent on public money. Community development policy has been primarily It was the Nobel Prize winning economist, focussed upon a community’s needs, Professor Amartya Sen, who first used the deficiencies and problems, with funding term ‘From Patients to Agents’ in his work allocated in proportion to their severity. on a freedom-centred approach to The ubiquitous needs survey counts up the development. In this he recognises that emptiness in a community, turning people poverty arises as a result of deprivation of into clients, customers or patients. People basic capabilities or freedoms, rather than have been treated as being helpless and being simply a function of low income. hopeless and, not surprisingly, have learned The asset-based approach to community to become so. development helps to develop those crucial freedoms for people living in poverty. Time and again, however, case studies have shown that when communities focus on The Consultation at St. George’s House what they have and are able to organise was organised by the Building and Social and mobilise these assets to fulfil a Housing Foundation to consider how the community vision, community-generated potential of the asset-based community development is achieved and the development approach could best be community is successfully rebuilt from the realised. Persons of experience and INTRODUCTION 1
  • 4.
    expertise were broughttogether from around the world in order to share and Asset-based community development develop ideas as to how to meet this challenge. A clear and simple Agenda for Action has been drawn up as a result of the deliberations of those at the Consultation, What is it? setting out clearly the action to be taken by local communities, community groups, Asset-based community development Time and again case studies have shown that intermediary organisations and institutions. (ABCD) works from the principle that every the most socially sustainable communities are This seeks to provide guidance that is not single person has capacities, abilities and those that focus on what they have, rather specific to one particular national context. gifts and that the quality of an individual than what they lack or ‘need’. They seek to This Agenda is set out on pages 31-36 and life depends in part on the extent to which identify local skills, talents and resources – in outlines four broad areas for action. Firstly, these capacities are used, abilities expressed the individuals, local community groups and raising awareness and understanding of and gifts given. Recognising the assets of institutions based in the neighbourhood – the asset-based approach to community individuals and communities is more likely and later to organise and mobilise these development; secondly, reducing the to inspire positive action for change from assets to fulfil a community vision. ABCD barriers that currently exist to implementing within than an exclusive focus on needs and training methods inspire communities and the approach and moving it into problems. ABCD focuses on what is present groups to recognise that every individual has mainstream activity; thirdly, identifying the in a community rather than what is absent, something important to give for the good of institutional change that needs to take place and requires us to look afresh at their community and that these contributions and fourthly, suggesting action that can be marginalised communities and see can be mobilised, along with the resources of taken by communities in partnership with opportunities rather than problems. community groups, local organisations and local groups and intermediary businesses. organisations. Asset-based community development, however, is not: Contact points for the organisations referred to in the text, and others, can be found on • An end in itself, it is a means to an end … recognising the assets of individuals pages 39-41. and communities is more likely to inspire • An instant fix or silver bullet to tackle positive action for change from within all problems faced by marginalised than an exclusive focus on needs and communities problems … • A ‘one size fits all’ solution. 2 INTRODUCTION A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 3
  • 5.
    Asset-based community developmentdoes Projects developed show that the ABCD are normally fewer institutional barriers to UN-HABITAT’s enabling approach as not ignore the fact that there are needs and capacity-building process has proved to be self-starting and self-correcting communities reflected through the Habitat Agenda seeks deficiencies in the community, but has sustainable because the ideas, strategies in developing countries and less to remove institutional barriers to civic shown that a capacity-focussed approach is and skills to implement it derive from the government finance available for engagement and is complementary to more likely to empower the community communities themselves. An asset-based community development. asset-based community development. Its and mobilise citizens to create positive and approach to community development was work in helping governments to become meaningful change from within. Focussing set out in Building Communities from the A combination of fortitude, leadership and more open, transparent and accountable in on the assets of marginalised communities Inside Out, by John McKnight and John motivation, with appropriate external its dealings with civil society is crucial if does not imply that they do not need Kretzmann at Northwestern University in support and investment, are sufficient to communities are to be able to develop to additional resources or support from Evanston, Illinois. The Asset Based raise the quality of life in a marginalised their full potential. Its work in facilitating outside, they do. Rather, it means that Community Development Institute there neighbourhood in developed countries. secure tenure will better enable the poor to outside resources will be much more continues to support and facilitate the In many developing countries, however, hold on to their crucial asset of a home to effectively used if the local community itself approach throughout North America and even the most basic assets can be withheld live in. Slums are the most visible and is fully mobilised, as it can then ensure that beyond, building upon and seeking to or taken away at a moment’s notice from extensive manifestation of urban poverty the external funds are used most effectively complement other excellent neighbourhood those living in poverty – shacks can be and they are comprised of many real to create the greatest impact. Although traditions of community organising. Similar bulldozed overnight, illness can drain a communities. UN-HABITAT’s mission of creating an asset base in marginalised approaches are established throughout the family’s meagre resources completely. These slum upgrading over the next twenty years communities is essential, it is not sufficient world. In the United Kingdom the Scarman situations are faced daily by the urban poor provides an opportunity to use asset-based of itself to meet the huge development Trust pioneers the CAN DO and CAN BE in many developing countries and make it community development alongside the challenges faced by some communities, and vision and is working with the government harder for people to identify and hold on structural improvements of bringing about government continues to have a significant to bring these principles into action. It to their assets. So much so that they do secure tenure and improved urban role to play. recognises that it is crucial to get people out often need outside help – at least in governance. of the spiral of believing that they can’t do removing some of the very high barriers things, that they are only half-people and to community development. … the asset-based community that they don’t count and are invisible. It Why do we need a new approach to Many communities find it difficult to pull development capacity-building process seeks to replace learned helplessness with themselves up by the bootstraps without community development? has proved to be sustainable because stories of hope. the goodwill of their central and local the ideas, strategies and skills to governments and in many developing Community development aims to empower The literature on ABCD has few examples implement it derive from the countries the government takes little people in marginalised communities to take of this approach being used in developing communities themselves … responsibility for its marginalised more control over their lives. It seeks to countries, where it is in fact much more commonly practiced than in developed communities. build confidence, capacity and sustainable countries. The reasons for this are that there networks in communities and restore their physical, economic and social structures. 4 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 5
  • 6.
    Governments worldwide havebeen The importance of assets service-related, care-giving, committed to promoting community maintenance and repairs, construction development for the last three decades – so Assets are the range of resources that allow and many more why do we need to look for a new approach? citizens, organisations and communities to make their own choices about the future. • Abilities and talents including art, Community assets fall into the following storytelling, crafts, gardening, teaching, • Previous approaches as applied by • A dependency attitude has sports, political activity, organising, five categories: governments have failed to achieve emerged in marginalised volunteering and more any significant success. The communities that says it is the • Community residents breakdown of economic and social role of government and donor • Interests such as sharing of skills, systems worldwide is stark as agencies to provide and for the • Local groups or organisations where enthusiasm for learning and exploring inequalities continue to increase. ordinary people to receive. Older local citizens come together to pursue new ideas, participating in a new people have lost faith in their common goals (religious, cultural, activity • Very little has been achieved as a sports) abilities to improve their own result of the huge expenditure of • Experiences such as travel, education, lives. Younger people know only time and money on promoting • Local institutions (schools, hospitals, etc. give an individual a unique dependency. community development over the libraries, local government) perspective to share. last thirty years and opportunities • The cost of dependency is to make a difference in people’s enormous and governments • Physical assets (buildings, land, tools) cannot afford it, especially with Once discovered, these capacities can be lives have been largely wasted. • Local economy (formal, informal and rapidly rising population levels mobilised using a range of well-tested • Where large investments have illegal businesses). techniques towards all sorts of community- and/or an increasingly ageing been made in neighbourhood building projects. Using a capacity population. It is the knowledge, skills, resources, values renewal and regeneration of the inventory as a community-building tool and commitment of residents that lie at the physical environment, little • Fruitless approaches in the past produces both tangible and intangible heart of the process, however, and these attention has been given to mean that at least one generation results. Both are important and both constitute the first set of assets to be tapped. building capacities within of young people has been deeply, contribute to the overall well-being of a What all community groups discover through communities and promoting deeply failed. We cannot fail community. The tangible results generally using a capacity inventory process is that community-driven development. another. take the form of specific community every community resident possesses an building or economic development that extensive array of individual capacities. emerges out of the increased awareness of These typically come in the form of: residents and local organisations about their … community development seeks to build confidence, capacity and sustainable own capacity to act effectively. The • Skills in a wide range of categories networks in communities and restore their physical, economic and social structures … intangible results are those differences in including creative, office and retail, 6 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 7
  • 7.
    attitudes and feelings– community spirit A health warning The Scarman Trust is a national UK charity assets, the Scarman Trust is now supporting and pride are enhanced, individuals have committed to helping citizens bring about can-doers in developing much larger scale a more positive view of their power and After the assets have been identified and change in their community, in the way that initiatives such as enterprise development, abilities, those who were ‘too young’, developed, it is important to remember they want. It recognises that all communities partnerships for public service delivery or ‘too old’ or ‘too poor’ are seen, and see that they also need to be managed, are wealthy – rich in assets such as skills, advocacy with government at all levels. themselves, as valuable members of the maintained and deployed. If not, they can knowledge, land, buildings, networks, community. become liabilities. There is no point just organisational resources and spending power holding assets for the sake of it. Asset-based – but that these assets often go to waste. It is Being your own first investor Owning assets enables a person to move community development is all about working with the British government to fund from the status of patient to agent; from connecting the asset to make maximum use and give practical assistance to hundreds of There are many examples of how client to citizen, i.e. it gives greater control of it, either by borrowing against it or remarkable people with a 'can do' attitude. marginalised communities have been able over their life. The benefits to be gained for realising it to create other forms of asset. These can-doers are people who act as a to turn around a depressing and despairing an individual from owning assets include Assets need to be managed and catalyst and mobilise assets for positive and situation and go on to continue to achieve the following: maintained. Social capital assets can be lost concrete change. A credit union, a community so much else. Whilst the two examples if they are not looked after and it must be business, a care scheme, a food co-op – given below are in very different parts of • Making it easier to cope better remembered that asset management has an whatever it takes for community renewal. the world, they have many similarities: with life’s setbacks associated cost. Proper education is needed By mobilising assets in this way, communities about assets and how they can be used. can begin to negotiate and work with • Making it easier to look to the • Both have taken many years of Assets can leak out of the system and government as equal partners, gradually future with a more positive struggle against intransigent and people burn themselves out because they redirecting public resources to better use and attitude self-serving bureaucracies and want to go faster than the people around providing people with the opportunity to live vicious politics • Having a stake in society them are capable or wiling to move. to their full potential. • The community itself is at the • Having a feeling of self-worth Small amounts of high-risk money, heart of the process and status normally around £2,000, and practical CAN DO and CAN BE support are provided for the can-doers. • The initial success of the • Making it easier to seize By March 2004 over 4,000 individuals community has led to an opportunities With its overtones of morality, volunteering will have been supported, reaching out expansion of its work to meet and nostalgia, citizenship is a popular political • Being a catalyst for civic to possibly 500,000 other people. This other community needs bandwagon. It is, however, one of the involvement and enterprise approach is designed to create as little fundamental issues facing all societies – it is • The communities now provide development. dependency as possible and encourage about power and identity – the power to expertise for other groups wishing self-help and mutual aid. Building on its achieve CAN DO and then self-realisation, to follow their example. ever-growing base of people, ideas and local becoming who we would like to be – CAN BE. 8 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 9
  • 8.
    The Eldonian Communityis based in the Led by determined and tenacious local The Eldonians continue to extend their • Innovation and business enterprise – poverty-stricken inner city area of Vauxhall people, the fruits of 25 years struggle activities, searching for sustainable sources a commercial approach to developing near the Liverpool docks in the UK. Having against red tape and political problems are of income as well as grant aid for their sustainable local businesses has helped had to watch local housing and communities there for all to see. 250 permanent jobs work. A joint venture is being undertaken generate a stable and sustainable local around them being demolished and dispersed, have been created. Over 400 high quality with a private sector company, a successful economy. a group of local people realised that the only and affordable homes for rent have been neighbourhood warden scheme is being way they were going to improve their living built with an equal amount of private provided for other communities and a large • Partnership – they always sought to conditions was if they did it themselves. In the sector residential development. Volume retail development is being planned for the work in partnership with the local face of nonsensical local politics and large job house builders were attracted to this community that still does not have a post authority and other agencies, but as an losses, as the major employers moved out of former derelict area due solely to the office or bank to serve its financial needs. equal partner with something on the the area, the Eldonians fought to keep their successful work of the Eldonians in table, rather than as a grant applicant. community together and to provide good regenerating it. 43 hectares of derelict land The Eldonians identify the following reasons for their success: • Leadership – strong leadership and quality, affordable housing for themselves and around the terminus of the Leeds-Liverpool visionary drive have united the others in need. canal have been restored. A village hall, • Community ownership – over 600 local community and enabled its members to sports centre, day nursery and residential Having successfully provided themselves people are members of the Eldonian take responsibility for their own future. care home for 30 older people have been with good quality homes after years of Community Trust Ltd and are genuinely designed and built, as well as managed The Eldonians have shown what can be struggle, the local community set about involved with the decisions that affect workspace containing 55 office units and achieved by local people with a commitment looking at other needs of the community their lives and surroundings. 8 workshops. and enthusiasm to fight to recreate a better and addressing how to bring sustainable • Design and good practice – the local life for themselves and their children. development to their rundown area of Over £25 million of assets have been people were involved on the design of As well as the new housing and facilities Liverpool. Jobs were wanted and the created in the community and their homes to provide a safe, tidy and created, a new sense of confidence and vulnerable groups left behind in the £100 million of inward investment attractive environment. security has been achieved, resulting in community needed care and support. has been attracted. Canal 1970s Canal 1990s Before After Before After Before After 10 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 11
  • 9.
    increased levels ofprivate sector sanitation work, laying underground piped BARRIER HOW IT WAS OVERCOME investment, new business and new jobs. sanitation and water systems at a fraction of the cost that would be charged by the Psychological The people came to understand that the lane, and not just the house they At much the same time as the Eldonians city authorities. lived in, belonged to them. began the fight for their community in Liverpool, a small team led by Dr Akhtar The lane was the unit of organisation. Social An organisation was created at the lane level and later on a federation of Hameed Khan was working to help local Each lane comprised 40 - 50 houses and lanes, to support the individuals. people in Orangi achieve their own was small and cohesive, providing good Economic The cost of the work was made affordable by simplifying the technology development needs rather than rely on transparency. After being provided with a and providing appropriate tools. foreign aid. Orangi is a squatter settlement map and an estimate of labour and covering 60 hectares and is home to material costs, the lane manager would Technical Support was provided by OPP through designs, estimates, surveys and tools. 1,200,000 people in Karachi, Pakistan. collect the money from the lane households The people had identified as their main and initiate the work on sewage lines with priority the development of sanitation, the assistance of other members. As more OPP’s work was taken so seriously by the culverts over natural drainage systems and followed by health, education and and more lanes began to provide their own city authorities that they have since sewage treatment facilities. The federation employment. sanitation, a federation of lane cancelled loans from the Asian of lanes monitored these government works organisations was formed and the work Development Bank in favour of the and no substandard work was permitted. extended throughout the entire settlement. community-based approach pioneered by Having realised their ability to change their … to date, approximately 90% of To date, approximately 90% of Orangi OPP It is the support of the communities . own environment, the communities Orangi households have built their own households have built their own sanitation that gives credibility to OPP’s work and the continue to meet other development needs sanitation systems … systems. The people have invested $1.5m successes achieved by the people have – providing education services, good quality of their own money. Within 10 years of meant that the government is willing to building materials and housing, planting starting the programme, infant mortality carry out complementary work providing trees etc. Initially the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) led had fallen from 128 per 1,000 to 37. Some by Dr Khan identified activists in individual doctors are looking for situations elsewhere, lanes in the settlements. These activists with better income earning opportunities… called a meeting of the lane residents. Once the residents had formed an organisation Four major barriers had to be overcome in and nominated a lane manager OPP was order for the local people to believe that able to provide them with technical they could provide their own sanitation. assistance. Mapping and surveys were Once these barriers had been overcome, carried out by OPP and the community the people went ahead and did the work. members themselves completed the Environmental Context Barefoot Architects Improved Roads and Sanitation 12 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 13
  • 10.
    The OPP approachis now used in eleven other cities in Pakistan as well as Realising the potential internationally. Communities, activists or for asset-based community development NGOs contact OPP. They come to Orangi and spend time seeing how the work is done. If interested, further visits are made. A small team of organisers and a technician receive training from OPP in surveying, The vital role of local community groups They do not need to have technical mapping, estimating, supervision, capacity or professional ability. Their documentation and accounts. The new The presence of local groups working indispensable contribution to community organisation becomes part of a network of together for a common goal in a development is that they: similar organisations, for mutual support community is critical to its capacity to and on-going training. develop successfully, reinforcing and • Can reach and involve more people in amplifying the gifts, talents and skills of community action than institutions individual community members. • Are recognised as being the most The depth and extent of these organisations significant vehicles for changing and their activity in any community is people’s attitudes and behaviour mapped as part of asset-based community • Mobilise members to take on development and is always found to have additional roles: for example, a church been vastly underestimated. Some groups group setting up a day centre for older are created by people of a common faith, people, a woman’s group running others are organised around a particular health awareness centre. need or issue, for example, a neighbourhood watch group or babysitting circle, a political or environmental group. Others are organised around recreational needs such as … the presence of local groups working sports or arts or by physical proximity such together for a common goal in a as neighbourhood improvement groups. community is critical to its capacity to Their unifying feature is that they have develop successfully, reinforcing and come together with a shared vision for amplifying the gifts, talents and skills common action. of individual community members … 14 A S S E T-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 15
  • 11.
    Their strengths aremultiplied even more interests converge and will quickly come local community groups and institutions. best by understanding that they do when they are linked into coherent together to negotiate those interests. The Intermediary organisations have an different things’. networks. This helps them to get organised size of overlap between professionals and important role to play in providing a bridge and powerful and increases their ability to politicians is often directly proportional to between community focuses and the larger … intermediary organisations have an engage with local institutions. Once linked, the distance from the people – the larger scale strategic decisions. People working at important role to play in providing a these groups can facilitate peer learning – the interaction between these, the greater community level often have trouble getting bridge between community focuses and face to face exchange of information and the distance from local community groups. enough objective distance to understand the larger scale strategic decisions … sharing of experience, which is recognised There is a need for collective overlap their role in a larger picture, whilst those as the best way to help people become among all parties involved. working at the strategic level can’t more powerful. They are then in a better communicate well enough with the An example of one such intermediary is the position to have an effective say in those Intermediary organisations are well community to move the agenda along. Common Ground Community in New issues that affect their area and to resist the established in the US but are less so in Intermediaries are also able to provide the York. This issue-focussed organisation is inevitable opposition and inertia they will other countries where community expertise needed when the practical limits concerned to solve homelessness in the city. face. In order to organise successfully across organising is not as advanced. They come of citizens’ capacity to take on technical Its emphasis is on the re-use of significant a number of groups it is important to have in a range of forms, including the issues is reached. Marrying the technical under-utilised properties in marginalised a specific focus of interest and to ensure federations of local community groups that processes of housing development with a areas of the city. Typically old dilapidated that there is a space where politicians, provide mutual support to their members citizen-based organisation almost always and disused welfare hotels are restored to professionals and people can meet on an as well as the professional community results in the technicians and professionals their former glory to provide homes for equal footing. Professionals and politicians support organisations who facilitate, dominating, however unintentionally. In the homeless persons and low-income workers. are skilled at identifying where their connect and weave relations between US, most citizen groups quickly spin off the The method used seeks to renew, support housing development element to a separate and expand community renewal efforts and organisation as it threatens to overwhelm works with other local community groups their levels of competence and engagement. and organisations that are concerned with The awareness is ‘each do that that they do broader community revitalisation. Common Ground Community – The Prince George Before After 16 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 17
  • 12.
    Common Ground Communityis increasingly Common problems faced by intermediary excellent position to better support “If institutions are to protect people and a recognising that community assets are more organisations include the following: community empowerment and agency at broad range of assets, they must respond to than just the buildings and that the homeless local level. and shape the major changes that will unfold persons and local volunteers are extremely • They are trying to coalesce efforts over the next 50 years…institutions must be valuable assets in themselves. When invited Unlike the community residents and small capable of changing and adapting, and new working from the ground up, but to work in a 250-block area of New York, it local community groups that are clearly institutions must emerge.” they themselves do not very soon realised that the first task was to responsive to local conditions, challenges necessarily have roots in the organise the organisations, since there were and plans, the local institutions are often This statement by the World Bank clearly ground 32 different organisations working on directed and controlled by forces and demonstrates mainstream acceptance of homeless issues in one form or another – • The institutionalising relationships outside the neighbourhood. In an asset-based approach to community churches, transportation managers, mental arrangements are made too early larger cities especially the leaders and staff development. It is important to change health services. It has taken time for this on in the life of the organisation of these institutions answer first to the institutional structures with more power grouping to come to a common strategy and and can restrict and set in stone larger system of which they are a part, not devolved to local agencies along with new a definition of homelessness, but it has been their potential for activity to the local residents, and they are often accountability, i.e. the duty of partnership. extremely useful in terms of being able to based outside the area. Re-establishing the It will also be important to pioneer new • Inappropriate structures are used links between the community and these larger-scale mutual institutions. These will share information and work together to and limit the effectiveness of the institutions is not always easy and local include development trusts, community improve the situation. organisations. people have to reassemble the political development credit unions, neighbourhood It is important to have the right kind of power to re-root these institutions in the service companies, community learning intermediary structure. Experience in the US neighbourhood. Much change needs to networks and many others. has shown that when they are created take place within the existing local intentionally these structures tend to The institutional landscape institutions in order to be more responsive become top down and authoritarian and it to community needs. Reducing barriers to asset-based becomes difficult to maintain the fluid and In addition to the assets represented by local individuals and citizens’ organisations, An institutional landscape is important in community development dynamic structure of the organisation. It also shows that membership organisations every community has some combination of community development – it must contain small and large organisations, local ones as In order to introduce an asset-based tend to work better than more formally formal public, private and not-for-profit well as official ones, those that rely on self- approach to community development it is created ones. Intermediary processes are institutions – such as schools, parks, generated income and well as those important to understand the barriers that often confused with intermediary libraries, police stations, colleges, hospitals requiring grant support. Accountability, currently act as an impediment to the organisations – it is vital to resist pressures and faith centres. These institutions can devolution and strong working relationships process. These barriers can be unintentional to institutionalise, formalise and organise bring many assets to support the are all important. as well as intentional. Identifying them is too soon and appropriate forms of community-building initiatives of citizens the first step towards their reduction or organisation should be allowed to emerge. and their associations. They are in an removal. 18 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 19
  • 13.
    BARRIER MEANS OF OVERCOMING IT BARRIER MEANS OF OVERCOMING IT Lack of awareness • Overcome the conviction of people who believe that they are Lack of access to • Provide innovative, appropriate and easily accessible financial and confidence hopeless, helpless and cannot win. appropriate financial products to meet community needs – small loans, low-cost opportunities insurance, start-up finance for micro-enterprise. • Map the assets of community residents and local community groups. • Build up the discipline of repayment with the use of affordable • Help a community to understand that it has to be its own first investor. loans rather than grants wherever appropriate. • Tap into the confidence and energy of young people. • Pioneer new larger scale mutual institutions and encourage greater • Keep the fun – celebrate success and everything else! investment in communities by the private and not-for-profit sectors. • Include ABCD training in professional development and training for • Approach existing institutions in the community (schools, colleges, those involved in the financial, education, housing and social work and housing organisations) to be more creative in how they can use sectors. their assets to support the community. • Use participatory planning tools, such as Planning for Real, to help Lack of technical • Provide business support for small enterprises. cut through the talk. support • Establish a community exchange system and cross-community Isolation and • Link up local community groups to form a mutual-help federation collaboration to match up technical needs and resources. lack of support to provide greater support and the ability to withstand problems. • Provide technical support and training to support self-build and • Create strategic alliances to support the community – in local other initiatives, where there is little or no previous experience. government, NGOs, media and academic institutions. • Establish community-based technical and training institutes. • Share experience by visiting other communities to learn from their successes and problems. Inertia • Identify and reduce the bureaucratic obstacles and red tape that currently prevent community action and financing. Existing power • Provide training in asset-based community development for • Reduce the departmental complexity so that there is a more direct structures community development professionals. route for communities to work in cooperation with local government. • Introduce financial and other incentives/regulations to change the • Work to provide secure tenure and improved urban governance to patterns of existing vested interests. create an enabling environment for community building. • Ensure that local and central governments understand the political • Fast-track innovative products. and economic advantage to be gained from the approach. • Ensure that paid staff and consultants remain answerable to the community. 20 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 21
  • 14.
    Building up hope:realising the downward spiral of hopelessness and The key to growth in the upward spiral is community to take control of the process. potential of asset-based community despair (Spiral A). that the community owns the aims and Assets are built up and used to take the development objectives of the interventions and community forward. This process is not Communities are dynamic and will strategies, owns the development of carried out in isolation. There is a whole continually change. The spirals continue solutions and their implementations, the range of uncontrollable external factors – Communities are different. Some are and repeat, and do not come to an end, processes and the monitoring. These governments changing, world changes. positive and cyclical, centred on solutions hope will build on hope and despair will upward spirals can be clearly seen in the There will be additional assets going into a and action, and there is a continual build on despair if there is no trigger to examples of the achievements of the community and assets will also flow out, improvement (Spiral C), others don’t have bring about a change of direction. Eldonians and the communities in Orangi. both positively and negatively. Some of the any major crises, coping and gradually improving as they go along, but not money will flow out of the community but The aim of asset-based community The start of the process is the mapping of changing significantly (Spiral B). However, so will knowledge, empowerment and development is to change these downward assets at all levels right across the spectrum a common denominator in marginalised experience going to other communities. negative spirals into ones that are upward and – from individual assets through to large communities, centred on problems, is the positive, with a continual building of hope. mega-land deals. Mapping leads to This process can be seen in the diagram catalysing – enabling and energising the below. 22 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 23
  • 15.
    Governments at alllevels will need to make Two key elements are required: responsibility effective. Local leaders to take out a loan for £250 to mend the a greater effort to genuinely listen and and activists set the process in motion, roof – these are all vital financial services in respond to the intermediary organisations, beginning to build the skills, hope and poor and marginalised communities and • Access to relevant finance, to the local community groups and their confidence of other people in the societies. The hard physical assets of cash in building wealth right across a federations. Money will need to be kept in community, thus adding impetus to the the bank, businesses, community buildings spectrum of assets communities longer than it is now, legal and upward spiral. Engaging people in the and home and land ownership are as financial changes will be needed. Power • A propelling force to drive change community development process will build important as the social capital or relationships will need to change, with and maintain the upward energy and momentum, which will in turn community spirit and cannot be ignored in existing barriers removed and a letting go of movement of the spiral. feed back into the communities. It is a self- asset-based community development. power. These are significant and far-reaching generating system that depends on the changes, but they are essential if a reversal power of a few individuals in the first Propulsion requires a source of energy, a … asset-based community development of the spirals is to be achieved. instance. Developing the skills and trigger to set the process in motion. begins with a community’s wealth, not determination of others will ensure that So how will this change be brought about? Experience has shown that change is most its poverty, with its abilities rather than there is a continual supply of energy. Will it be through evolution, revolution, often triggered by the following factors: its powerlessness … step changes, a quantum leap or all of It will take time for an upward spiral to gather these? What is certain is that it is needed • A crisis – for example, a new motorway pace. It will begin slowly in many It is important to highlight the link between NOW, before millions more lives are or flooding in the local area communities but will grow exponentially. individual asset building – savings, investing damaged and destroyed in a downward Once the energy is created and the perception in education or starting a business – and the • Fear – a growing sense of fear usually spiral of despair. There needs to be in, and of, the area has changed from wider asset-based community development. linked to the level of safety in a innovation and creativity, thinking outside hopelessness, it is likely that property values Both are interlinked and unless the asset- community the box and learning from everything – the will begin to increase, crime will begin to decrease building capacities of individuals can be successes, the failures and the just • Opportunity for access to authority and and jobs, banks and shops will come back in. unleashed it will not be possible to interesting. Bending the spend of existing responsibility that was not there maximise the capacities of communities. programmes is necessary to make sure they previously. are more effectively used and will support Marginalised communities are virtually Money talks the assets that are being built. The successes achieved by asset-based entirely dependent on grant aid, with a community development have identified current average expenditure by government In a capitalist society it is financial assets this third factor as a way to trigger change. of just less than £11,000 per person in the that give people and communities a voice. … engaging people in the community It grows from the serious reallocation of UK – but what is there to show for it? In Marginalised communities are rarely heard, development process will build energy authority, which requires people to most cases these communities are still in a and even more rarely listened to. Having and momentum, which will in turn feed reconceive who is responsible and identify dire state. Where does this money go? Most the right to acquire property, access to back into the communities … the tools to be developed to make that of it leaves the community – in the form of credit to start a small business, being able goods and services purchased from outside 24 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 25
  • 16.
    the community, onthe salaries of Over time it also breeds a culture of The ABCD institute gives the following Access to credit is a major problem for contractors, consultants and professionals dependency on those that provide the guidelines for community-based groups individuals and organisations in marginalised who do not live in the community, on land grants and all understanding is lost of how applying for capacity-oriented funding: communities. Often for individuals the only and buildings owned by others outside the anything can ever be done otherwise. source of credit is predatory lenders – loan community, on repayment of debts. Very • Clearly identify the skills, abilities, sharks or moneylenders – who can, and do, little is left to circulate in the community Current systems of payments according to charge ridiculously inflated interest rates. capacities and assets that local and foster growth. It is important to deficiency or needs perpetuate the mindset Likewise, funding for organisations and small residents will contribute to the prevent money leaking from the local of learned helplessness. This is not to say businesses is hard to obtain, with banks and proposal. economy in marginalised communities. that a complete overhaul needs to be made insurance companies preferring to lend immediately of all grant determination and • Clearly identify the capacities of elsewhere. Asset-based community development delivery mechanisms, but rather that community’s citizens’ begins with a community’s wealth, not its changes could be introduced at local level associations, and indicate how The provision of available and affordable poverty, with its abilities rather than its in order to ensure that funds are allocated they will be involved in both financial mechanisms to create community powerlessness. This is a world away from on a capacity-oriented basis rather than a governance and problem solving. control of assets is crucial in promoting the practices of most government agencies multiple misery index. sustainable community development. In the and programmes. Most government grants • Indicate how this proposal will United States, Community Development and those of other funding organisations Grants and soft (low-interest) loans, mobilise, use, enhance and Finance Institutions (CDFIs) represent one of are awarded on the basis of how bad things however, do have a place in a expand these local capacities. the most successful ways of bringing are, or continue to be. As well as creating comprehensive funding system. They are financial services to marginalised very important for start-ups, for developing • How will it contribute to building perverse incentives for people not to try to the local economy, for example communities and to encourage mainstream increase their income, it spreads the general and innovating new projects and products, repayment behaviour. It is not the case that for new ideas and research. It is important by employing community corrosive attitude amongst professionals residents, enhancing local poor people cannot afford to borrow money and organisations that really nothing can that soft loans should not be written off or or will not repay it – repayment rates are turned into grants. Even though the terms purchasing, capturing public ever be done. budgets for local use, etc? typically higher than average. It is the access may be soft, they should be enforced and to credit that poor people do not have. CDFI outstanding debts should be chased in • How will it show evidence of loans typically have high interest rates, to the order that discipline of repayment is significant investments of point where they are sometimes considered … the provision of available and retained and developed. resources and time by local usurious. These higher rates are due to much affordable financial mechanisms to residents and organisations before higher costs of delivering financial services to create community control of assets is funding starts? marginalised neighbourhoods, of providing crucial in promoting sustainable community development … significant levels of business support and of sustaining their own small organisations. It is these high costs that prevent the retail banks from operating in this sector. Even 9% short- 26 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 27
  • 17.
    term lending rates(when the average rate is These equity-like investments can leverage need systemic solutions, however, and scale the work of OPP with the local communities 6% in retail banking) are still much more through guarantees or other financial solutions are needed to address the larger or living in the lanes of Orangi gave it sufficient accessible than the extortionate rates transactions to the tune of 40:1 their own national structural issues. influence and authority to be used at the charged by the predatory lenders – the only value in the activity within the neighbourhood. citywide and regional level. other source of finance in poor communities. Reaching scale is defined as linking small local efforts into a critical mass and is only desirable CDFIs have been established for many years if it conforms to the interests and goals of the … scale in community work is achieved Taking community efforts to scale more effectively through knowledge in the United States and are heavily local community. It is not desirable if it is only supported by the government with the coming from the top down, for example large- transfer than through the expansion of The asset-based approach is increasingly individual organisations … provision of matching funding and low scale government clearance and being recognised by national governments interest rates. The long-term commitment redevelopment schemes that destroy and other organisations such as the World enables them to become well established communities. It is well to remember that: Community movements grow from sharing Bank as offering a positive and valuable and self-sustaining. It is common practice for information. The people themselves are the approach to community development. This • There is always more than one way of housing associations to set up CDFIs in their primary actors and the best teachers. in part reflects the reluctant acceptance that doing something communities and there is mutual advantage Encouraging more collective action and cross- there is little to show for the vast amounts of in the two activities being linked, especially learning between groups is vital and exchange money spent in the last thirty years on urban • Action needs to be taken at a range of with regard to providing reassurance that the initiatives that run from one community to and community regeneration. Although levels CDFI is not yet another loan shark. another are invaluable in this process. The there are many differences, at heart there • The most effective solutions are the Eldonian and Orangi communities are both The crucial thing to ensure is that people has been no fundamental change. thievable ones – those that are taken continually involved in talking to others. Most have the right amount of money, at the Dissemination of any innovative approach up spontaneously and rapidly by those people learn from action and reflection and right time on the right terms, and there takes place through a population of potential who can use them. not from bespoke training courses run by should be a mixed economy in terms of the adopter organisations and individuals. The institutions. Coaching rather than controlling financing products available. It is healthier if Scale in community work is achieved more process by which new practices are adopted relationships foster learning. Peer learning – there are a range of organisations providing effectively through knowledge transfer than is iterative, complex and multi-directional. the face to face exchange of information and a range of sophisticated financial products through the expansion of individual Five main stages in the adoption process have sharing of experience – is probably the most and services designed specifically to meet organisations. If an organisation expands it can been identified: knowledge, persuasion, effective way in which people realise what the needs of the communities. The Ford easily detach itself from its own roots and will decision, implementation and confirmation. can be achieved and cross-group associations Foundation in the United States has done no longer reflect its mission and community Spreading knowledge requires trust – trust in are vital in putting the infrastructure in place much work in this field over many years base. Multiple roots and community bases are the people we know and trust in experience. to support this. It is important to maintain the and has found that patient capital (i.e. the way forward, rather than one effort on a The adoption of new approaches frequently fun and passion in the process and to prepared to wait for social and financial massive scale. A certain degree of scale is involves re-invention during the celebrate victories. Involving young people returns) and long-term investments are very necessary, however, for a group to have implementation process in order to match it and their creative energies will naturally big elements in leveraging funds. sufficient leverage. For example, scaling up of to its local setting. Systemic problems do bring life and dynamism. 28 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T 29
  • 18.
    Other ways ofgoing to scale and replicating There are traps to be avoided when moving come through building strategic alliances and to scale: An Agenda for Action gaining media support. Inclusion of ABCD approaches in the academic training of • Most replication ideas and approaches professionals will reap benefits in generations are developed, inspired and dominated to come and getting professionals out to see by institutions and are supply-led (i.e. action on the ground has a massive impact. we have a solution here for you to copy) Positive and exciting case studies will help to rather than demand-led. The reason for The discussions and deliberations of the The key areas for action fall into four broad raise profile and awareness. Unjustified local this is that all too often people have three-day consultation were distilled into an categories. Firstly, raising awareness and fears are best defeated by those who faced forgotten how to make demands. One of Agenda for Action. This Agenda identifies understanding of the asset-based approach similar fears in the past and have overcome the achievements of asset-based key actions that can be used by people and to community development; secondly, them when reality was different from that community development is that it helps institutions from a range of cultures and reducing the barriers that currently exist to which was expected. people to take ownership of the contexts to further develop the potential of implementing the approach and moving it demands they want to make and in asset-based community development. into mainstream activity; thirdly, identifying As well as moving ideas between doing so having a much clearer idea of the institutional change that needs to take communities, it is also important to ensure what supply can meet those demands. The following principles should be used in place and fourthly, suggesting action that that there is political and professional guiding all action: • Most replication approaches produce a can be taken by communities in partnership understanding and recognition. It is important, formula or model that can be applied on with local groups and intermediary therefore, to create and institutionalise a space a wider scale and transposed to other • Communicate ideas and organisations. where people can meet with politicians and situations. People in power are always information simply professionals on an equal footing. looking for formulae, trying to make • Keep people at the centre of the Monitoring and measurement of impact are things simple for easy application. Whilst process Raising awareness and understanding crucial if others are to be convinced of the such approaches of models and formulae of asset-based community development value of what is being achieved. Since are possible when it comes to technical • Learn from the experience of anecdotal evidence or case studies are often issues (such as construction methods), this others • Bear in mind that many people do felt to be insufficient to convince, a proper is not possible in the citizen-based sector not understand what asset-based • Do not accept existing practices assessment of the value gained for both society when an individual answer is needed to community development is. Its as unchangeable and the government is an important tool. the situation. The key issue is for local relevance and benefits need to be people to have a purpose and to take • Keep in the WOW!! factor to explained, as well as the fact that it mutual responsibility for the development inspire and raise the spirit complements other existing … it is important to create and of their community. approaches. institutionalise a space where people • Patience and persistence are can meet with politicians and essential to achieve change. professionals on an equal footing … 30 REALISING THE POTENTIAL FOR ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELO P M E N T AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N 31
  • 19.
    • Share experienceby facilitating visits Reducing barriers to using an • Seek to change attitudes of dependency • Use approaches that are adjusted to between groups in different ABCD approach and learned helplessness by building in meet individual circumstances of communities, since more is learned the discipline of repayment with the different communities – there are no from action and reflection on the • Identify the barriers that exist at use of affordable loans rather than ‘Lycra’ (one-size-fits-all) or silver bullet experience of others than from training present, recognising that these can be grants where appropriate. solutions. courses or books. unintentionally as well as intentionally • Encourage greater investment in • Prioritise action so that there is created and that some people and • Highlight good news and positive case marginalised communities by reducing something for people to identify with organisations have vested interests in studies to raise the profile of the the artificially-created barriers between and be inspired by – forge ahead, maintaining the existing situation. benefits that can be achieved from the the profit and not-for-profit sectors. get results and build staying power. approach and attract media attention • Provide training and organisational to the successful examples of what can • Get rid of the red tape that limits the • Understand that it is easier to identify development in public bodies amongst be achieved. activities of credit unions and other and replicate good practice for both officials and elected politicians, small-scale financial organisations. technical solutions than for citizen- so that they are equipped to respond • Extend understanding of the approach based solutions. There are dangers more creatively and positively to • Change the institutional rewards and through training of professionals, in creating simplistic formulae for communities, and encourage rather risk systems that lead to inaction. university and college students to replication at the citizen-based area than block action for change. Create non-financial incentives to create a cadre of sympathetic and of action and the approach should be enlightened professionals. encourage positive action and address to adapt and adopt. • Change the current practice of those elements of the benefit system identifying needs and deficits in a • Help professionals in the public and that discourage individuals from saving • Recognise that scale in community community by looking also at the private sectors and politicians to see and investing. work is achieved more effectively assets available. the benefits of reaching out to the through knowledge transfer than community as a whole rather than • Don’t allocate grant aid primarily on through the growth of small just to those with specific needs. the extent of the needs identified Moving to mainstream activity organisations into larger ones. (truant youth, pregnant teenagers, • Recognise that security is as much to • Accept that conflict and jealousies are substance abusers, homeless persons • Recognise that scaling up is important do with community development and inevitable and will have to be dealt etc.) in order to avoid the categorisation and that asset-based community involvement as it is with police forces with if progress is to be made. of community problems. development is increasingly being and the military. recognised both nationally and • Monitor and evaluate action to ensure internationally. Changes should be that it is possible to demonstrate implemented without delay. success where and when it happens. 32 AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N 33
  • 20.
    Recommendations for change • Recognise that membership-driven • Think big as well as small with a range Action by communities in partnership at the institutional level organisations are more successful than of finance options, from venture capital with local groups and intermediary ones that have been imposed, since the to small loans, encouraging the organisations • Accept the reality of the downward latter quickly become top-down and development of a range of enterprises, social and economic spirals that exist authoritarian. including micro-enterprises. • Map the social and organisational in many marginalised communities. assets that will certainly exist within the • Redesign government funding to • Evaluate the effectiveness of the community to raise awareness of the • Recognise that institutions don’t have promote ownership of assets and funding methods used and the products latent capacity and skills that are available. all the answers. It is important to listen finance and the circulation of wealth available, including micro-finance. to the local communities who will be in communities, looking in particular Make sure that existing funding • Make community groups aware that able to give solutions. at benefit payments and public programmes are used effectively, they are assets in themselves and help procurement. bending the spend where necessary them to understand the benefits of • Improve the quality of local to achieve maximum impact. taking a positive role in their own partnerships by being more honest in • Encourage and facilitate the future and that of their community. dealings with the community and being development of community • Change emphasis away from grant prepared to place greater trust in the associations and intermediary groups, dependency towards investment • Understand that communities must be community enablers. but without imposing structures and funding where this is appropriate, but the first investors in their development constraints too early in the recognise that there are many possible rather than relying entirely on grant aid • Ensure that there is a known lead development process. answers and solutions. A menu of to do anything. department in central government for financial offers is necessar y, ranging ABCD and reduce the complexity of • Develop innovative financial products from traditional grants, through grants • Learn from others how to fight the departmental involvement and and methods to meet community repayable in kind and low-interest inertia of bureaucracy and vested complicated funding arrangements. needs, including very small loans, loans, to loans at commercial rates. interests that will have to be faced. Devolve power to local agencies low-cost insurance and credit for land wherever possible. purchase where needed. • Create, nurture and ultimately • Encourage the quiet and shy members institutionalise a space for interaction of the community to come forward. • Put flexible systems in place to grab • Support the continuing development between communities, formal and the sparks and innovators and support of community development finance informal interest groups and • Keep the fun and passion in all those people with vision. institutions and credit unions in a government agencies. activities to make it attractive for other variety of shapes and sizes to meet community members to join. • Help groups to work together but avoid local needs and encourage housing formalising structures and arrangements associations to become involved in too early in order to allow the most community investment approaches. appropriate frameworks time to emerge. 34 AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N 35
  • 21.
    • Don’t letthe government off the hook and remember that it still has Questions still to answer… responsibilities to work alongside communities. • Recognise that communities learn best from communities and that community concerns are best overcome by those Many questions were raised at the • How can governments be encouraged who have shared similar concerns and consultation but not all were answered. to create an enabling environment in fought similar battles in the past. Some of these unanswered questions are which an asset-based community • Keep money in the community by included here as a focus for future debate. development can be fostered and employing local residents wherever validated? • How can funders develop an investor possible. approach to funding that better • Cultivate friends and allies at different supports asset-based community institutional levels – in universities, development? NGOs and local governments where • How can we turn the energy and they can help and support community ingenuity of the informal economy in initiatives. marginalised communities to positive • Ensure the long-term viability of effect? intermediary organisations as well as • How can an intermediary organisation implementing their mission. establish roots in the community? • Don’t grow too large – keep the roots • What is the appropriate amount of of intermediary organisations in the money to be lending in communities? locality and seek to put people in touch What are the appropriate terms and with each other, matching up resources timescales? and needs. • How can grants be used more effectively in marginalised communities? 36 AN AG E N DA FOR AC T I O N QUESTIONS STILL TO ANSWER 37
  • 22.
    Sources of furtherinformation Asset Based Community Development Community Development Finance Institute Association Northwestern University Room 101, Hatton Square Business Centre 2040 Sheridan Road 16/16a Baldwins Gardens Evanston, IL 60208 London UNITED STATES OF AMERICA EC1N 7RJ Tel +1 847 491 3214 UNITED KINGDOM Fax +1 847 467 4140 Tel +44 (0)207 430 0222 Web www.northwestern.edu/ipr/abcd.html Fax +44 (0)207 430 2112 Web www.cdfa.org.uk Civil Renewal Unit Home Office CHF International 3rd Floor, Allington Towers 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 800 19, Allington Street Silver Spring, MD 20910 London UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SW1E 5DE Tel +1 301 587 4700 UNITED KINGDOM Fax +1 301 587 7315 Tel +44 (0)20 7035 5302 Web www.chfhq.org Fax +44 (0)20 7035 5386 Web www.homeoffice.gov.uk/inside/org/ Eldonian Community Based Housing dob/direct/cru.html Association The Tony McGann Centre Common Ground Community Eldonian Village 14 East 28th Street Liverpool New York, NY 10016 L3 6LG UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNITED KINGDOM Tel +1 212 389 9334 Tel +44 (0)151 207 3406 Fax +1 212 389 9312 Fax +44 (0)151 298 1464 Web www.commonground.org Web www.eldonians.org.uk 38 QUESTIONS STILL TO ANSWER SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N 39
  • 23.
    Ford Foundation UN-HABITAT Other Useful Sources 320 East 43rd Street PO Box 30030 New York, NY 10017 Nairobi 00100 J.P.Kretzmann and J.L. McKnight (1993) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA KENYA Building Communities from the Inside Out – a Path toward Finding and Mobilising a Community’s Tel +1 212 573 4778 Tel +254 20 625001 Assets Fax +1 212 351 3611 Fax +254 20 623919 / 624325 ACTA Publications, Chicago. Web www.fordfound.org Web www.unhabitat.org (available from ACTA Publications, 4848 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60640, USA Housing Corporation Tel: +1 773 271 1030) 149 Tottenham Court Road London M. Pike (2003) W1T 7BN Can do Citizens – Re-building Marginalised Communities UNITED KINGDOM Social Enterprise Services Limited. Tel +44 (0)207 393 2121 Fax +44 (0)207 393 2111 J.P. Kretzmann and J.L. McKnight (1997) Web www.housingcorp.gov.uk A Guide to Capacity Inventories ACTA Publications, Chicago. Orangi Pilot Project - Research and Training Institute (available from ACTA Publications, 4848 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60640, USA 37-D Muhammad Ali Society Tel: +1 773 271 1030) Karachi – 75350 PAKISTAN Community-led Estate Regeneration Handbook – by Residents for Residents Tel +92 21 452 2361 (available from www.regenerate-uk.org) Fax +92 21 452 2361 Web www.urckarachi.org www.tmonatfed.com (website of the National Federation of Tenant Management Organisations) The Scarman Trust Kemp House www.eurovisits.org.uk 152-160 City Road (a community tenant-led organisation that helps communities, tenant organisations and London professionals) EC1V 2NP UNITED KINGDOM Tel +44 (0)207 689 6370 Fax +44 (0)207 689 6125 Web www.thescarmantrust.org 40 SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N 41
  • 24.
    Participants at theConsultation Mr Tony Brankin Dr Rod Hackney Secretary Architect National Federation of Tenant Management Past President of RIBA and UIA Organisations Ms Rosanne Haggerty Mr Michael Chapman President Associate Director Common Ground Community, USA Centre for Research into Socially Inclusive Services Mrs Eirwen Harbottle Chair of Directors Mrs Diane Diacon Peace Child International Director Building and Social Housing Foundation Mr Dominick Harrod Former Director of Studies at St. George’s House Mr David Dickman Chair of Consultation Head of Co-operative and Sector Development the Co-operative Bank Ms Lorraine Hart Research and Development Officer Mr Alan Dunn The Environment Trust Superchannel Programme Manager Foundation for Art & Creative Technology (FACT) Mr Arif Hasan Chairperson Mr George Evans Orangi Pilot Project –Research and Training Director of Housing Institute, Pakistan Eldonian Community Based Housing Association Ms Kath Healy Ms Jill Gibbs FACT High-Rise Tenant Chairman Community Representative from FACT Building and Social Housing Foundation Dr Judith Hermanson Ms Silvia Guimarães Vice President Architect/Planner Co-operative Housing Foundation International, Building and Social Housing Foundation USA 42 SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMAT I O N PARTICIPANTS AT THE CONSULTAT I O N 43
  • 25.
    Mr Mike Holdgate Mr Michael Parkes South-east Regional Co-ordinator Senior Planning and Architectural Advisor The Scarman Trust Department for International Development Dr Jerry Kloby Mr Matthew Pike Co-ordinator Executive Director Institute for Community Studies The Scarman Trust Montclair State University, USA Ms Benedetta Rolando Dr George McCarthy Desk Officer, Europe and Africa Program Officer Peace Child International Ford Foundation, USA Mr Andy Rowland Mr Tony McGann Manager Chairman EcoDyfi Community Energy Company Eldonian Community Based Housing Association Dr Anna Tibaijuka Professor John McKnight Under-Secretary-General, United Nations, Director of Community Studies and Executive Director, UN-HABITAT ABCD Institute, Northwestern University, USA United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Kenya Ms Ruth McLeod Chief Executive Mr Andrew Williamson Homeless International Managing Director Hastoe Housing Association Mr Adrian Moran Policy Manager Mr Charles Woodd The Housing Corporation Head of Community Development Home Office Civil Renewal Unit Ms Bernie Morgan Chief Executive Community Development Finance Association 44 PA RT I C I PANTS AT THE CONSULTAT I O N