This document discusses asset-based approaches to addressing substance use issues as opposed to traditional deficit-based models. It outlines three levels of assets - individual, community, and environmental/organizational. Individual assets include resilience and self-esteem. Community assets include social networks and social capital. Environmental assets include access to healthcare, housing, and education resources. The document also discusses Peter Sheath's activist perspective on asset-based community development and the tension with traditional social and healthcare services. Recovery capital is identified as an important framework involving personal, social, and community assets that support long-term recovery.

1. Different kinds of assets

2. Assets versus deficits
• Asset-based approaches turn
our ‘normal’ care approaches
on their head.
• Instead of looking at problems,
we need to find the strengths
we can work with.

3. Deficits Assets
Dependence on services Dependence on each other
Consumers of services Co-producers of services
Disabilities, problems, needs Abilities, capabilities, assets
Client/patient Citizen
Treating symptoms Promoting wellbeing
Professionals as experts Participants as Experts
Comparison of the asset-based
approach with ‘normal’ care

4. Different assets
Assets are found within the individual, the community and the wider
environment.
• Individual assets
– e.g. resilience, commitment to learning, self-esteem, sense of
purpose.
• Community assets
– e.g. family and friendship networks, social capital, community
cohesion, religious tolerance, intergenerational solidarity.
• Organisational or institutional assets
– e.g. environmental resources for promoting physical health,
employment security and opportunities for volunteering, safe
housing, political democracy and participation (Morgan et al 2010).

5. Assets
Individual: These are what the person has within them that gives them
strength; their ‘resilience’ and resources. For example, self esteem and
confidence, intelligence, humour, internal locus of control (sense of
autonomy), optimism and hope, motivation.
Community: These might be resources that can be tapped into,
exploited, improved and developed. Such as a local AA meeting,
support group, non-using friends, local employment/housing initiatives,
community cohesion, local further education college.
Environmental: These are the existing contexts in which the person
and the community are placed. These could be ‘things’ or socio-political
strategies. For example, the local Health & Wellbeing Board focuses on
substance misuse, local policing policy, government policy and funding
to aid people into treatment, house-building strategy, drug courts.

6. Assets (cont.)
In substance misuse, these assets are often called:
Recovery Capital
(Granfield & Cloud, 1999).

7. Peter Sheath: asset-based approaches
from the activist perspective
Watch the video ‘Asset-based approaches’ and hear Peter Sheath,
from Emerging Futures, talking about what assets mean to him in the
context of substance use .
What do you think of Peter’s views?
• Would we be better off with no services?
• Where do health and social care services fit in with this community
approach?
• Can professionals engage with, and facilitate, Asset Based
Community Development, and if so, how?

8. Peter Sheath’s views
There are no ‘answers’ to the questions posed because there are
different viewpoints about what service structure is best for delivering
community-based substance use support.
There is a tension however between community based, user-led
support services, and professional services. This is more a political
issue for policy makers and commissioners.

9. Recovery capital and the three
asset levels
For people misusing substances, evidence suggests that their main assets
could be...
Personal recovery capital:
• Safe and secure accommodation.
• Physical and mental wellbeing.
• Purposeful activity.
Social recovery capital:
• Peer support .
• Supportive friends and family.
Community recovery capital:
• Supportive and non-stigmatising attitudes in the broader community.
• Community resources (activities and transport links).
• Recovery communities.

10. References
• Daddow, R. and Broome, S. (2010) Whole Person Recovery: A user-centred systems
approach to problem drug use. RSA. Accessed online at
https://www.thersa.org/globalassets/pdfs/reports/rsa-whole-person-recovery-
report.pdf
• Granfield, R. and Cloud, W (1999) Coming Clean: Overcoming addiction without
treatment. New York: New York University Press.
• Morgan A, Davies M, Ziglio E. (2010) Health assets in a global context: theory,
Methods, Action: Investing in assets of individuals, communities and organizations.
London: Springer.