An overview of the learning from the Animating Assets project, which sought to apply asset-based approaches to health and well-being within four action research sites in Scotland. The project was a partnership between the Glasgow Centre for Population Health and the Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC).

1. Positive conversations, meaningful change:
learning from Animating Assets
Dr Rachel A Harris
#ScotPublicHealth #PublicHealthHour 2nd March 2016

2. • What are assets?
• How about asset-based
approaches?
• Why Animating Assets?
• Research sites
• What happened
• What we learned
• Find out more
• Over to you
Overview

3. “any factor (or resource), which enhances the
ability of individuals, groups, communities,
populations, social systems and/or institutions to
maintain and sustain health and well-being and to
help to reduce health inequalities”
(Morgan, Davies & Ziglio, 2010)
Morgan A, Davies M, Ziglio E. Health assets in a global context. Springer, London; 2010
Health ‘assets’

4. Asset-based approaches
• Values skills, knowledge & connections
• Collective resources that protect & support
• Realised and mobilised through actions, connections and
participation
• Protective/promoting factors to buffer against life’s stresses
– individual level: resilience, self-esteem, sense of purpose
– community level: supportive networks, community cohesion
– organisational level: resources promoting physical, mental & social
health
• Place-based, relationship-based and citizen-led
• Redressing balance – needs and strengths

5. Why Animating Assets?
• Supported development of asset-based approaches to
range of health and social issues – identified by local
communities or partnerships
• Process of engagement, facilitation, co-creation and
learning, that also applied theory from:
– Action research
– Appreciative inquiry
• Fresh ways of thinking about assets – real time / real issues
• Call for more evidence on impact of asset-based approaches

7. Research sites
Milton, NW Glasgow
Barmulloch & Balornock,
NE Glasgow
Edinburgh South
Edinburgh South West
Communities of Liberton, Gilmerton,
Burdiehouse and Oxgangs.
Communities of Wester Hailes,
Oxgangs, Currie and Balerno.
Girvan, South Ayrshire – Associate site Craigneuk, Lanarkshire – Associate site
Total Neighbourhood East,
Edinburgh – Associate site

8. Supporting community
capacity building in
Glasgow
Engaging with young
people in a meaningful
way in Edinburgh
How we practised asset-based working

9. “Good links,
good
relationships,
finding
solutions in an
amicable way.”
“Connected
through
relationships.”
“Ice-breakers at
the start of the
meetings, I get
a real lift from
them.”
“Seeing people
at the
conversation
café and here
today gives me
hope.”
“…value of using
a range of group
work techniques
to help people
look at the world
differently.”
“…energy in the
group for
working
together and
creating
change.”

10. "What was originally an idea but it’s actually become a way
of working with us now, which is about engagement with
young people in a meaningful way."

11. ConnectingMilton’sStory
What we learned about the nature
of asset-based working
“there’s also
something about
taking our staff on
a personal journey
to reframe their
thinking”
“showing we will
be responsive...
taking part does
make a difference.”
Reframing towards
a fresh perspective
“people led it, as
opposed to it being
talked down, it
maybe was a more
bottom-up
approach, and I
think people came
to have a sense of
equality as
opposed to being
told”
Developing a
common agenda
“What I saw at first
was people being
unsure and not
really quite getting
the concept, me
included. As we
gradually worked
through it together
... it helped create
and build the
relationships”
Recognising assets
there is “a whole
network out there
… that has made
me think in terms
of the role that I’ve
got, about who is
out there and who
is working with
young people and
families locally and
bringing all of
them together”
Making connections
to mobilise assets
Allow time

12. “You don't need
to depend on
the council
when you've
got a network
of committed
people and
organisation”
“We were able
to attract other
partners that
maybe we
hadn’t thought
about”
“The fact that
we’ve been
recognised by
you – that
makes us
hopeful and
keeps us going”
“All the
organisations
here are putting
the community
first, and looking
at how people
can benefit from
their project”
Signs of change

13. What else we learned along the way…
• The practical realities of adopting asset-based
approaches?
– National ambition v reality of local practice
– Do asset-based principles reflect reality?
– Creating the conditions - what enables and
constrains asset-based practice?
– Levers for change

14. Find out more
• Research report:
– Positive conversations, meaningful change:
Learning from Animating Assets
http://tinyurl.com/AnimatingAssets
• Digital stories
– Animating Assets reflections from Milton
– Animating Assets in Barmulloch and Balornock
https://www.youtube.com/user/gcphonline

15. Over to you
• How have you applied asset-based approaches?
(Or share an examples that has excited you from
elsewhere.)
• What capacities, skills or values are needed to
support asset-based working?
• How might organisations enable this kind of
working?

16. The research team
Scottish Community Development Centre
• Fiona Garven
• Cathy Sharp
• Joanna Kennedy
• Kate McHendry
• Elspeth Gracey
Glasgow Centre for Population Health
• Jennifer McLean
• Rachel Harris
• Charlotte Mitchell
• Valerie McNeice
The team