Coady International Institute Operationalizing an asset-based approach at the community level

Coady International Institute

Operationalizing an asset-based approach at

the community level

Coady International Institute, January 2004

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Asset Based Community Development as a methodology Grew out of the findings of a nationwide (US)

study of communities that had spontaneously and dramatically improved their economies and social conditions over a period of several years (McKnight and Kretzmann)

Has been influenced by participatory methodological traditions

Embraces the concept of asset-building, as well as asset-mobilization, for sustainable community-driven development


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McKnight and Kretzmann found that local economic development is successful when communities… …are able to identify and mobilize their

own assets before drawing on resources from outside

…have “citizens” rather than NGOs or government agencies at the center of the development activity

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The Coady Institute has identified more than a hundred cases of spontaneous asset-based and community-driven development internationally

Examples:

Coady is currently developing 10 in-depth case studies in Egypt


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The question is: how do you stimulate this kind of a process in communities where it is not occurring? ABCD has been designed as a

methodology to help organizations that work at the community level (either in a geographic sense or with target groups) stimulate an asset-based and community-driven development process


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ABCD is being used as a methodology by NGOs in several countries

Ethiopia India Kenya Philippines


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ABCD as a methodology is context specific. Among other factors, its application depends on: the historic relationship between the

intermediary organization and the community power dynamics within communities the capacity of formal and informal leadership

in the community cultural factors the relationship between communities and

local and state governments (especially regarding access to assets)


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An Asset Based Methodology for working at the community level

Purposeful reconnaissance Building a relationship with community

members Motivating community members Identifying assets Linking and mobilizing assets for initial

community activity Sustaining social and economic development

over the longer term


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Tools and methods 1:Purposeful Reconnaissance

Identifying communities interested in applying an ABCD approach

Completing background research using simple template


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Tools and Methods 2:Motivating community members

Appreciative interviewing to recognize existing strengths and assets: “Tell me about a time when this community worked together to achieve positive change…”

Multiple cause analysis (the inverse of a problem tree) to analyze success.


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Appreciative Interviewing: Hundee, Ethiopia


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Tools and Methods 3:Identifying assets and opportunities

Skills inventories, asset maps, Venn diagrams, transects:– Associations (social capital)– Individual skills (human capital)– Institutions (physical capital, social capital,

opportunities in the policy environment)– Natural Resources (natural capital and

land use/ownership policy environment)


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Identifying Assets: SEWA, India


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Identifying Assets: SEWA, India


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Tools and Methods 4:Identifying economic opportunities

“Leaky Bucket tool” for Community Economic Analysis

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Example of Leaky Bucket


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Tools and Methods 5:Linking and mobilising assets.

Asset wheel to show potential linkages among different assets

Identifying initial activity Micro-planning with interested

community members


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Asset Wheel: Midkiwan, Philippines


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Tools and Methods 6:Sustaining the process

Demonstrating success as leverage for further investment

Mobilizing additional resources through partnerships with outside agencies

Strengthening associational capacity:– Association of associations?– Community Foundations?


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Illustrative Example: India

Jeevika SEWA’s approach in Kutch, Patan and Surendranagar districts of Gujarat State (40,000 households)

Village selectionWhole village meeting (Gramsabha)Formation of organizing committee Asset mappingAnalysis of opportunitiesLinking assets to opportunitiesMicro-planning


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Illustrative Example: Ethiopia

Collaborative partnership with Oxfam Canada and three regionally based local NGOs: REST (Tigray), Hundee (Oromo), and KMG (Kembatta).

Objectives:– Pilot ABCD in one community in each region over 3 years. – Document process and results throughout the 3 year period

Progress so far:– Purposeful reconnaissance (using template for background

research) – Appreciative Inquiry and asset identification and mapping

now underway.


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Illustrative Example: Egypt

Collaborative partnership with Center for Development Services, supported by Ford Foundation

Objectives:– to document “successful” community development– to analyze success through an ABCD “lens”

Progress: Initial selection of case studies underway; field work for one case study completed


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Illustrative Examples: PhilippinesTongantongan (population 8,000) Background research Appreciative Interviewing, analysing success Visioning Compiling Inventories with sample households Asset wheel shows linkages required for past

successes Asset wheel prompts ideas for other linkages Initial activity (organic agriculture) Sustained activity in organic agriculture through

connections with private sector, local government and local university


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Illustrative Example: Kenya Collaborative partnership:

– CREADIS in Bungoma District, Western Kenya– 2 communities: one rural, one urban.

Objectives: – Pilot ABCD in one community in each region over 3 years. – Document process and results throughout the 3 year period

Progress:– Establishing rapport with rural community– Sensitizing local government– Appreciative Inquiry. Analysis of success– Asset Mapping, skills inventories underway– Further training of local government pending NEPAD funding


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Implications for agency practice

Shifting from problem solving to responsive investment in community-driven initiatives

Rethinking accountability mechanisms Encouraging conducive policy

environment that provides opportunities (i.e. access to assets or relaxation of bureaucratic procedure)


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Expected Results: Short term Functionally effective relationships between

communities and local government, private sector, NGOs

Within communities, the assets of even the poorest are recognized and mobilized, and increased through the resultant development activities

Improved access to information and other assets required for local economic development

Collaborative activity at the community level that has positive economic outcomes or the potential for local poverty reduction


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Expected Results: Long term

Sensitivity of outside agencies to factors that determine community-driven development

An improved policy environment that provides opportunities for communities to access assets and respond to economic opportunities

Improved capacity of communities to mobilize assets and respond to economic opportunity


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Rationale for Coady’s investment in ABCD:

In keeping with our traditions in the Antigonish Movement: “Use what you have to secure what you have not”

Consistent with our commitment to active citizenship

Collaborative action research feeds directly into educational programs in Community Based Development for developing country practitioners


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Individual SkillsConflict resolution Veterinary Construction (roads/buildings)

Leadership Animal husbandry (camel, horse, mule) Carpentry

Organizational Animal breeding Masonry

Civic Livestock management Plastering

Military/security Castrating Roofing

Knowledge of customary/ traditional laws Fattening Mining (sand/stone)

Traditional healing Trading Weaving

Midwifery Skin processing/tanning Basket making

Treating broken bones Blacksmith Bamboo crafts

Storytelling (parables and proverbs) Honey and Tedge production Embroidery

Playing musical instruments Cactus processing Spinning

Making musical instruments Cereal crop production Tailoring

Traditional games/making gadgets Water conservation techniques Plating hair/barbery

Caring and nurturing Hand dug well construction Food processing

Weather forecasting Making silos Baking

Grain millling Farm implement making/milking utensils Shoe making

Woodcutting Butchery Home-based liquor/beer

Goldsmith Hunting Vending/petty trade

Singing/dancing/composing


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Active Associations Peasant association Farmers cooperative Burial society Rotating savings and credit group Handicraft association Church group Youth club

Local Institutions Local government administration (education, agriculture, health, water, roads) REST (NGO) Dedebit (microfinance institution) Tigray Development Association

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Remittances Pensions

Export Income State

StateAdministration (local)EducationAgricultureHealthWater supplyRoadFarm co-ops--------------------------REST/TDA

Export OrientedInformalBamboo craftsTimberAgric. productsFire wood and charcoalFormalMining (sand and stone)Construction

Local Oriented FirmsInformalPetty tradeLocal liquor houseBlack smithCarpentryMasonryWood cuttersFormalSmall shopsGroceryGold smithBakeryGrinding millButchery

Households


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Linking and Mobilizing Assets: Tigray, Ethiopia

Farming skills

Farmers groups

Mining skills

Organizationalskills

Producerscooperative

Community owned mining venture

Peasants association

CropsLivestockLand/soil

Water

SandStone

Road access

Savings

Individualskills

Savings

Privateinvestors

Gov’t.mining

department

Gov’t.extension

Documents

Coady International Institute Operationalizing an asset-based approach at the community level