You can’t know what a community needs, until they first know what they have.

Cormac Russell

Fair Share Trust, CFN, April 2011.

people focusedtheir attentionon….

What can be doneinstead of what can’t be done

What

might be

possible if

rather than problems

more than weaknesses

In the real world there are both strengths and needs

So where is most practice focused?

Where is most policy focused?

Children and Familieshave deficiencies & needs

Children and Families also have skills and talents

The Dilemma . . .

On which should we focus most?

The 5 Ds Process of Strength Based Community Building

D1- DISCOVER

D2 - DREAM

D3-DESIGN

D1- We have done it before.

D2 – We have a vision for our future.

D3 – We agree on what could be done.

D4 – We have a list of our resources to draw from.

D5 – action plan & start implementing it.

D5 – DELIVER/DO IT

D4 -DEFINE

Transition from village communities

to the money economy

Some see fluff.

1. Care & Mutuality2. Local economic develop3. Community safety4. Care for the environment5. Flexible response to local crisis6. Safe and sustainable food production7. Co-production and localism8. Social justice

Others see gold. (Core Economy)

Doing work the old way

SBA: processes with ownership

No matter how rich you areyou have needs

No matter how poor you areyou have gifts

Stop pitting Assets against Needs

• Needs analysis, needs analysis

• But we cannot ignore needs

Fundamental Needs

Security

Autonomy

Belonging

Competence

?

Emotional & Material

Agency. Independence. Sense of efficacy in the world. Plus authenticity

Community, Family & Friends, as giver & receiver

Ability to sustain tasks of choosing, to contribute.

Russell, C (2010)

In a Welfare State……

What’s the fare for being well?

‘You can’t know what you need, till you know what you have…’

Hope for change…Hope for change…

Even strangers are Twice as Likely to

Assist as You Think

Studies by Flynn & Lake (2010) of Columbia University show that people underestimate how likely others are to help by as much as 100%

Community Building

Real change…Real change…

Our Solutions are often not fit for purpose

Addressing systems culture…..

TrustTrust

BMaking a Community of Place

People

Place

AssociationsInstitutions

EconomicExchange

Before you reap the harvest…..

Consequences of the Power of the “Needs Map”

• Internalizations of the “deficiencies” identified by local residents

• Destruction of social capital• Reinforcement of narrow categorical funding

flows• Direction of funds toward professional

helpers, not residents• Focus on “leaders” who magnify deficiencies• Rewarded failure, produced dependency• Created hopelessness

The move is from services to clients

to

supports for citizens

Inclusion

Community Asset Map-Ballinacurra Weston

IndividualsGifts, Skills, Capacities,

Knowledge and Traits of Youth

Older AdultsArtists

People with DisabilitiesStudentsParents

EntrepreneursActivists

InstitutionsSchools

UniversitiesCommunity CollegesPolice Departments

HospitalsLibraries

Social Service Agencies

Non ProfitsMuseums

Fire DepartmentsFoundations

Physical SpaceGardens

ParksPlaygroundsParking Lots

Walking PathsForests/Forest

PreservesPicnic AreasCampsites

Fishing Spots

StoriesOf background and personal history

Of what you like to do and contributeOf existing and ongoing skills and

capacitiesOf successful community development

Of economic growthOf addressing discrimination

Of including those who are marginalizedOf recognizing the value of everyoneOf a time when you or your group felt

appreciated and valuedOf a time the community was at its best

Local EconomyFor-Profit Businesses

Consumer ExpendituresMerchants

Chamber of CommerceBusiness Associations

BanksFoundations

Institutional-Purchasing Power and Personnel

Micro enterprisesLocal Coops

Corporations and Branches

Animal Care GroupsAnti Crime Groups

Residents AssocBusiness Organizations

Charitable GroupsCivic Events Groups

Cultural GroupsEducation Groups

Elderly GroupsEnvironmental Groups

Family Support Groups Health Advocacy and

Fitness Groups

Heritage GroupsHobby and Collectors Groups

Men’s Groups Mentoring Groups

Mutual Support GroupsNeighborhood Improvement

GroupsPolitical Organizations

Recreation GroupsReligious Groups

Service ClubsSocial GroupsUnion Groups

Women’s GroupsYouth Groups

Associations

Physical Space

Local Economy

StoriesInstitutions

Associations

Individuals

My Commun

ity

My Commun

ity

Our Community

1. What can you do with people power?

Once There is a

NEIGHBOURHOODVISION…ask

2. What can you do with help from outside agencies? What would that help look like?

3. What do you need outside agencies to do unilaterally?

The unsung hero!

• Connector – an individual that is good at discovering what people care about and where their assets can be used.– Gift centered– Well connected– Trusted– Believe they are welcome

Social inclusion? Where it matters?

Participation

Friendship

Intimacy

Economic Exchange

Full circles indicate capacity to deal with life andare a powerful measure of health in our society.

Spot the difference?

My Vision

Kevin Russell

My Good Life

• Real friends• A relationship like Cormac

has• A real job• Enough money to do the

things I like

My Good Life begins at Home

• No 27 Ballykeeffe Estate,Dooradoyle,Limerick.

• I live at home with my wonderful Mom and Dad

• I am a proud Limerick • man

A new policy anyone?Present Policy Why not also have a model that…

Focus on Deficiencies Focus on Assets

Problem Response Opportunity Identification

Charity Orientation Investment Orientation

Grants to Agencies Grants, Loans, Investments, Leverage

More Services Fewer Services

High Emphasis on Agencies Emphasis on Associations

Focus on Individuals Focus on communities/neighbourhoods

Maintenance Development

See People as Clients See People as Citizens and

Co-producers

‘Fix People’ Develop Potential

Programmes are the Answer People are the Answer

Strengths-based Community Development Methodology

Discovering Strengths

Organizing & Mapping

Linking andMobilizing

Community Driven Initiatives

Sustaining the Process

Our Team-Principals

• Cormac Russell, CEO Nurture Development; international faculty member of the ABCD Institute.

• Jim Diers, author of ‘Neighbor Power, Building Communities the Seattle Way’; faculty member of the ABCD Institute and architect of the world renowned Department of Neighbourhoods in Seattle.

• Martin Simon, founding advisor, Timebanking UK,

author of ‘Your Money or Your Life: Time for Both’.

Contact us

We would be happy to discuss how Nurture Strengths UK can add value to your endeavours.

Please contact: Cormac Russell +353 (87) 928 0998 orcormac@nurturedevelopment.ie