HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE DOEXTRAORDINARY THINGS.

James HampsonConnecting Communities

Co-ordinator

Forever Manchester Connecting Communities Workshop

Introductions

• Tell us who you are and something that you are good at

• What brings you to the session? • What interests you about today?

Forever Manchester• Community Foundation for Greater Manchester• Been active for 26 Years• Raise and distribute funds to communities of

Greater Manchester• 2011 We discovered a different way of working• Developed the UK’s first dedicated ABCD

Community Building Team• We work with Communities to help them do

“Extraordinary things together”

What do you want for your group/Community?

• More activities• More people involved• To be able to do more• Safer• Happier• More Connected• Cleaner

Principals of Community Building

Start with discovering people’s strengths Start with relationship building Local led action is more durable and

sustainable than professional programmes When the conversation shifts from “isn’t it

awful” to “what’s possible?” Real community building begins

Problem Focused• What Problems do you think can be created by

this approach?

• Competition between groups• Apathy• Negative Stereotypes• Loss of local pride• Dependency

When people care about something enough, they have a motivation to act.

What is Asset Based Community Development?

• ABCD is a different way of viewing communities

• It encourages people to think about and explore what skills and talents are already in the community

• Communities and everyone in them are better off when they work together and share these skills

We Can GameCredit - Cormac Russell of Nurture Development and Inclusion Press

The We Can Game• The game can be used to get people

thinking differently about their capacities/assets

• Can begin the process of asset mapping individuals

• It can start to identify people to invite in to our community efforts

• Google “We Can Game”

A shopping list

What are Assets?

There are 4 key Assets in every community…1)Individuals2)Associations3)Institutions4)Physical Assets 5)Connections

What are Assets? 1)Individuals• At the centre of ABCD are residents of the

community that have gifts and skills. • Everyone has assets and gifts. • Individual gifts and assets need to be

recognized and identified. • In community development you cannot do

anything with people’s needs, only their assets.

• Deficits or needs are only useful to institutions.

What Are Your Gifts?

Assets of the Head

• Take 3 Post–It Notes• Write your name on each note• Write down 3 Gifts of the Head, one on

each note – Things I know something about and

would enjoy talking about with others

Assets of the Heart

• Take 3 more Post–It Notes• Write your name on each note• Write down 3 Gifts of the Heart, one on

each note - Things I am passionate about, things

that make me take action

Assets of the Hands

• Take 3 more Post–It Notes• Write your name on each note• Write down 3 Gifts of the Hands, one on

each note– Things or skills I know how to do and

could potentially share with others – Things you can make, fix, build or

produce

Head, Heart, Hands• This is a good exercise to do with groups• Can start a conversation about ideas• Start connections around mutual gifts• Creates Conversation• Fun way to discover individuals community

assets• Can be used to make connections between

people (more on this later)

What are Assets? 2) Associations• Small formal and informal groups of

people • Clubs working with a common interest as

volunteers are called associations in ABCD and are critical to community mobilization.

• They are coming together around a common interest by their individual choice

Community Associations

• Every effort should be made to contact and include as many as possible

• Associations can take on new roles e.g. Community Funday

• Informal Associations are as useful as formal associations

Community Associations• Get things Started!• Buildings• Resources• Create Space• Experience e.g. funding applications• Skills and talents of members• Encourage others to get involved• Collective Voice

What are Assets? 3) Institutions/Service providers• Paid groups of people who generally are

professionals who are structurally organized are called institutions.

• They include government agencies and private business, as well as schools, etc.

• They can all be valuable resources. • The assets of these institutions help the

community capture valuable resources and establish a sense of civic responsibility.

Asset Mapping

Asset Mapping allows us to build up a picture of what assets are available for us to use and mobilise.

On a physical map of where you live you can identify the • Institutions

• Physical Assets• Associations

Asset Mapping

In groups come up with a way to record and show any groups, institutions and physical assets in you

community

Asset Mapping• This exercise is especially effective with small groups of residents

• Asset Mapping is a good way of getting people talking

• An Asset Map can be useful in inspiring community action and involvement

• Informal groups who regularly meet are worth adding and connecting

• Make sure that the map is visible and accessible by everyone in the community

• Always review and add to the map

The Power of Two • If one person spent one day having a conversation to

two people about what they could create (1+2)• If the next day, those two people each had a

conversation with two different people (1+2+2+2)• And so forth• Then in 10 days, 2047 people would be having a

conversation• In 15 days, 65,536 people would be in conversation• In 20 days, 2 million people would be in conversation

Asset Based Community Development Institute

Finding People• Meet and talk to people in spaces they

naturally meet • Start a different conversation about

themselves and Community Life• Map the assets instead of identifying

the needs • Shift the conversation from what’s

wrong to what’s strong • Positive questions will receive a

positive response• What types of questions might we ask?

Finding People• Do you know about the event we’re having?

• Have you got any hobbies or interests?

• What sort of stuff do you do to keep the kids busy?

• Have you ever had an Idea for something you’d like to do in the community?

• What are you good at?

• What do you really care about?

• Can you help us?

What are Assets? 5) Connections• Assets become stronger when they are

connected together

• Connections between people based on strengths build healthy relationships

Connecting• Connecting Community Assets is the key to

Community Building• Quite simply it is the building of relationships

between different members of the community for shared benefits

• Relationships are built on shared and compatible strengths

• Connections should be made between all members and organisations in the community

• Ideas and Community Projects are perfect arenas for people to build Connections

Connect the room

Host a party!

Stories• Community Stories can help to create a

shared history and sense of belonging• Stories can motivate and inspire others• Tell of a time when people came

together and achieved something extraordinary

• Sharing success continues and builds community momentum

Do you really need funding?At sometimes all groups will need funds to make themselves bigger and better but first consider this

• By looking around the community you can make your money go further

• Do local businesses want to sponsor you?• Can you add a small fee?• Are you raising money to give to someone else?• Benefits include

• More people involved• Raises local awareness• Funding can help others in the community

Fundraising

• What do you fundraise for?

• How do you fundraise?

• Where do you get donations from?

What can each of these groups do?

Who do these people know?

Summary• Start with discovering Strengths• Connect with as many people in the area as possible• Local led action is more durable and sustainable that

professional led action• Become comfortable telling your stories• HAVE FUN AND MAKE NOISE

How you can help Forever Manchester

• Fundraise and donate to us!• Self Fundraise• Spread the word about us• Tell us your stories