Robert FrancisRegional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership [RYASAP]

2470 Fairfield AvenueBridgeport, CT06605

Phone: 203-579-2727 ext. 304rfrancis_99@yahoo.com

Asset Based Community Development Institute Northwestern University

www.abcdinstitute.org

COMMUNITY“It’s not a place – it’s a

relationship”

Where youth and adult citizens address needs and develop responses

Where people’s gifts are recognized and used to solve community problems and create healthy spaces to live

COMMUNITY NEEDS MAP

Unemployment

Dilapidated Housing

Suicide & DepressionHomelessness

Single Parent Families

Juvenile Delinquency

Teen PregnancyIlliteracy

Alcohol &DrugAbuse

Gangs

Domestic Abuse

ChildAbuseCrime

MentalDisability

Poverty

COMMUNITY ASSETS MAP

GOVERNMENT

LIBRARIESHUMAN SERVICE AGENCIES

PARKS

Local Institutions HOSPITALS

Citizens’ Associations

Gifts of Individuals

CHURCHES BLOCK CLUBS

CULTURAL CLUBS

INCOME

YOUTH ELDERLY

ARTISTS

LABELEDPEOPLE

COLLEGES

SCHOOLSBUSINESS

PERSONAL ASSET INVENTORY

List of all those things you have knowledge of that you want to share.

List of all those things you can do with your hands that you want to share.

List of all those things you really care about that will move you to action

List of important relation-ships in your neighborhood,community and beyond – your connections

HOMEHEART

HAND HEAD

Types of Associations

• Artistic Groups• Business Professional Associations• Charitable Associations• Church Groups• Civic Groups• Collectors Groups• Community Support Groups• Elderly Groups• Ethnic and Cultural Groups• Health & Fitness Groups• Special Interest Groups• Media and Communications Groups

• Self Help Groups• Neighborhood Councils• Block Watch Associations• Outdoors Groups• Political Organizations• School Groups (PTA’s etc.)• Service Clubs• Alumni Associations• Sports Leagues• Study Groups• Survivors Groups• Veterans Groups• Women’s Groups• Youth Groups

Assets of Institutions “Fortresses or Treasure Chests?”

1. Facilities

2. Equipment

3. Purchasing Power

4. Employment Practices

5. Training and Organizational Development

6. Employees and Their Skills

7. Clout to Open Doors

8. Financial Resources

ACTION STRATEGIES FOR CREATING TREASURE CHEST INSTITUTIONS

Join together with other institutions, citizen’s associations and community leaders to address issues in the community

Convene groups to see what people really care about and are ready to act on

Identify your organization’s assets and share these assets with the community to address major issues in the community

Distribute small grants to involve citizens or the people you serve in your work

Identify and connect local citizen’s associations to your work

Use the clout of your board of directors and staff to involve citizen input and action

Support citizen organizing – form community partnerships that involve citizens as well as other organizations to advance your issues

Use your economic power – hire and train people from the community to strengthen the community

LEAKY BUCKET*

*The “Leaky Bucket” represents money coming into the community from outside and internal sources and how this money is spent both for effective and ineffective services and

goods.

Daily wages

Business sales

Bartering ofservices

Taxrevenues

Grocerysales Tourism

revenue

Alcohol Recreation Education Household &Tobacco expenses consumables consumption

Transportationcosts

Taxes andsocial payments

Health relatedexpenses

Products for use bylocal institutionsSocial services

Government grants

Foundationgrants

Sale of local goods

Government Staff Salaries

Building Blocks of Community

• Individuals with gifts [All]• Associations• Neighborhood Groups• Congregations• Nonprofits• Government• Schools• Businesses• Local Economy – $• Physical environment

Community Assets

“Assets are not assets unless people want to share them!”

START WITH A CONVERSATION

The issue – adolescent sexuality

Start with an answer…

How can we distribute more condoms to prevent STD’s and HIV?

Start with a conversation…

What can we do as a community to address the issue of adolescent sexuality in order to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and HIV? Who should be involved? What qualities/assets are we looking for in these participants to help with the problem?

What is the real question you want to answer?

Discover WhatPeople Care About

Discover What People Care

About

Meaningful Action

More Connections

Conversations

“If its rats, it must be rats!”

Websites Asset Based Community Development Institute www.abcdinstitute.org Coady International Institute www.coady.stfx.ca/ Inclusion Press www.inclusion.com  Books •Building Communities From the Inside Out by John McKnight and John Kretzmann•The Careless Society by John McKnight•From Clients to Citizens by Alison Mathie and Gordon Cunningham•When People Care Enough To Act by Mike Green, Henry Moore and John O’Brien•Neighbor Power by Jim Diers•Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam•Discovering Community Power: A Guide to Mobilizing Your Local Assets And Your Organization’s Capacity by the ABCD Institute•A Guide to Building Sustainable Organizations From The Inside Out by the Chicago Foundation For Women•New Community Tools for Improving Child Health by John McKnight and Carol Pandak