asset-based approaches to community-driven and citizen-led development brianne peters cango may 2011
TRANSCRIPT
Asset-Based Approaches to Community-Driven and Citizen-
Led Development
Brianne PetersCANGO
May 2011
The Coady International InstituteSt Francis Xavier University
Established in1959
Emerged out of “the Antigonish Movement” in the 1920’s
Educational Offerings in Canada and Onsite Over 5,000 graduates in 130 countries
19-week Diploma in Development Leadership: Three-week Certificates in:
Advocacy and Citizen Engagement Community-based Conflict Transformation and Peace Building Community-based Microfinance Community-based Natural Resource Management Community-based Health Impact Assessment Facilitation and Training Approaches for Community Change Livelihoods and Markets Mobilizing Assets for Community-Driven Development Organizational Learning and Change Women’s Leadership for Community Development
Master of Adult Education: Community Development Stream - STFX
Research for Action (in ABCD)
Research and action-research initiatives that support our educational focus on community organizing for economic and social change
A growing critique of “problem solving” or
“needs-based” approaches
Asset-based Community Development emerged as a result of:
Consequences of a predominant focus on needs
Leadership emphasizing community “needs” in order to secure resources
Community members internalizing what their leaders are saying (a deficit mentality)
Funding by categories of needs, andMoney going to the institutions filling
the needsA dependence on external rather than
internal relationships
Asset-based Community
Development also
emerged as a result of the recognition of the
existence of a multitude
of assets in even the
poorest communities
What do we mean by assets? (community level)
Stories Knowledge, experiences, innovations, talents and skills of
individuals Physical assets and natural resources Financial resources (including the assets accumulated through
iddirs, equbs and other informal savings and credit associations)
Cultural assets (including traditions of mutual aid and collective action)
Rights, claims and entitlements Local institutions Associations and social networks (including the
community’s diaspora)
An asset based approach
Recognizes and builds on existing strengths and assets
Provides tools and strategies for mapping, making inventories, analysing the local economy, linking and mobilising assets for community initiative
Promotes community analysis and action for local economic development
Examples of Internal Agency
In every country there are countless stories where citizens have self-mobilized and undertaken development initiatives.
They have “used what they have to secure what they have not.”
Learning retrospectively from successful communities: What are the roles of “agency” and “assets” in explaining community driven development?
a
Retrospective cases
Common Threads in these Examples: Internal Agency
Started with what they had (not what they needed from outside)
Started quite small and then grew to be more ambitious over time
Local Leadership is Key!
Leadership was spread throughout the community – not just vested in a particular charismatic individual
There were both formal and informal leaders – “gappers” – people who can bridge the gap between informal associations and formal institutions; between generations; between residents and ‘come from away’
These Leaders:
Tended to keep people focused on opportunities rather than problems or needs
Were able to get people to sacrifice something now for later benefit
Were able to motivate citizens to act by appealing to community members’ pride, sense of civic duty or responsibility towards others or future generations
External Agency
External agency was characterized by an “investment” rather than “service delivery” orientation – investing external resources in the community’s own initiatives
Encouragement and support for, multi-stakeholder arrangements
Responsive investment
Focus on needs needs Responds to problemsproblems CharityCharity or entitlemententitlement
orientation Emphasis on external
agenciesagencies Power comes from credentialscredentials “Motivation to act”- incentives, incentives,
terms of employmentterms of employment Goal is excellentexcellent serviceservice People are clients, consumersclients, consumers ProgramsPrograms are the answer are the answer
Focus on assetsassets Builds from opportunitiesopportunities InvestmentInvestment orientation Emphasis on associationsassociations Power comes from
relationshipsrelationships “Motivation to Act” – dreams, dreams,
fears, being asked to fears, being asked to contributecontribute
Goal is community-driven community-driven developmentdevelopment
People are citizens, memberscitizens, members PeoplePeople are the answer are the answer
Service Delivery Responsive investment
Can outside agencies stimulate asset-based and community-driven development where it is not occurring already?
a
ABCD action research sites
There is no blueprint!
The choice of methods you use to stimulate ABCD depends on:
The relationship your organization has with the community – What are the expectations of the community? How have you explained your interest in working there?
Their experience and expectations of other NGOs or local government
Power dynamics in the community
ABCD as a Methodology
Discovering Strengths
Organizing and Mapping
Community Economic Analysis
Linking andMobilizing
Monitoring andEvaluation
Appreciative Interviewing
Tell me about an activity you consider to have been successful in your community that started with no help from the outside?
What was it about you that made it successful?
What was it about others?
What was it about the situation?
Individual Skills: Gifts of Head/Hand/Heart
CarpentryFarming CookingMechanicsSewingWeavingAnimal husbandryHouse construction
Analysis AccountingOrganizationBusiness and tradingManagementLiteracy Problem solvingMoney management
CompassionCare of elderlySense of humourConflict resolutionWillingness to collaborateCooperative spirit
By mapping associations, the community
Identifies existing organizational capacity Sees where the energy is in this
community Understands what motivates people to
organize Recognizes existing leadership in the
community Can think about how existing associations
can be modified and expanded to meet new opportunities
Associations and Institutions
CommunityOrganizing
(associations)
Institutions & Programs
Policies, Markets, etc.
e
Individual Skills
Crop Production
Animal Husbandry
Civic Skills Construction Skills
Handicrafts& Artisans
Artistic Skills
Health Skills Other
- Farming- Weeding- Thrashing- Sowing- Harvesting- Irrigation- Flood protection
- Rearing- Breeding- Fattening- Castrating- Taming horse, ox, and mule- Milking and milk processing
- Conflict mediation- Group leadership- Advising - Counseling- Organizing
- Masonry- Carpentry- Plastering & roofing- Surveying construction of irrigation canals- Hand dug wells
- Blacksmith- Pottery- Weaving-Embroidery- Basket making- Tailoring- Spinning- Plating hair - Barbering- Tanning - Musical instruments
- Singing- Dancing- Poetry- Playing traditional musical instruments - Story telling
Ttraditional healing- Bone setting- Midwifery- Herbalist- Cautery- Veterinary- Birthing- Childcare, socialization
- Petty trading- Weather forecast- Time reckoning- Natural resource managing- Farm tool making- Silo making
e
Other Community Assets
Social Institutional Physical Natural
Local Associations:Formal Farmers association Women’s association Youth association Community cereal
bank association Local development
clusters Informal Idir (farmers, women,
youth) Senbete Mehaber Iqub Environmental
protection club Women Dabaree
association Mutual cooperation
(Dabo,Jigi,Wanfal)
Local Institutions: Kebele
administration Multi-purpose
service cooperative
Primary school Health post Farmers training
center Orthodox church Protestant
church Traditional
Qalluu Institution
Gadaa Institution
All weather road School Health post Grain stores Farmers
training centre Churches Residential
houses Irrigation canals Bridge Cattle trough Flour mills Local
government offices
Land and water Wildlife Sand/soil Cattle Hills/mountains Trees People Crops (wheat,
barley, peas) Vegetables Hens Stone Grass Pack animals
e
Opportunities Identified
Priority economic opportunities Improving fertility of the land through:
Composting and crop rotation Terracing Planting commercial and indigenous trees (Irrigation)
Other economic opportunities identified Reducing alcohol consumption Construction of high school Reducing expenditures on social festivities
e
Future Change
Steps
RequiredLocal Assets to
ContributeOutside Assistance
Required
- Organic
manuring &
crop rotation
- Planting
of indigenous
trees
-Terracing
- Irrigation
- Mobilizing associations
- Collecting plant & animal
waste using pit method
- Spreading compost on
farmlands
- Using crop rotation
- Identification of lands
exposed to erosion
- Mobilizing people to plant
indigenous as well as
commercial species
- Planting fodder trees along
the contours of the terrace
- Mobilizing farmers on cultivated land
- Manure, crop residues
- Household tools and
equipment
- Labour
-Seedlings from nursery
- Labour
- Indigenous
knowledge & skills
- Sand/stone/soil
- Communal and household labour
- Legal and technical support
(Woreda, Hundee)
- Support of agricultural and
nursery operation (Hundee)
- Tools, material and equipment
that are not locally
available (Woreda)
Change Examples
Organizational Capacity Increased value placed on cooperative action More democratic and inclusive groups More effective linkages with external actors More motivation to mobilize resources Strengthened leadership
Attitudinal Appreciating the value of previously overlooked assets
Increased confidence
Tangible Assets Road construction/clearing Milk collection centre Upgraded school Communal shop User rights to additional land Improved land through terracing, irrigation
and compost
Increased savings Savings associations Creation of bank accounts Reduction of “extravagant” spending on
festivities or alcohol
Issues
Identifying the “low hanging fruit” Power structures within the community (entry
point) Unpredictable nature of ABCD Sometimes principles have to be sidestepped Differing approaches of other NGOs Changing Mindsets: God and Government Local and Global Contextual Issues that are beyond
community control Finding comfort in a new role