Asset-based Community Development

Asset-based Community Development

Key Messages Two Solutions, Two Paths Local Commitment and Resources Community-building Path – Asset-based – Internally Focused – Relationship Driven

Primary Components Releasing Individual Capacities Releasing the Power of Local Associations and Organizations Capturing Local Institutions for Community Building Rebuilding the Community Economy Mobilizing an Entire Community

Releasing Individual Capacities – Youth – Seniors – People with Disabilities – People Living in Poverty – Artists

Releasing Local Organizations Religious Institutions Cultural Organizations

Capturing Local Institutions Parks Libraries Schools Community Colleges Police Hospitals

Rebuilding the Community Economy Local Purchasing Hiring Locally Creating New Businesses Developing Human Resource Potential Local Investing Economic Bridge Building Commitment to Communit

Mobilizing an Entire Community Capacities of Individuals Gifts of Strangers Associations of Citizens Local, Private, Public and Non-Profit Institutions Community’s Physical Assets Capacity Finders and Developers

5 Steps Towards Whole Community Mobilization Step 1 - Mapping Assets Step 2 - Building Relationships Step 3 - Mobilizing Community Assets Step 4 - Convening Broadly Representative Group Step 5 - Leveraging Outside Resources

Case Study Step 1 – Mapping Assets

Important 7 6 5 Not Important 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 Negative Perception Source: Gogebic Range Survey, 2008 (among young professionals) 5 6 7 8 Positive Perception

Important 7 6 5 Not Important 4 3 Our Niche! 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 Negative Perception Source: Gogebic Range Survey, 2008 (among young professionals) 5 6 7 Positive Perception 8

Case Study Step 1 - Mapping Assets Step 2 - Building Relationships

Building Relationships

Case Study Step 1 - Mapping Assets Step 2 - Building Relationships Step 3 - Mobilizing Community Assets

Mobilizing Community Assets Iron County Board of Supervisors Bessemer Area School District Iron County Forestry and Parks Committee Bessemer Township Iron County Resource Development Association, Inc. City of Wakefield City of Hurley Hurley Area Chamber of Commerce Hurley School District City of Montreal Town of Kimball Gogebic County Board of Commissioners Gogebic County Economic Development Commission Ironwood City Commission Ironwood Parks and Recreation Committee Ironwood Area Chamber of Commerce Ironwood Area School District Wakefield Planning Commission Wakefield Chamber of Commerce Wakefield-Marenisco School District Wakefield Township Marenisco Township Board Grand View Health System Gogebic Community College Western Upper Peninsula Convention and Visitors Bureau Ni-Miikanaake Chapter of the North Country Trail Association Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (letter of support) Upper Peninsula Travel and Recreation

Case Study Step 1 - Mapping Assets Step 2 - Building Relationships Step 3 - Mobilizing Community Assets Step 4 - Convening Broadly Representative Group

Convening Broadly Representative Group(s) Promoting Our Strengths Workgroup Railroad Technical Working Group Regional Trail Authority Riverside Trail Committee

Case Study Step 1 - Mapping Assets Step 2 - Building Relationships Step 3 - Mobilizing Community Assets Step 4 - Convening Broadly Representative Group Step 5 - Leveraging Outside Resources

Leveraging Outside Resources Over 1.5 million in funding: Acquisition of Trail Route Depot Park Trail Head Completed Ethnic Commons Trail Head Completed Phase I Paved – Summer of 2014 Train Trestle Retrofitted – Summer of 2014 Phase II Grant Submitted (Local Match Acquired)

Supporting Literature Community Capitals Framework Community Organizing Change Theory Change Resistance

Action Research Action Research Research Action

Two Forms of Social Change Solving Local Problems A More Participatory Society

Power/Knowledge/Action Power Action Knowledge With regards to Michel Foucault

Change Theory

Change Resistance

ABCD Resources Alinsky (1989). Rules for Radicals Flora and Flora (2008). Rural Communities: Legacy and Change Green and Haines (2008). Asset Building and Community Development Kotter (1996). Leading Change Kretzman and McNight (1993). Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets Krile (2008). The Community Leadership Handbook: Framing Ideas, Building Relationship, and Mobilizing Resources Marshak (2006). Covert Processes at Work: Managing the Five Hidden Dimensions of Organizational Change McKnight (2010). The Abundant Community: Awakening the Power of Families and Neighborhoods Rappaport (1977). Community Psychology: Values, Research, and Action Stoecker (2005). Research Methods for Community Change: A Project Based Approach