First Discoverwhatpeoplecareaboutenoughtoactoninyourlocalcommunity?

WHATISTHEESSENCEOFABCD?

AssetBasedCommunityDevelopment(ABCD)isaboutlocalpeopleworkingtogetherforthewellbeingoftheirhomeplace. ABCDneedsahometowork.ABCDisprimarilyrelationshipbuilding foractionforacollectivepurpose,apathtoorganizegroupsandpeopleina communitytoacttogetherforthecommongood.The focusisuponbuildingpower(theabilitytoacteffectively)throughrelationships.How?First ABCDisanapproachtodiscoverlocalcommunityassets.ThismappingismostlywhatpeopledointhenameofABCD. SecondandmoreimportantlyABCDis"practicesandprinciples"formobilizingalocalcommunitytomoveintoactionwithresidentsatthecenter...notoutsiders.Thecommunityistheprincipal actornottheclient.ABCDisapathto"organizeanorganization"orcommunitypartnershipoflocalpeopleandtheirstakeholdergroupstofind,connect,andmakeproductiveagrowingcircleoflocalassetsworkingforthecom-mongood.

HOWTOMOBILIZEACOMMUNITYTHROUGHRELATIONSHIPS?

First discoverwhatpeoplecareaboutenoughtoactoninyourlocalcommunity? Whatwillpeoplecommittoacton?Discover'motivationtoact'throughlearningconversationsoutinthecommunity.What isthemotivationtoact?Whatisthecollectivepurposethatawidecircleofpeoplewillact ontogether? Whoiscommittedtoact?

Secondfindandengagespecificconnectorleaders(peoplewhoareleadersinacommunitysensemeaningpeoplewithtrust,influence,andacircleofrelationshipstocallupon)toformaconnectorleadersgroup.Thisisthecoregroup forcollectiveaction thatcanusetheirconnectionsandrelationshipstoengageawidecircleofthelocalcommunityworkingtogether.ABCDiscommunityorganizing;principlesandpracticestobringpeopleintocommittedrelationshipforcollectiveactiontowardswhatpeoplereallycareabout--enoughtoact.

Communitydevelopmentthatworksbestisnotaboutmanufacturinganything but aboutbringingoutthebasicgoodnessthatisthereineachlocalcommunity.Everycommunityisa placefilledwithgiftstobegivenandcaretobediscovered.The song ofcommunityis”Weneedyou.Weneedyou.Joinus.” Thereisnoonewedon’tneed.