Asset Based Community Development

PresentationABCDThe 10th may 2010Armenia visit

Dutch ABCD-origin in quarter Delfshaven 2003

• 6.200 inhabitants• Over 56 % of houses owned by Woonbron

(so we make or break development-initiatives)(and we make or break coalition-perspectives)

• Low incomes, high unemployment rate• Few chances for development• Stimulates lack of confidence in environment

and in institutions

Asset-Based (physical assets)

• Houses that are not taken care of and in which investments do not make profit

• Houses and shops stay empty• Low rents avoid that, but create even more that

people with little perspective end up in this neighbourhood

• Alternative: Use the qualities:Cheap and easily accessible

Asset-Based (social assets)

• Common idea: ‘invite people with higher incomes and support development of the population’

• Which feels like: “we don’t want you”

• Alternative: “So what is it, you can achieve right here and right now?”

Community Development

• Do the inhabitants share a collective spirit, or is alienation common?

• Do the role models show development chances or do they resign?

• Alternative: “Which recognizable talents evoke a positive common spirit?”

Asset-Based Community Development

• Before anything show Woonbron is reliable!

• Listen to preferably all people individually

• Document all qualities – even those that used to seem irrelevant

• Act when you’re told the needs

Who will you meet? - the entrepreneurs:

• Self-sustaining– Will contribute to the quarters assetsWill contribute to the quarters assets– Will Will notnot contribute to the quarters assets contribute to the quarters assets

• Never going to be self-sustaining– Will contribute to the quarters assetsWill contribute to the quarters assets– Will Will notnot contribute to the quarters assets contribute to the quarters assets

• Promising to grow tot self-sustainability– Will contribute to the quarters assetsWill contribute to the quarters assets– Will Will notnot contribute to the quarters assets contribute to the quarters assets

Who will you meet? - the non-entrepreneurs:

• Community-building non-commercial initiatives• Individual progress on a non-commercial base• (institutional) investors in the perspective of youth

• The partners in the quarter that can build a coalition with us

What will you do – business as usual

• Build and maintain good houses in a good environment with strong tenants

• Unite with the strong (project development)

• Brand this quarter and organize pull-factors for the people that could lift this quarter and its economy

What will you do – Asset-Based Community Development

• Relentlessly, but modestly set the example

• The way people are is good – change follows ‘being’ and not the reverse!

• Support what your people can achieve

• Be very, very creative

What will you do – Asset-Based Community Development

• Also our own workers are an asset and they primarily deserve respect, so that they can ‘pass it on’

• Organizational en governmental qualities can serve on another, yet related level – bureaucracy is a disaster for creativity and for true social skills

Amongst the ABCD-projects:

• Computer centre (Oud-) Delfshaven

• “Theatre Formaat” Participative Drama with psychiatrical patients and with mentally disabled

• Children's creative atelier and re-use of industrial waste

• Bike repair centre (Oud-) Delfshaven

• A neighbourhood patrol by parents concerned with their children

• Moroccan and Turkish real-estate firm

• Fashion Fuse – neighbourhood fashion atelier

• Quarter’s support for small jobs in and around the house

• Alternative creative cultural centre “Stichting WORM”

• Shelter and activity centre for homeless people

• Offer and organize practicum for youth