ABCDE Learning Sites:

A partnership in continuouslearning

“Making the invisible, visible”Cormac Russell

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• Our Learning Sites in the UK include: Bristol, Croydon, Kirklees, Leeds, Gloucestershire, Thurrock, Lichfield, North West -Manchester, Wirral, South Ayrshire and Fife.

• Outside of the UK we have a strong presence in East Africa: Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan. We have also worked in South Africa and many other countries around the world.

What is a

Nurture Development

Learning Site?

Neighbourhood areas that

become local community-led

examples of ABCD in action.

Our Learning Sites

1. Ayrshire & Arran2. Bristol3. Fife4. Gloucestershire5. Kirklees6. Leeds7. Lichfield8. North West (Trafford)9. Thurrock10.Torbay11.West Croydon12.Wirral

Our UK Learning Sites

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Impact• 77 Community Connectors discovered• 300 community members actively engaged

in the process• 240 community and voluntary organisations

actively connected to ABCD practices• 77 Community-led Projects initiated

Paul Macey, AssociateJennine Bailey, Associate

ABCD Guides

West Croydon

Our Learning Sites

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West Croydon

Our Learning Sites

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Wirral

Our Learning Sites

Impact so far• 130 Local residents trained on ABCD• 20 Community Connectors trained and being

mentored • 5 Neighbourhoods actively engaged in

community building.

ABCD GuideChris Shaw, ABCD Guide & Partner Support

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Wirral

Our Learning Sites

6 Top Tips From Our UK Experience

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Emerging lessons

Emerging lessons

1. A local association who is committed to community

building is critical as a host

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Emerging lessons

Emerging lessons

2. Start by making the invisible visible

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Emerging lessons

Emerging lessons

3. Effective community building goes at the speed of trust

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Emerging lessons

Emerging lessons

4. Start with what’s strong to address what is wrong, and make what’s strong even

stronger

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Emerging lessons

Emerging lessons

5. Community Connectors are a critical

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Emerging lessons

Emerging lessons

6. The optimum size of approx. 300-3,000

City of Karratha

City of Launceston Dorset Council

Shire of Kalamunda City of Stirling

City of Wanneroo

City of Onkaparinga City of Charles SturtShire of Murray

ParramattaGosford City Council

City of Wyndham City of Whittlesea Sunbury

Bass Coast Shire Council

National Network of ABCD Community Building Learning Sites

Eight Touch Stones

We don’t mean this…

We mean this…

Which does your current community engagement efforts most resemble?

Communities are complex, they demand continuous learning

Touch Stone 1: Finding a Community Builder Team

Start yourInitiator group

The main protagonists:• Leader – someone that can bring

people together to work on an issue• Gift Giver – a person that is willing

to contribute their asset to work on an issue.

• Invisible Person – a person that has not yet been “discovered” or been convinced to use their assets to help achieve their dreams or address their concerns in the neighborhood.

The unsung hero! • Community Builder – an individual that

is good at discovering what people care about and where their assets can be used. Not a single issue person!• Gift centered

• Well connected

• Trusted

• Believe they are welcome

Touch Stone 2: Recruiting a Community Builder

The Characteristics of Community Builder

• A facilitator/includer

• A line back/gapper

• A community builder in their own life

• A child-like curiosity/with an adult presence

• Never does for others what they can do for themselves

Touch Stone 3 : Hosting Conversations to Discover Assets and What People

Care About.

Discovering, Mapping and Connecting

What do peoplecare about enough to work on?

Appreciatingwhat’s good about the community

Touch Stone 4 : Engaging Local Groups and Associations

Ask what else they want to do, who else theyknow who might be interested in an ideas fair?

e.g. Faith communities,sporting groups,environmental groups etc

Informal social networks

Do your map

Map Jam

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Touch Stone 5 : Building Connections Through Social Interaction Activities

and ShareableCommunity Opportunities

Skillshare/Sharefest

Seed Swap

Repair Cafe

A Really, Really Free

Market

Swap Meet

Touch Stone 6: Visioning and Planning

3 Key Questions:1 What can we do?2 What do we need outside help with?3 What do we need outside agencies to do for us?

Touch Stone 7-Implementing Change (Doing & Reviewing)

Touch Stone 8: Fostering Celebration

Eight Touch StonesFinding a Community Builder

TeamRecruiting a Community Building

Hosting community conversations to discover assets

and what people care aboutEngaging community groups and

associationsBuilding connections through social interaction and sharable

opportunitiesVisioning and planning

Implementing change (doing and reviewing)

Fostering celebration