Author: Alison Mathie, Gord Cunningham
In 2002, a report from St. Francis Xavier University was published about asset-based community development. While a needs-based approach is focused on identifying the problems to find solutions, asset-based community development (ABCD) focuses more on the communities’ strengths and assets as a way to inspire positive change. It allows for the community to drive the development themselves by identifying existing assets. ABCD is seen as a promising strategy for community development and could be used a framework for organisations and governments.