ABCD Approaches to Community Outreach

On June 17, 2024, the Centre for Employment Innovation hosted visiting facilitators Michelle Dunscomb and Dee Brooks from the Jeder Institute for a workshop on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approaches to community outreach.

ABCD recognizes the strengths, gifts, talents and resources of individuals and communities, and helps communities to mobilize and build on their existing assets. It holds at its core the assets – whether human, social, financial, cultural, physical, or economic – that already exist in communities, paying particular attention to the connections and relationships that help mobilize those assets and bring people together. Focusing on assets and capacities rather than on needs and deficiencies allows energy to be directed toward opportunities at the community level, and helps strengthen citizens’ capacity to drive their own development.

Participants from fourteen Nova Scotia Works centres and two partner organizations gathered to explore a series of tools for applying an asset-based lens to their community outreach practices. The group learned about the benefits of circle and four fold practices, and tried their hand at mapping and mobilizing assets by planning a street party. They also made the most of the sunshine, practicing appreciative interview while strolling the StFX campus grounds.

We can’t wait to see how the participants take their learnings back and apply them at their centres! Interested in future ABCD learnings with the CEI? Sign up for our newsletter below and be the first to know about future workshop opportunities.