CR#6 CED: Community ENGAGED Development
What? What are the key characteristics of the ABCD model? How is it different from the CED model (what is the CED model?)? Be sure to cite the article in your explanation.
The ABCD model stands for asset-based community development which means it is a separate strategy from CED, or community economic development. ABCD is described as “an alternative approach… The appeal of ABCD lies in its premise that people in communities can organize to drive the development process themselves” (Cunningham and Mathie). Certain members of the community possess certain sets of skills that can be used in order to better the development of their respective communities. The reading describes them as “social assets: the particular talents of individuals as well as the social capital inherent in the relationships that fuel local associations and informal networks” (Cunningham and Mathie). To enable a self-sustaining community, the most important course of action is to recognize that there are social assets that already exist within these communities. The people who know the needs, issues, and how to tackle these issues best are the people directly from the community. CED is a different approach to community development. Its foundations were built on reversing the effects of poverty, using outside organizations and federal government aid without recognizing the social assets that they do have (Clay and Jones). However, it is true that there are a lot of outside resources that can greatly benefit communities and community economic development to provide affordable housing and welfare. Without government or even private funding, bigger projects that can impact a community greatly wouldn’t have been made possible. Once an outside organization sees the problem as ‘fixed’, it is very easy for them to pull out of the community. This community will become so dependent on outside aid that “…community members no longer act like citizens; instead they begin to act like ‘clients’ or consumers of services with no incentive to be producers” (Cunningham and Mathie). As community members get used to the fact that their problems can be resolved by outside influences, they forget how to solve their own problems.
So what? Consider the community you work with: What are some assets, especially in terms of Social Capital (cite article to explain what this is) that your community has and seem to utilize effectively?
Social Capital is “the store of goodwill and obligations generated by social relations. Looked at in this way, networks, norms, and social trust are all evidence of social relations in which social capital has been generated” (Cunningham and Mathie). Health Hubs has numerous relationships within their community and organization. The San Francisco Food Bank delivers a truckload of produce and food every Wednesday and Thursday. The Marin County organization Extrafood also contributes goods like breads, juices, vegetables, and pastries every Wednesday. Health Hubs is an organization stemmed from the Marin Community Clinic who provides a site where food distribution can happen. Aside from organization relationships, Health Hubs has numerous partners in terms of volunteers including universities, public and private schools, churches, and Canal community members. The 300 people who come by the food pantry are often regulars, and that only shows the trust and strong relationships built between Health Hubs and the community it serves. Health Hubs has effectively utilized its community resources to provide and connect local programs and services to its community.
Now what? Who would you talk to in the community to find out more, both about the resources from within the community, and also what the real issues are that people in the community care about? What are some questions you plan to ask to get to those answers? Please be specific in terms of who to approach and the list of questions to ask. Try to make an appointment with the person to get the process started! (Hint: See the Interview Questions Guide link and Word Doc)
In order to find out more about the community, my best source of information might be directly from the people themselves. If not and more specifically, the Health Hubs would be an incredibly insightful resource to get to know the community better. I could contact Florencia or Yaoska, the two Health Hub coordinators. I only spend four hours a week in the Canal area, so my observations and experiences are not sufficient to ‘diagnose’ the issues that this community is facing today. The questions I would pose are:
What are some national issues or problems that the Canal faces today?
What are some community-specific issues, problems, or hardships that the Canal faces today?
How many community programs and services support the needs of the members of the Canal and do they address some, if not all, of the issues hand?
How important is it to build relationships inside and outside of the community?
