Communities Services Fenland uses an ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) approach, a localised bottom-up methodology to community-building which recognises that all communities have strengths and assets to make neighbourhoods healthier, safer and more resilient.
This activity is good for wellbeing because
- ABCD involves recognising and nurturing the strengths and assets within a community – both physical assets such as facilities and spaces and human assets, such as people’s skills, passions and time are valued and celebrated.
- Communities are empowered to take social action and address local issues, in a way that is often more appropriate and effective than remote council services.
- The Communities Service’s approach from Cambridgeshire County Council is bringing together voluntary sector networks, faith, health and city leadership forums in Fenland.
Community Connectors have been employed by Cambridgeshire County Council to support the embedding of the ABCD approach into the council’s everyday practice. Their role is to start conversations, bring people together, empower people to initiate activities to bring about changes that people want to see, and create community leaders of the future. The connectors work with community groups and other key stakeholders, identifying and upskilling community leaders to promote integration and reduce inequalities. They identify and nurture community assets, listening and aligning what they do to empower communities to take social action and address local issues. This often leads to more effective and suitable solutions, resulting in communities feeling safe, healthy, connected, and able to help themselves and each other.
If you would like to be involved, the volunteer role of a community guide may suit!
A community guide…
- identifies and nurtures skills, talents and assets in their community, including hidden ones
- connects with other people in the community, and mobilises others to come together to take social action
- organises and leads local events and campaigns, which contribute to improved health, safety, well-being and integration in the community.
The Community guides will receive support and mentoring from Cambridgeshire County Council’s Community Connectors and other agencies in each of these areas.
