Communities Creating Change
Posted on: August 29, 2019
Content originally from Essex Futures
The Essex Local Delivery Pilot is part of a national pilot to create population level changes in physical activity. Over the past 30 years traditional approaches by lottery funders and sport and physical activity organisations has not shifted the stubborn levels of physical inactivity, hovering between 25% and 30% of all adults. As we all know, child obesity is also worsening across the country. A new approach is required.
The Essex LDP has decided to put system change at the heart of all its work and Asset Based Community Development is proving a valuable tool in the work. ABCD challenges the traditional deficit-based approach by demonstrating that local assets (people, physical assets etc.) and individual strengths are key to ensuring sustainable community development, and that people have a life of their own choosing.
So far, the impact has been significant. The work has been led by Chris Chinnock from Nurture Development, who has trained and mentored more than 300 people already involved with the LDP. Chris explains: “Too often, organisations assume they know what local communities need. They focus on what’s wrong, not what’s strong. Adopting an ABCD approach is uplifting for everyone. It focuses on the passions of local people and the power of social networks; where public sector organisations are equal partners in any new developments, not in control. In many cases the solutions are already present within communities, often hidden from organisations who have been too focussed on finding problems to fix, rather than working alongside communities already creating change for themselves”.
The LDP is now playing to the ABCD tune, seeking out ‘unusual suspects’, working hard at building relationships and trust, co-producing ideas and projects, and embracing innovation, risk and failure.
Chris and the LDP will be running a workshop at the Essex Assembly for those keen to learn more about ABCD. If you would like to book on to Essex Assembly and have not received an invite please contact Essex.Partners@essex.gov.uk
