ABCD principles

Asset-Based Community Development

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCDABCD— Asset-Based Community DevelopmentAn approach that identifies and develops the strengths and resources already present in a community to support sustainable wellbeing.) is an approach to community development that starts from what is already there — the strengths, skills, networks, organisations, and physical assets of a community — rather than from what is missing.

It is the philosophical backbone of social prescribing. Without it, the role can drift into a deficit model: "this person is broken, this community is failing, my job is to fix them." That model doesn't last.

Five core ideas

1. Every community has assets. Even communities labelled as "deprived" have remarkable strengths — informal networks, faith groups, mutual aid, individual talents, physical spaces.
2. Build on strengths, not deficits. Begin with what is, not with what isn't.
3. People are citizens, not clients. People in a community have agency, expertise, and relationships — not just needs.
4. Connections matter more than services. It's the connections between assets that produce community wellbeing — not just the assets themselves.
5. Sustainability comes from ownership. Things last when communities have agency over them.

Why the framework names ABCD

The competency framework explicitly asks SPLWsSPLW— Social Prescribing Link WorkerA role that supports people to access community-based services, groups and activities to meet practical, social and emotional needs that affect their health and wellbeing. Used internationally; equivalents in some countries include 'link worker', 'community connector' or 'health navigator'. to:

• understand ABCDABCD— Asset-Based Community DevelopmentAn approach that identifies and develops the strengths and resources already present in a community to support sustainable wellbeing. as a process that facilitates the sustainable development of communities based on strength and potential.
• apply the approach to identify and map community assets.
• collaborate with community partners in mapping.

How this changes day-to-day practice

Read more

• ABCDABCD— Asset-Based Community DevelopmentAn approach that identifies and develops the strengths and resources already present in a community to support sustainable wellbeing. Institute (Northwestern University)
• Cormac Russell — Rekindling Democracy (2021)
• Research on the "anchor institutions" role of health services in their local communities.