blog | abcdinaction.org

The Invisible is Becoming Visible: The Unintended Side Effects of COVID-19

By John L. McKnight, 2020-03-23

At the start of any asset-based initiatives, the identification of local assets is the essential starting point. Nonetheless, in many neighborhoods, most of these local assets are not recognized....

Intro!

By Anthony Giambroni, 2020-03-18

Hey friends, I am not sure how I missed this element of the ABCD Institute & community, but I am glad to be here now! I started my work in faith communities from 2013-2018 and towards...

Social Connection Needed in Battle Against Coronavirus

By Jim Diers, 2020-03-07

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, public health officials are warning us to practice social distancing. That seems like good advice given the contagious nature of the disease, but it is...

Institutional Precipitation

By John L. McKnight, 2020-03-03

It’s my understanding that in chemistry, a precipitant is a reagent that produces a reaction of which it is not a part. It is analogous to one form of institutional action in relationship to a...

International Standards for Community Development Practice

By Alan Blackshaw, 2020-03-01

In 2018 the International Association of Community Development (IACD) released International Standards for Community Development Practice. The release of the standards was the result of...

Community Building is a Lot like Running

By Alan Blackshaw, 2020-02-01

I haven’t always been a runner. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t so long ago that going for a run was the last thing on my mind. Now I regularly run 5kms two or three times a week. When I...

What Counts?

By John L. McKnight, 2020-01-23

It’s useful to conceptualize what counts as a means of evaluation. Counting is a limited tool. It doesn’t really help much in determining whether there are new friendships and a web of mutual...

Who Should Have the Final Say in Community Decision-making: Learning from Pilots, Pastors and Guards

By John L. McKnight, 2020-01-23

Many institutions, agencies, governments and companies seek to develop effective relationships with the neighborhoods or small towns that they serve. Often, these desirable relationships are...

An Overview of Conscious Co-Design

By Dee Brooks, 2020-01-22

An Overview of Conscious Co-Design by Dee Brooks Based on reflections of the concept of The Natural and the Open from The Apparatus, by Giorgio Agamben The overview of Conscious...

Learnings from Leadership

By Alan Blackshaw, 2020-01-20

Introduction For over a decade I worked in leadership positions in Local Government. This was a challenging, rewarding and often frustrating experience. Over that time I learnt a great...

My Bushfire Experience

By Michelle Dunscombe, 2020-01-17

Bushfire Reflections The last few months have been challenging for me as the current disastrous bushfires burn across my beautiful Australian landscape from bush to beach. At times I have...

Squaring off the Triangle: how Asset-based Community-led Development (ABCD) supports & strengthens Art of Hosting (AoH) practices in community engagement & development work.

By Dee Brooks, 2020-01-15

I’m regularly asked about how we blend ABCD with AoH . I wrote a brief overview of our broad approach to blending ABCD and AoH a while ago and as we continue to roll out Art of...

Book Review - The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, by David Brooks

By Robert Francis, 2019-12-17

A Book Review - David Brooks, The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life When I started this book, I did not expect David Brooks, noted author, NY Times op-ed writer and PBS pundit...

Peter Block + John McKnight WHY GIFTS MATTER

By Bruce Anderson, 2019-12-09

New WHY GIFTS MATTER podcast with John and Peter Podcast Six is LIVE! John McKnight and Peter Block, authors of The Abundant Community and pioneers in their respective fields of...

Community Dreams: The Power of Citizen Authority

By John L. McKnight, 2019-12-03

For many years before Ronald Reagan’s administration, the Federal Government provided funds to Regional Health Planning Agencies. These agencies oversaw the area health planning focusing on...

A Conversation with John McKnight, Co-Founder of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute by Albert Dzur, National Civic Review

By John L. McKnight, 2019-11-12

In his teachings and writings, John McKnight, co-founder and co-director of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute at DePaul University, has echoed Alexis de Tocqueville’s appreciation...

Blogs