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From the Wikipedia:
The United Nations defines community development broadly as “a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.“[1] and the International Association for Community Development defines it as both a practice based profession and an academic discipline.
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The purpose of community development is understood by IACD as being to work with communities to achieve participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equality and social justice. This practice is carried out by people in different roles and contexts, including people explicitly called professional community workers (and people taking on essentially the same role but with a different job title), together with professionals in other occupations ranging from social work, adult education, youth work, health disciplines, environmental education, local economic development, to urban planning, regeneration, architecture and more who seek to apply community development values and adopt community development methods.
A conversation with an Aboriginal leader has triggered this. What if this is a way to explore and build communities? Solve challenges through participatory design.
Asset-based community development (ABCD) is a methodology for the sustainable development of communities based on their strengths and potentials. It involves assessing the resources, skills, and experience available in a community; organizing the community around issues that move its members into action; and then determining and taking appropriate action.[1][page needed] This method uses the community’s own assets and resources as the basis for development; it empowers the people of the community by encouraging them to utilize what they already possess. [2]
Everyone has gifts: Each person in a community has something to contribute.
Relationships build a community: People must be connected in order for sustainable community development to take place.
Citizens at the center: Citizens should be viewed as actors—not recipients—in development.
Leaders involve others: Community development is strongest when it involves a broad base of community action.
People care: Challenge notions of “apathy” by listening to people’s interests.
Listen: Decisions should come from conversations where people are heard.
Ask: Asking for ideas is more sustainable than giving solutions.
Inside-out organization: Local community members are in control.
Institutions serve the community: Institutional leaders should create opportunities for community-member involvement, then “step back.“[5]:2