BUILDING COMMUNITIES FROM THE INSIDE OU’ ‘A PATH TOWARD FINDING AND MOBILIZING A COMMUNITY'S ASSETS. JOHN P. KRETZMANN + JOHN L. MCKNIGHT The Asset-Based Community Development Institute Institute for Policy Research Northwestern University 2040 Sheridan Road Evanston, Il 60208-4100 Phone: 847-491-3518 Fax: 847-491-9916 Distributed exclustuely by: ‘ACTA Publications 4848 North Clark Street ‘Chicago, TL 60640 Phone: 800-397-2282 Fax: 800-397-0079 © 1993 by John Kretzmann and John McKnight_ INTRODUCTION ‘This is guide about rebuilding troubled communities. Iris meant to be simple, basic and usable. Whatever wisclom it contains flows directly ‘out of the experience of courageous and creative neighborhood lead- fers from across the country. Most ofthis guide is devoted to spreading community building success stories, These stores ae organized into a step-by-step introduction to 2 coherent strategy that we have learned about from neighborhood leaders. We call this strategy "assev-based community development! Before beginning to outline the basic elements ofthis approach, it will be helpful to remember how so many of our communities came to be s0 devastated, and why teaditiona strategies for improvement have £0 often failed The Problem: Devastated Communities No one can doubt that most American cities these days are deeply ‘coubled places. At the root ofthe problems are the massive economic sts that have masked the lst wo decades, Hundreds of thousands of {industrial jobs have ether disappeared or moved away from the central Cty and its nejghbochoods. And while many downtown areas have experienced a ‘renaissance, the jobs ereated there are different from those that once sustained neighborhoods. Bither these new jobs are highly professionalized, and require elaborate education and creden tits for entry, or they are routine, low-paying service jobs without vuch ofa Future, In effec, these shifts inthe economy, and particulasly the disappearance of decent employment possiblities from lowsincome neighborhoods, have removed the bottom rung from the fabled Ameri- can "ladder of opportunity." Foc many people in older city neighbor. hoods, new approaches to cebuilding thei lives and communities, new ‘openings toward opportunity, are a vital necessity, Two Solutions, Two Paths In response to this desperate situation, wellintended people are sceking solutions by taking one of two divergent paths. The first, which begins by focusing on a community's needs, deficiencies and problems, is still by ar the most traveled, and commands the vast majority of our financial and human resources. By comparison with the second path, ‘which insists on beginning with a clear commitment to discovering 2 ‘community’s capacities and assets, and which is the diction this guide recommends, the first and more traditional path is more hike an eight lane superhighway.INTRODUCTION The Traditional Path—A Needs Driven Dead End For most Americans, the names "South Bronx,” or “South Central Los Angeles," or even "Public Housing’ call forth a rush of images. Is not surprising that these images are overwhelmingly negative. They are Images of crime and violence, of joblessness and welfare dependency, ‘of gangs and drugs and homelessness, of vacant and abandoned hind and buildings. They are images of needy and problematic and deficient ‘cighborhoads populated by needy and problematic and deficient people These negative images, which can be conceived as a kind of mental . "map" of the neighborhood (see page 3) often convey part ofthe truth about che actual conditions ofa troubled community. But they are not regarded as part of the truth; they are regarded as the whole eruth. (Once accepted asthe whole truth about troubled neighborhoods, this “needs! map determines how problems are to be addressed, through ‘d-programs. Public, private and non- often supported by university research {nd foundation finding, translate the programs into local activites that teach people the nature and extent oftheir problems, and the value of services asthe answer to thie problems. Asa result, many lower tscomie uTbai neighborhoods are now environments of service ‘where behaviors are alected because residents come to believe their wellbeing depends upon belnga ent. They begin to sce thee selves as people with spedal needs that can only be met by outsiders. ‘They become consumers of services, with no incentive ia be produc. xs, Consumers of services focus vast amounts of ecatvity and intell- sence on the survival motivated challenge of ourmiting the "system: fr on finding ways—in the informal or even illegal economy-—to bypass the system entirely. ‘There is nothing natural or inestable about the process that leads to the creation of client neighborhoods. In fact, t's important to note how litle power local neighborhood residents have to affect the pervasive nature ofthe deficiency model, mainly because a number of| Society's most influential institutions have themselves developed a stake in maintaining that focus, For example, much ofthe social science research produced by universities Is designed to collect and analyze data about problems. Much of the funding directed to lower income communities by foundations and the United Way is based on ‘the problem-oriented data collected in ‘needs s ‘emulated by government human service agencies. Finally, the needs ‘map often appeats to be the only neighborhood guide ever used by _members of the mass media, whose appetite forthe violent and the spectacularly problematic story seems insatiable. All of these major {nstcutions combine to create 2 wall berween lower income communi ties and the rest of sociery—-a wall of needs which, ironically enough, {s built not on hatced but (at least partly) on the desire to “help.”INTRODUCTION Neighborhood Needs Map ‘Unemployment Truancy Broken families Child abuse Lead poisoining DropoutsINTRODUCTION “The fact that the deficiency orientation represented by the needs map constitutes our only guide to lower income neighborhoods has devas- tating consequence’ for residents. We have already noted one of the most tragic—that is, residents themselves begin to accept that map as the only guide to the realty of their lives. They think of themselves and their neighbors as fundamentally deficient, victims incapable of taking, charge of thei lives and of theie community's Future. But other conse- ‘quences flow as well rom the power ofthe needs map. For example: ‘© Viewing « community s a nearly endless lis of problems and needs leads directly to the much Jamented fragmentation of efforts to provide solutions. Italso denies the basic community wisdom which regards problems as Uightly intertwined, as symptoms in fact of the breakdown ofa community's own problem: solving capacities. ‘© Targeting resources based on the needs map directs funding not to residents but to service providers, a consequence not always either planned for o effective. 1 Making resources available on the basis of the needs map can have negative effects on the nature of local comanity leadership. If for example, one measure of ‘effective leadership isthe ability to attcat resources, then local leaders are, in effect, being forced 10 denigrate their neighbors and thelr community by highlighting their problems and deficiencies, and by \gnoring their capacities and strengths. ‘Providing resources on the basis ofthe needs map underlines the perception that only outside experts can, provide real help. Therefore, the elationships that ‘count most for local residents are no longer those inside the community, those neighbor-to-neighbor links of ‘mutual support and problem solving, Rather, the most {important relationships are those that involve the ‘expert the socal worker, the health provider, the funder. Once again, the glue that binds communities together is weakened. | Reliance on the needs map as the exclusive guide to resource gathering virtually ensures the inevitable deepening ofthe cycle of dependence: problems must always be worse than last year, or more intractable than other communities, funding is co be renewed. '& Atbest, reliance on the needs maps as the sole policy {guide will ensure a maintenance and survival strategy targeted at isolated individual clients, not a development plan that can involve the energies of an centre communityINTRODUCTION © Because the needs-hased strategy can guarantee only survival, and can never lead to serious change oF community development, this orientation must be regarded as one of the major causes of the sense of hopelessness that pervades discussions about the furure of law income neighborhoods. From the street coener to ‘the White House, if maintenance and survival are the bese we can provide, what sense can it make to invest in the fusure? ‘The Alternative Path: Capacity-Focused Development even some ofthese negative consequences follow from our toral reliance upon the needs map, an alternative approach becomes im perative, That alternative path, very simply, leads toward the develop ‘ment of policies and activities based on the capacities, skills and assets ‘of lower income people and their neighborhoods In addition to the problems associated withthe dominant deficiency ‘model, a least two more factors argue for shifting to a capacity-ori- tented emphasis, First, all the historic evidence indicates dat significant ‘community development takes place only when local community people are committed to investing themselves and their resources in Lie eft. This observation explains wliy comunusites ace weve: bull from the top down, of from the outside in. (Clearly, however, valuable ‘ouside assistance can be provided to communities that are actively developing their own assets, atopic explored further in Chapter Six) ‘The second reason for emphasizing the development ofthe internal assets of local urban neighborhoods is tha the prospect for outside help is bleak indeed. Even in areas designated as Enterprise Zones, the ‘odds are long that large-scale, jabsproviding industrial or service ‘corporations will be locating in these neighborhoods. Nor isi likely, {a the light of continuing budget constraints that significant new Inputs of federal money will be forthcoming soon. Its increasingly Futlle to wait for significant help to arrive from outside the communiiy ‘The hard teuth is that development must start from within the rity and, in most of our urban neighborhoods, there is no other choice. Creative neighborhood leaders across the country have begun to recognize this hard truth, and have shifted thei practices accordingly. ‘They are discovering that wherever there are effective community development effor's, those efforts are based upon an understanding, ‘oF map, of the community’s assets, capacities and abilities. For iis clear that even the poorest neighborhood isa place where individuals land organizations represent resources upon which to rebuild, The key to neighborhood regeneration, then, i to locate all ofthe available local assets, to begin connecting them with one another in ways that ‘multiply their power and effeciveness, and to begin harnessing those AINTRODUCTION local institutions that are not yet available for local development purposes, ‘This entre process begins withthe construction of a new "map" (ee page 7). Once this guide to capacities has replaced the old one con- taining only needs and deficiencies, the regenerating community can begin to assemble its strengths into new combinations, new structures of opportunity, new sources of income and control, and new possthll ties for production The Assets of a Community: Individuals, Associations, Institutions Each community boasts a unique combination of assets upon which to build its future. A thorough map of those assets would begin with an inventory of the gifts, skills and capacities of the communitys resi dents. Household by houschold, building by bullding block by block, the capacity mapmakers wil dscover a vast and often surprising aay of individual talenes and productive skills, few of which are being ‘mobilize for community-building purposes. This basic cruth about the ‘giftedness" of every individual is particularly important to apply to persons who often ind themselves marginalized by communities. lis essential to recognize the capacities, for eximple, of those who have been labeled mentally handicapped or disabled, or of those who are marginalized because they are 100 old, or t00 young, or too poor. In 2 ‘community whose assets are being fully recognized and mobilized, these people too will be part of the action, not as clients or recipients (of ad, but as Full contabutors to the communiy-building process {In addition to mapping the gilts and skills of individuals, and of house hholds and families, the committed community builder will compile an inventory of etizens' associations. These associations, les formal and ‘much less dependent upon paid staf than are formal institutions, are the vehicles through which citizens in the U.S. assemble to solve problems, or to share common interests and activites. Its usually the ‘ase thatthe depth and extent of associational life in any community is, vastly underestimated. Tis is particularly true of lower income com- ‘munities. In fet, however, though some parts of associational life may have divindled in very low income neighborhoods, most communities continue to harbor significant numbers of associations with celigious, cultural, athletic, recreational and other purposes. Community build: cers soon recognize that these groups ae indispensable tools for evelopment, and that many of them can in fact be stretched beyond their original purposes and intentions co become full contributors to the development process. Beyond the individuals and local associations that make up the asset base of communities are all ofthe more formal institutions which are located in the community. Private businesses; public institutions such__ INTRODUCTION Community Assets Map Businesses Cultural Groups Hospitals Community CollegesINTRODUCTION a8 schools, libraries, parks, police and fre stations; nonprofit insti tons such as hospitals and social service agenciesthese organizations make up the most visible and formal part of a commaunitys fabric. ‘Accounting for them in fll, and enlisting them in the process of ‘community development, is essential to the success of the process. For ‘community builders, the process of mapping the instiutional assets of the community will often be much simpler than that of making. an inventory involving individuals and associations. But establishing ‘within each institution a sense of responsiblity for the health of the local community, along with mechanisms that allow communities £0 {influence and even contol some aspects ofthe institution's relation- ships with ts local neighborhood, can prove much more difficult, "Nevertheless, a community that has located and mobilized its entire base of assets wil clearly feature heavily volved and invested local Individuals, associations and institutions—these three major categories contain within them much ofthe asset base of every community. They will aso provide the framework for organizing this guide. Fach of the next three sections explores methods for recognizing, mapping, and mobilizing one of these clusters of local strengths In addition, the guide will highlight other aspects of a community's asset, including ite physical characterstce the lind, buildings and Infrastructure upon Wich the community ress. And because so muuch ‘of 2 community's well-being depends upon the strength ofthe local, ‘economy, one section ofthe guide will explore ways in which indl- vials, associations and local institutions can contribute economi- cally An Alternative Community Development Path: Asset- Based, Internally Focused, Relationship Driven This guide is designed to help communities not only to recognize and ‘map thelr assets—the individuals, local associations and institutions which make up the sinew of the neighborhood—but to mobilize them for development purposes. As we begin to describe the basic elements of an asset-based community development process, iis important to place this discussion in ts larger context. Two major qualifications should be stated as strongly as possible. First, focusing on the assets of lower income communities does not ‘imply that these communities do not need additional resources from the outside. Rather, this guide simply suggests that outside resources ‘ill be much more effectively used ifthe local community is self fully mobilized and invested, and ifit ean define the agendas for which additional resources must be obtained. The assets within lower i. ‘come communities, in other words, are absolutely necessary but "usually not sufficient to meet the huge development challenges aheadINTRODUCTION Second, the discussion of assec-based community development is {intended to affirm, and to build upon the remarkable work already. going on in neighborhoods across the country. Assec-based community ‘development acknowledges and embraces particularly che strong, neighborhood rooted traditions of community organzing, community {economic development and neighbochood planning, In fact, expert fenced leaders in these three areas have been among our most valuable sources of inspiration and guidance. The appeoach outlined in this {guide is intended to complement, and sometimes to precede, their etforts—not to substieute for them. These caveats understood, then, asset-based community develop. ment’ deserves a litle more intraduction and definition. As will be- ‘come apparent in more detail in the chapters that follow, this process ‘an be defined by three simple, inercelated characteristics Obviously enough, the fist principle that defines this process is that itis "asset-based." That is, this community development strategy starts with what i present inthe ‘community, the capacities ofits residents and workers, the associational and institudonal base of the area—not swith what isabsent, oF with what is problematic, oF with ‘what the community needs ‘© Because this community development process is aset- based, iis by necessity “internally focused." Thats, the development strategy concentrates first ofall pon the agenda building and poblem solving capacities of local residents, local associations and local institutions. Aga, this intense and self-conscious internal focus is aot intended to minimize either the role external forces hhave played in helping to create the desperate conditions of lower income neighborhoods, nor the need to attract additional resources to these ‘communities. Rather this strong internal focus is tncended simply to stress the primacy of local definition, lvestment, creativity, hope and contol. ‘ [Facommunity development process isco be asset based and internally focused, then it will bein very Important ways "relationship driven "Thus, one ofthe central challenges for asset-based community developers 1s to constantly build and rebulld the reladonships between and among local residents, local associations and local insticutions. Sled community organizers and effective community developers aleeady recognize the importance of relationship building. For itis clear thatthe strong ties which form the basis for community-based problem solving have been under attack. The forces driving people apart are many and frequently cited-—inereasing mobility rates, the °INTRODUCTION separation of work and residence, mass media, segregation by race and age and not least from the point of view of lower income communities Increasing dependence upon outside, professionalized helpers Because ofthese factors, the sense of eicacy based on interdepen- ddence, the idea that people can count on their neighbors and neigh borhood resources for support and strength has weakened, For con ‘munity builders who are focused on assets, rebuilding these local relationships offer the most promising route towaed successful com- munity development, This guide wil stress the importance of relation- ‘hip building for every person and group in the community, and wall underline the necessity of basing those relasionships always upon the strengths and capacities ofthe partes involved, never on theit weak nesses and needs, ‘That, then is the skeleton of the simple development process sketched in this guide—ie isa community-bulding path which i asset-based, internally focused and relationship driven. How to Use This Guide This introduction co asset-based development is nota novel. [eis not ‘meant co be read straight through from beginning to end. Rather ts ‘various sectons are meant to be consulted as they are needed, and as they apply to the actual conditions and challenges of pastculae com: After this initial overview, the guide is divided into six more chapters, Chapters one, two and three address the major eategories of commu nlty-based assets—individuals, citizens’ assoctavions, and local inst tions. Each ofthese chapters, in turn, is divided into sections that ‘outine successful approaches to mapping and developing particular assets. Within the chapter devoted to individual capacities, for ex- ample, sections introduce community development activities which successfully incorporate the gifts of young people, of older people, and of those who are developmentally disabled, Similarly, the chapter ‘on institutions introduces simple ideas about mobilizing schools, parks, libraries, community colleges and even local police stations for community-building purposes. ‘These three chapters should be sampled for their relevance to the reader's particular community, Not every chapter will be useful in every context. Each community’s collection of assets will be unique, as will the particular sequence of development strategies, the major players, the local priorities, ete, ‘This guide, in other words, must noc be regarded as a cookie cuter set (of solutions. itis rather a starting point, a prod, an open invitation to start down a somewhat diferent path. All ofthe really creative work 10 remains for community leadership to perform.INTRODUCTION “The fourth chapter eurns a specifically economic spotlight on the approaches suggested in this guide. What does it mean to take sexi- ‘ously a devastated community's already existing economic assets? How ‘might the full economic potential of every community be harnessed for development purposes? “The fifth chapter offers commentary on some central issues related 10 the asset-based community development process. t outlines a simple ‘neighborhood planning process which intends to involve and activate all ofthe representatives of a community's asset base in constructing & ‘common vision and a powerful strategy for realizing that vision. The sixth chapter offers some modest advice to those in philanthropy and inthe public sector who may wish to help this internally focused process without overdisecting itor snuffing our its energies. And ie Brapples with a least afew ofthe objections occasionally raised to the asset-based approach, Finally, we should acknowledge the numerous stories of ereative community-building that are included in this guide, and recommend thei creators as potential advisors and helpers. Key words which follow most examples in parentheses will in most cases guide the reader to a specific projec name and location. But use these refer ‘ences with some caution. We eannot vouch for the currency of the ‘Stories; nor have we included them as guides to the details of particu lar community-building strategies. Rather they are cited to excite, to spark the imagination, to underline the idea tha these approaches need not be daunting or overcomplicated. We hope that st least a few of them can connect with the realities encountered in every reader's ‘own community.RELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES Persons at the Center of Community—Persons at the Margins of Community very single person has capacities, abilities and gifts. Living a good life depends on whether those capacities can be used, abilities expressed and gis given. If they a, the person will be vahued, feel powerful ind wellconnected to the people around them. And the community around the person will be more powerful because ofthe contribution the person is making. ‘Each time a person uses his or her capacity, the community i stronger and the person more powerful, That is why strong communities are basically places where the capacities of local residents are identified, valued and used. Weak communities are places tha fai, for whatever reason, to mobilize the skill, capacities and talents oftheir residents or members ‘While the raw material for community-building isthe capacity ofits individual members, some communities have failed to understand this, ‘One ofthe reasons this basic resource is undeveloped in weak commu: nities is beeause the community has come to focus largely on the deficiencies rather than the capacities ofits members. This deficiency {cus is usually described as a concern about the needs of local mem- hers. And these needs art indersiond tn he the peeblems, shosteom- ‘ngs, maladies and dilemmas of people, Itis clear that every individual has needs of deficiencies. It is also clear that every individual has gifts and capacities. This fact reminds us of the glss of water filled to the middle. The glass i hal full and itis half empty. Local residents, likewise, have capacities and they also have deficiencies. However, the part of people that builds powerful commu. clients have deficiencies and needs citizens have capacities and gifts BRELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES nltes Is the capacity partof its members. Therefore, the basic informa- toa needed to develop strong communities is an inventory ofthe capacities of ts residents Unfortunately, in some communities local residents have come to ‘mistakenly believe they can build their community by an inventory of deficiencies. The common name for this deficiency inventory s 8 “needs survey” Its basically an effort to count up the emptiness in an {individual or a neighborhood. he problem is that this information is ‘not useful for community-building because it deals with people as ‘potential clients and consumers. To be powerful, community must Ihave people who ace etizens and producers. “Think of a carpenter who has lost one leg in an accident years ago. Cleary, he hasa deficiency. However, he also has a sll. If we know ‘he has 4 missing leg, we cannot build our community with that infor- mation. Ifwe know he has a capacity as a wood worker, that informa ‘Hon can literally build our community. Mapping Individual Capacities: An Inventory In order to focus on the capacities of community members, it may be recessary to use a new tool that does not focus on needs. This tool is called a Capacity Inventory. An example follows beginning on page » ‘This particular Capacity Inventory was designed to identify the abil- ties of people in two older Chicago neighborhoods. Therefor, its ‘merely an example of one approach to identfVing what local ctizens ‘can contribute to community-building. However thas demonstrated fis usefulness in communities across North America where it has been adapted for various groups, associations and neighborhoods. “The Capacity Inventory is divided into four parts. Look over each part before reading the following description Part I—Skills Information ‘This section lists many sills people have learned at home, in the community or at their workplace. It is important to point out 10 people taking the inventory that itis more than a Uist of skis Fearned ‘on paying jobs, Many people have valuable skills learned outside the ‘workplace and these skills are often valuable to neighbors, community groups and employers. They can also be the basis for starting a new business ‘The list was developed based upon the particular skills reported by lower income people in two inner-city neighbochoods, Therefor, the ‘ list should be understood as simply an example. It can be shortened or ¥RELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES added to depending on the particular people being inventoried. For cxample, avery differen list might be developed if school parents are being interviewed to determine what addtional classes they could teach inthe evening, what they could contribute to the operation of their children’s school or what skill they could help young people develop. Silay, a diferent lst might be developed based upon capacities of seniors inthe neighborhood, What particular gifts ean they offer, no ‘matter how physically limited? Ac the conclusion of the list of skills is a section called Priority Sills ere, the person being interviewed is asked to identify their best sills 4s listed in questions A and B. This is usually the most important {information in this section, because the person withthe skills is usualy best able to assess their own abilities. And, they are most likely to feel confident about these skills. Therefore, they are more likely to be willing to contribute them to the community or sell them in the marketplace. ‘These Priority Skills are the foundation of community building. There fore, identifying and mobilizing these skills is the basic work of leaders, associations and local institutions that are building on the assets of the heighbusloed. B Part Community Skills ‘This section entifes the kinds of community work the person has participated in and then asks what kind of wor they would be willing todo in the future. The work the person is willing to do in the RiearE {5 the "raw material for community building, Connecting these poten- tal gifts with local community groups is vital work for local leaders and asset building organizations. ‘The particular list of activities inthis section is only one example, It should be amended or added to as appropriate in the neighborhood Where itis used. Part Hi—Enterprising Interests and Experience ‘This part secks two kinds of information. First it detezmines whether the person has considered starting a business. Second, it asks if they. presently are engaged in 2 business of any kind In asking questions about business, itis important vo emphasize that your group is interested in any kind of business activity. It could be babysitting, selling perfume to neighbors, sewing, repairing broken ‘windows, lawn care, etc. Often, people will not call this acvity'a business, Therefore, the interviewer should make clear that any 1sRELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES _ money-making activity is of interest. This is because most small busi- nesses grow step-by-step and often, the most important step is the first ‘one—the sale of any goods or services, “This leads to the most important information In Part I for asset developing leaders and groups. This information isthe answers to ‘questions Ad and BS. Question AA identifies the barriers the person feels prevent them from starting some kind of enterprise. Helping remove these barriers the ‘work of asset developing leaders and groups. ‘Question BS identifies the factors that could bulld the person's curvent ‘business, Helping deal with these factors is the role of local leaders and groups committed to developing local capacities and assets. Part 1V—Personal Information “The items listed are the minimum information usually necessary for follow-up. However, other information may be added if it s usefal in developing the capacities of the person. Additional Advice for Groups Using the Capacity Inventory “The wording of the Capacity Inventory is for use when one person is Interviewing another person ¢o gather the information. However, ‘some groups have revised the wording so that the Inventory can be given to a person who will fill out the answers themselves. Also, the Inventory has been given to groups of people, each of whom fils out atthe same time. This allows one person to explain what to do and to answer questions while many people are fling in the information ‘Ac first glance, the Inventory may seem to be very long, Itmay be necessiry therefore, ro cut it back and revise it for the individuals ‘using It, However, t may be best to ty to gather ll the information ‘possible and see whether people interviewed actually object. Often, people will provide a great deal of information if they feel the inter viewer is genuinely interested and the answers will be used to help them or their community. ‘One problem that may be encountered in using the Capactty Inven- tony s that some people may feel i asks some questions that are 100 personal or private, This may be especially the case in regard to che {uestions about business interests and activities. Therefore, those who ‘use the inventory must be sensitive to these concerns and tell people that they should not answer any questions they do not care to answer, 16RELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES [Afew of the groups whe have used the Capacity Inventory have cold the person interviewed thatthe information will be kept confidential However, they found that they couldn't use the information for capac: ity development because ofthis promise. They could only use the information for a general study summacizing numbers of skills or capacities. Unfortunately, this information i of litle practical use to the people being interviewed and may contribute to their frustration cor anger because they were "studied’ rather than helped or given an ‘opportunity to coneibute, ‘This leads o the most important advice about using the Capacity Inventory. We have found theze are two basic questions that deter mine whether the Capacity Inventory i useful development tool First, i is basic purpose to gather information about a specific person, In ofder to help that person contribute to the community, develop employment of businesses? Will the information help this person— Mary Jones—pive her gifts, contribute her talents or inerease her income? The purpose of the Invensory Isto help 2 particular person. Numerically Taking Phone Messages Wiriting Business Letters (not typing) Receiving Phone Orders Operating Switchboard Keeping Track of Supplies Shorthand o Speedesiting Bookkeeping Entering Information into Computer ‘Word Processing HTT 19RELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES Connecting Capacity Information In many communities, the natural ways ofthe local people and thelr associations and institutions constantly connect local capacities. For example ‘Neighbors have a tradition of helping each other by trading their skills. Mary repairs a deess while Sue watches her chil dren, ‘A local association of religious men combines their construe- tion skills and builds a community center, ‘© Anneighborhood schoo! involves the local students in sing the ‘environmental knowledge they've gained to do a study for city council of whether a local pond is polluted. In addition to these natural developments, other communities have intentionally used tools like the Capacity Inventory to identify local ‘ctizen talents. Then these groups have become active in making the necessary connections to mobilize the capacities. Some examples: ‘= Ancighborhood organization interviewed over 100 local resi- dents and found many womea who had worked in hospital, hotels or cared for sick and elderly people. Many of these women had families and were unemployed. ‘They wanted to ‘work parttime. The associstion brought them together and they formed 2 “company” to sell their services as home health care providers. There was great demand for thei services and lover 80 women were connected to neighbors needing commu- nity care. This connection met a community need and increased the iacome of the women, + Agroup of residents ofa public housing project organized and became powerful enough to gain control of their buildings ‘Their association took over the management and finances ofthe project. Asa result they were able 10 employ residents to carry ‘out the maintenance functions such as painting rooms, fixing broken windows, running a laundromat, ete. In order to exer- cise their new-found power, they needed to know which res- dents had the necessary skills to do the work of maintenance and management. They used a Capacty Inventory to gather this information and thei association connected residents to the new job opportunities that improved the quality ofthe local, buildings+ A local association in a neighborhood collected information from local residents regarding skills that could be used ata job. ‘Then they did an inventory of the kinds of jobs available at all Jocal employers. They then created a brokerage effort connect- ing people with skills to employers needing skills, eis significant to note ewo common characteristics ofeach of these efforts. First, a local group acted as connecter. Second, the local _group took people 2s they were and mobilized thei existing capacl- ties. They did not start with the idea that the local people needed to be trained, educated or treated, Instead, they started with the idea that capacities were there and that the eommunity-building task was # Identify capacities ' connect them to people, groups and places that can use the capacities. Does Everyone Have Capacities? There are some people who seetn to be without any gifts or capacitles They may appear to be like an empty glass. And so they get called names names like mentally retarded, ex-convict, fal elderly, men- tally il, iterate, and gang member. These are names for the empet- ness some people see in other people. They are labels hat focus attention on needs. ‘One effect of these labels is that they keep many community people from seeing the gits of people who have been labeled. The label often blinds us to the capacity of the people who are named. They appear 0 bbe useless. Therefore, these labeled people often get pushed to the edge of the community, or they are sometimes sent outside the com ‘munity to an institution to be rehabilitated or receive services. "Nonetheless, every living person has some git or eapacity of value to others. A strong community isa place that recognizes those gifts and ensures that they are given. A weak community is a place where lots of people can’t give thete gifts and express their espactes. {In weak communities there ae lots of people who have been pushed to the edge or eiled to institutions, Often, we say these people need help. They are needy. They have nothing to contebute, The lbel els For example, "She is a pregnant teenager. She needs counseling, therapy, residential services, special education.” But als, “She #s Mary ‘Smith, She has a miraculously beautiful oice. We need her in the choir. She needs a record producer." __RELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES a7RELEASING INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES 28 _ Mer label, pregnant teenager, tells of emptiness and calls fort rejec- tion, isolation and treatment’ Her name, Mary Smith, tells of her gits | and evokes community and contributions. ‘Communities growing in power naturally or intentionally identify the ‘capacities of all their members and ensure that they are contebuted, However, the most powerful communities are those that can identify the gifts of those people at the margins and pull them into community Iie “The following sections ofthis chapter deseribe how the pits of various kinds of people have been identified and connected to the ‘community's hfe Included are descriptions of how neighborhoods ‘grew more powerful because they identified and connected the special pits and capacities of people who are developmentally disabled 1 people surviving on welfare 1 young people and elderly people © people with artistic gifts There are many other kinds of people with community contributions to make. Therefore, the fllowing sections are merely examples ofthe thousands of possibilities for local individuals to contribute and develop their gifts, sills and capacities, The task of community build ers is to expand thelist of potential pifigivers and create methods to 7 Sones howe to oter individuals, local sections nd int