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First East African Asset-Based Community Development Summit

Submitted by admin on Tue, 11/08/2009 - 20:17

The International Association for Community Development (IACD) in partnership with Nurture Development Africa and the Coady Institute will be hosting the First East African Summit on Asset-Based Approaches to Community Development, to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from the 25th – 27th of November 2009.
The conference is also supported by the Foundation for Sustainable Development whose objective it is to present the significance of this approach to community development and to encourage the use of this sustainable method of implementing programmes. At this summit IACD will launch a collaborative inquiry process on international asset-based approaches to community development which will result in a comprehensive report in 2010.
ABCD is a strengths-based approach and is highly compatible with other strengths-based methodologies such as Appreciative Inquiry, Resilience Theory, Family Strengths and Community Driven Development (World Bank). Recent research by the Coady International Institute (Cunningham, G and Mathie, A, 2009) provides a strong evidence base for the promotion of an Asset Based Approach, as well as illustrating the potential for complementarities and added value that exist in using such a strength based approach alongside well established methodologies such as PRA and SLA.
The conference, as well as looking at the utility of an Asset Based Approach, will debate the inherent dangers of the more traditional ‘deficit’ model with its exclusive focus on needs and crisis, and critically reflect on its actual impact on poverty. We will also examine how this ‘deficit’ model:
 

  • negatively influences community driven development;
  • creates unhealthy and unsustainable dependency on foreign aid and external professional ‘help’; and
  • weakens indigenous resilience, capacity and responsiveness to future shocks and crisis.

The conference will bring in speakers from Australia, Africa, Europe and North America with vast practical experiences which are applicable to the African context. Community representatives from different African countries will also present their experiences of applying the ABCD approach.
In absence of donor funding the funding for this conference will have to be raised by charging participants a fee to cover the costs involved. The conference will run over three days and costs will include conference facilities, teas and coffees, lunches, guest speakers and the recording of the event (a report of the conference will issue following the event to all participants).
Conference speakers include:

  • Alex Ruhunda: Conference Co-Chair International Association for Community Development
  • Cormac Russell: Conference Co-Chair, Nurture Development Africa & ABCD Institute
  • Ted Smeaton: ABCD Global
  • Mireille Mather: Interim Executive Director of the Foundation for Sustainable Development, San Francisco, USA
  • Brianne Peters: Coady International Institute, Nova Scotia
  • Prof. Jane Rose Njue: Northern Illinois University

Local community leaders from Ethiopia, Kenya, will also share there ABCD experiences through workshops and world café sessions.
The cost per head will be USD$200 or Kenya Shillings 15,000 which will also contribute to subsidizing community representatives.
This promises to be a paradigm shifting conference. With this in mind and because of the limited number of places and the high level of interest already expressed in this conference, the conference organizers have put out a call for expressions of interest. Should your organization be interested in attending this upcoming event please fill out the attached ‘expression of interest form’ and return to: Wangui Karanja at wangui.karanja@iacdglobal.org
Please note places will be allocated on a ‘first come first served’ basis. The closing date for receipt of expressions of interest is 16th of October, following which allocation of places will be confirmed and you will receive an invoice for the requested number of places at $200 or Kshs 15,000 per delegate subject to availability.
Should you have any specific queries please email cormac@nurturedevelopment.ie for further information on ABCD visit www.nurturedevelopment.ie, www.iacdglobal.org or www.coady.stfx.ca. See also attached Conference Programme.