The Training Guides

If you love your community in principle, but wonder, “what can I do to get going?” in practice, then this handbook is for you. And if you are an experienced community builder eager to invite more people to contribute to the well-being of their community, you’ll find plenty here to energize you. This short practical guide offers many fun and useful tips on how you and your neighbours can build community together, in a way that starts with a focus on what’s strong, not what’s wrong. The ideas contained here have been tried and tested by residents in many Norwegian communities and in neighbourhoods, towns and villages across the world. We believe there is an abundance of untapped capacities and resources in every community, waiting to be discovered, connected and mobilized, and we hope this handbook supports you and your neighbours in the pursuit of these invaluable treasures.

For the PDF version of the book​​

ABCD in Action: When People Care Enough to Act
Book and DVD by Mike Green and Henry Moore

Developed in response to the question “I love ABCD (Asset Based Community Development); what do I do Monday Morning?”--and based on Mike Green & Henry Moore’s highly regarded work as ABCD organizers, consultants and trainers — these materials support a practical approach to creating community collaborations that work. Enriching each other, the book and the DVD provide clear exposition of ABCD organizing principles and best practices, examples of ABCD organizing in action, learning exercises, worksheets, and reflections from experienced practitioners of ABCD organizing.

Main topics include:

• ABCD Principles & Practice
• Discovering What People Care About
• Mobilizing A Community’s Assets
• People & Programs: We Need Both
• Leading By Stepping Back: The Role Of
• Governments & Agencies
• Inclusion: There Is No One We Do Not Need
• John McKnight’s Reflections On ABCD organizing.
• Lessons from Asheville, NC; Marquette, MI; Laconia, NH; Savannah, GA; Ames, IA.

For more information and to order a book
To order accompanying DVD

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The Connected Community
Book by Cormac Russell and John McKnight​

We may be living longer, but people are more socially isolated than ever before. As a result, we are hindered both mentally and physically, and many of us are looking for something concrete we can do to address problems like poverty, racism, and climate change. What if solutions could be found on your very doorstep or just two door knocks away?

Cormac Russell is a veteran practitioner of asset-based community development (ABCD), which focuses on uncovering and leveraging the hidden resources, skills, and experience in our neighborhoods. He and John McKnight, the co-originator of ABCD, show how anyone can discover this untapped potential and connect with his or her neighbors to create healthier, safer, greener, more prosperous, and welcoming communities. They offer a wealth of illustrative examples from around the world that will inspire you to explore your own community and discover its hidden treasures.

Click here for more information and to order a book​