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Three Benefits of Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) for Communities (and Governments)

Posted by Scott MacAfee on May 24, 2023

In this article, Scott MacAfee discusses harnessing the Power of ABCD: Building communities, strengthening democracy, and empowering change. Discover how Asset Based Community Development transforms lives. To learn more, join Tamarack's ABCD event: When Community and Municipalities Meet in the Middle. 

 

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Neighbours Taking a Strengths-Based Approach to Increase Emotional Well-Being in Their Community

Posted by Sara Johnson on January 26, 2023
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to facilitate a Neighborhood Project Lab at the Chestnut Resource Center, a small Kansas City-based nonprofit that works to connect neighbours to resources. This is a story about how a group of neighbours worked together to train themselves and others in mental health first aid.  
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The Power of Connection and Collaboration: Reflections from Celebrating Neighbours – Measuring the Impact of ABCD

Posted by Connor Judge on July 20, 2022

Last month, the Deepening Community team hosted Tamarack's first in-person event in over two years. This blog post is a reflection of the most significant learning I took away from the event. 

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The Gifts of Strangers: Understanding the Benefits of Diversity

Posted by John McKnight on July 20, 2022

One argument for diversity is that it ensures participation and creates the power of being heard. It is expressed by the popular maxim, “Nothing about us without us.” Implicit in this idea is the concept that those outside must come inside in order to ensure that their self-interest is served.

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A Happy Birthday Note to John McKnight

Posted by Paul Born on November 22, 2021

John, we have a thousand memories of you. Tamarack is because of you. You influenced how we are working to end poverty by embedding ABCD into one of the 5 core practices in our approach. 

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How my service club can put youth at the center of our work

Posted by Penny Collins on January 4, 2021

As a long-time volunteer with my local Optimist Club, I have been trying to find out how we can shift the way we include more voices in deciding our programing. On Dec 3rd 2020, I attended a workshop that was hosted by the Cities Deepening Community team at Tamarack Institute called A Professional’s Guide to Working with Young People in Citizen Space. This workshop was facilitated by Cormac Russell and used Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) as a way to put youth at the centre of our work. I went to this workshop with the perspective of an elected President of our local Optimist Club. We work closely with youth in our community and try to build events and donate to existing sports/service clubs that are for the youth in Baden.

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