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Group pictureA Journey in Asset-Based Community Development: Learning from New Brunswick's Strategy

The Government of New Brunswick, through the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation (ESIC), holds the legal obligation to reduce income poverty by 25% and deep poverty by 50%, as well as to make significant progress in sustained economic and social inclusion. Though the landscape is ever-changing and poverty persistent, there has been at least a 5% reduction in poverty from 2009 – 2015 in 9 of the province’s 12 regions (Community Inclusion Networks [CIN’s]).

New Brunswick’s strategy uses an Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach to define the scope and implementation of their work. During the strategy’s consultation phase, the community made clear that the initiative must be based in community capacity building and must be driven by everyone – all four sectors must work together in order to overcome poverty. Turning this vision into a reality, ESIC supports 12 groups or organizations to take local leadership of poverty reduction by bringing together residents to define their own goals and strategies for creating inclusive communities. Each local CIN focuses on aligning provincial and community priorities, implementing activities, and measuring poverty reduction progress in their area. 

Vibrant Communities Charlotte County is one of the twelve convening CIN’s supporting unique ideas to take root and for local assets to scale up, out and deep. In 2011, Charlotte County held 7 consultations including more than 75 residents who met across 4 regions, including 1 teleconference. These recommendations created the first roadmap on poverty reduction and are renewed every two years by hosting more community conversations.

Examples of successful initiatives in Charlotte County, include:

  • St. Stephen is growing their rural economy, not by seeking a large corporation to come and create more jobs, but by fostering the existing entrepreneurial spirit in the community and supporting local business by offering a free Business Bootcamp mentorship program. In two years, 50 entrepreneurs have been mentored and have created better business models.
  • In Milltown, the community is improving grade school literacy and numeracy outcomes through fun summer camp activities and are moving to a holistic education model that incorporates parents and the entire community in a child’s education. In their eighth year, results show 100% of campers have either maintained or even improved their literacy level over the summer.

Read about New Brunswick’s ABCD story in rich detail in this Case Study. The Case Study highlights how the province was intentional at each step about employing an asset-based approach rather than the more predominant deficit model to the poverty reduction initiative. It explains their process, vision, and breaks down the eight ABCD touchstones that helped them work with and by communities as they put their strategy into action.
Read more stories in our 2018 Progress and Impact Report