The age-old needs assessment is embedded in our work to assist organizations and communities. But this approach can stifle creativity and discourage teams who want more immediate improvements. This workshop illuminates the benefits of working with others you do not know or haven't worked with. Building on more than 30 years of collaboration experience in nonprofits and libraries, this workshop shares the best practices for learning to appreciate what you already have access to, and ways to augment your knowledge of what others have to offer. As humans, we tend to focus on what we don’t have or what we lack. In contrast, the power of collaborative strategies can inspire us to reframe this desire to seek out information about what we already have or have access to. Once this information is accessible, opportunities for combining resources in new ways will open the door to innovation.
 
This workshop shares the work of Kretzmann and McKnight that is the foundation of asset-based community development. Learn the value of assets, how to capture them, and then combine them in surprising ways that generate energy, enthusiasm, and strength as you collaborate. Case studies will share how these practices transformed projects from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
 
Outcomes:
New understanding of the asset lens to identify what you have
Steps to move forward to solve problems using the asset-based approach
Knowledge of how to combine people and their assets to create something new