All of our core activity is underpinned and driven by our commitment to an Asset Based Community Development(ABCD) methodology, however, we go beyond that, by running intensive programmes of ABCD in local communities, delivered by members of the Forever Manchester team we call ‘Community Builders’.
Put simply, ABCD is a different way of thinking about how to work for change – starting from a place of possibilities, strengths and capabilities as opposed to problems and deficiencies. It operates on the assumption that everyone, regardless of their background, has unique gifts, skills and passions to offer. It also assumes that people have internal motivations to act, which can release these resources for their own good and their wider community. When we work in a local area, we follow a simple five staged approach:
We get to know as many people as possible, we find out what they love about where they live, and what they like to do in their neighbourhood. We discover what interests and passions people have and work closely with them to turn their great ideas into a reality, helping to make a real difference to their lives and the lives of others. Building on our experience in communities we have developed a range of training tools and sessions to help organisations of any size begin to adopt an ABCD approach. In recent years we have trained housing associations, local authorities, NHS staff, third sector partners and community groups in the theory and practice of ABCD, while illuminating the sessions with real stories and examples of how ABCD has made a real impact in the communities we’ve worked in. We offer three CPD accredited ABCD training courses you may be interested in your team attending.
All training covers elements of ABCD theory, practical tools to use out in the community and real life stories of ABCD in action from our work in communities, devised and delivered by our Community Building team: Online ABCD E-Learning course. This is completed individually and at each learners convenience. The course normally takes about 1 hour and includes a short self-assessment at the end. The course is CPD accredited and learners can request a certificate of completion and achievement. Remote virtual CPD accredited ABCD course. We offer interactive sessions in an online group setting to frontline staff and community members from across the UK. The sessions are usually 3 hours each and are delivered over two days. In person CPD accredited ABCD course. We deliver interactive sessions in a group setting to frontline staff and community members from across the UK. The sessions are approximately 5-6 hours long and are delivered over the course of one day. We can also deliver shorter half day or longer two day courses depending on your need.
All courses are now CPD approved and all learners will receive a certificate of attendance. Our workshops are delivered by experienced on the ground Community Builders, putting ABCD into practice right now in communities across Greater Manchester. All of our training can be made bespoke to what a particular partner wants to achieve. If you’d like to explore any of these options further please drop us an email at info@forevermanchester.com and we’d love to arrange a chat sometime.
