Reimagining Community Through an ABCD Lens: Strengths, Stories, and Shared Futures
What if the answers to our biggest community challenges were already within us?
Too often, we’re taught to focus on what's missing—what our neighborhoods lack, where our systems fail, or who isn't showing up. But what if we flipped the script? What if we looked around our communities and saw strength before scarcity? That’s exactly what Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) invites us to do.
Instead of beginning with needs, ABCD asks:
What do we already have?
What do we know?
What can we do together with what we’ve got?
As Dwyer-Voss and Bishop (2019) remind us, “Most communities that work through these questions are often surprised to find that 70–80% of what they want for their community is something they can do themselves or with little help from outside.”
What Does ABCD Look Like in Our Community?
Across Canada, and right here in Calgary, communities are making bold shifts from needs-based to strengths-based approaches. Whether it’s youth reimagining food systems or rural neighbors mapping their shared future, ABCD is showing up in ways that are creative, culturally relevant, and deeply rooted in local wisdom.
Let’s take a closer look!
Youth in Food Systems: Planting Seeds of Change
What happens when young people take the lead?
In Ontario, a group of youth aged 14–19 launched the Youth in Food Systems (YFS) initiative—a movement that began with free community garden workshops and has since blossomed into a powerful, youth-led transformation.
With support from local food leaders and adult allies, youth hosted workshops on:
Garden design and building
Composting and soil health
Food preservation and seed saving
Pollinator-friendly gardening
These weren’t just educational events—they were gatherings of community across generations, held in accessible spaces, with transportation and snacks provided.
And the impact?
A Youth Food Market providing affordable produce to 85 families
A Garden Education series and the creation of a Youth Advisory Council
Over 1000 hours of volunteer service from more than 120 youth
150+ pounds of produce harvested and shared
This wasn’t charity. It wasn’t a top-down program. It was youth stepping into leadership, bringing their passions and skills to the table, and inviting the community to grow alongside them.
When we explored this case study at our monthly ABCD learning gathering, community members were inspired. They asked:
How can we ensure youth from all backgrounds are part of this?
How do we honour intergenerational gardening wisdom?
Are we growing food that reflects our local cultures and stories?
This conversation sparked connections to similar Calgary-based initiatives, like:
🌱 Soil Camp – Supporting newcomer youth through food, art, and cultural exchange, while ensuring access with transportation and meals.
🍅 The Alex Community Food Centre – Teaching youth how to grow, cook, and preserve food with real-world skills they take home to their families.
🎨 Land of Dreams – Using soil as a canvas, and microbiology as a story, in arts-based workshops that spark curiosity and environmental stewardship.
Rural Resilience: The Story of Area A, Central Kootenay
ABCD isn’t just an urban idea. In Area A of Central Kootenay, a collection of small rural communities along Kootenay Lake, residents reimagined their future using an “Asset-Based Rural Development” approach.
With no mayor or city council, these unincorporated areas face unique governance and infrastructure challenges. But instead of waiting for solutions from outside, they asked:
What do we already have, and how can we build on it—together?
Through a partnership with Selkirk College, they:
Mapped community assets through a digital hub: Eastshore.Life
Hired a Selkirk College Graphic Information Systems program intern to compile knowledge from locals and organizations
Held “kitchen table” meetings to surface stories and spark dialogue
Hosted “Opportunities for Action” events to showcase grassroots efforts
They followed a clear ABCD process:
Mapping assets and capacities
Building trust and relationships
Mobilizing for shared goals
Co-creating a shared vision
Leveraging resources for local projects
What emerged was a deeper sense of connection—and a recognition of the gifts, history, and potential already alive in the community.
At our Calgary ABCD gathering,our participants envisioned what this rural ABCD story could inspire locally:
A weekly community market celebrating cultural heritage
A “living museum” sharing stories from diverse community histories
A community-wide vision where everyone’s gifts are visible and valued
The Calgary group also honored the Ktunaxa people, the original stewards of the Kootenay region lands, who have lived in the region for over 10,000 years. Their continued care for the land needs to be central to any community development happening there today.
Why ABCD? Why Now?
ABCD isn’t a toolkit. It’s a shift in mindset. It's a belief that our communities are already rich with: knowledge, rich cultures, skills, creativity and resilience.
When we recognize and connect these assets, something powerful happens: people feel seen. They feel needed. They feel hopeful.
So we leave you with this reflection from ABCD pioneer John McKnight:
“Why ABCD? Why community? Why share your stories? Why share your skills, and passions with your community? Because if we know one another’s gifts and are connected, new community opportunities emerge.”
Want to Keep Growing with Us?
Join our monthly Growing Our ABCD gatherings where we dive into stories like these, explore what ABCD looks like in Calgary, and connect with others who are passionate about community change from the ground up.
🌱 Sign up here
📚 Explore the City of Calgary’s ABCD toolkit
🌍 Check out more stories on the CDLI website
Together, let’s grow stronger by recognizing what’s already in our hands—and in our hearts.