This document discusses how good neighbors can form partnerships and cooperatives to build strong, asset-based communities. It provides an overview of asset-based community development principles like appreciating individual skills, mobilizing talents, and community-driven processes. The document then describes a case study of the Sexsmith Farm Cooperative and the benefits it provides members through partnerships, including food celebrations, information sharing, children's gardens, and agricultural competitions.

1. Growing a Good Community:
Good Neighbours make Great
Partners!
Debbie Sexsmith
John Blackwell

2. Growing Good Communities:
Good Neighbours make Great
Partners!

3. Food to Celebrate

4. Introductions
Partnerships and Co-op Principles
Sexsmith Farm Co-op….a biased case study.
Partnerships and Benefits
Discussion and Info Sharing

6. Asset-based Community Development Overview
(www.synergos.org/knowledge; Cunningham&Mathie, Thailand, 2002)
Based on principles of:
Appreciating and mobilizing individual and
community talents, skills and assets.
Community-driven vs External Agency

7. It builds on:
Appreciative Inquiry
Social Capital
Participatory Approaches
Community Economic Development
Strengthening Civil Society

8. Process of self-mobilizing and organizing for
change includes:
Collecting Stories
Core Group
Mapping Capacities
Community Vision and Plan
Mobilizing and Linking Economic Assets
Leveraging

9. Our Experience-Case Study
Timeline and Values

10. Children’s Gardens and Plots

11. Benefits
1st place most unusual veggie – “Nixon”
1st place Sunflower stalk – 4.0 m

12. Your Partnerships