Place Matters – But It’s Only One Asset

By Dee Brooks and Fiona Miller

Illustrations by Fiona Miller

When we talk about community building or placemaking, we often begin with the physical: the park that needs upgrading, the empty lot full of potential, or the main street that could use more life. And rightly so, because place matters. It anchors memory, movement, and meaning in communities. It’s where we gather, build, protest, celebrate, and mourn.

But in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), place is just one part of a much bigger picture.

What is ABCD?

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) is a globally adopted approach that recognises and builds on the strengths, gifts, talents and resources of individuals and communities to create strong, inclusive and sustainable futures.

Founded by John McKnight and Jody Kretzmann, ABCD challenged the traditional problem-focused approach by showing that communities flourish when they identify and mobilise their assets rather than focus on deficiencies. Their guidebook Building Communities from the Inside Out summarises lessons learned from neighbourhoods across the United States, offering simple, “neighbourhood-friendly” ways to start asset-based journeys.

At its heart, ABCD focuses on:

Community assets and strengths rather than problems and needs
Identifying and mobilising skills, passions, and local resources
Building community leadership
Strengthening relationships

As John McKnight reminds us:

“Every single person has capacities, abilities and gifts. Living a good life depends on whether those capacities can be used, abilities expressed and gifts given.”

Six Types of Assets to Connect

In ABCD practice, we look across six interconnected types of assets:

Individuals – talents, skills and passions
Associations – local groups and networks
Institutions – government and non-government agencies
Physical assets – land, property, buildings, equipment
Economic assets – local business, spending power, productive work
Stories, heritage, culture, local identity and values

Notice that place is only one of these six.

Place as an Entry Point, Not a Destination

We might begin with a mural wall, a community garden, or a pop-up event in the park. But if we stop there, we risk missing the deeper potential: the gifts of the people, the skills of local businesses, the stories of Elders, the networks of faith groups, or the energy of young people ready to lead.

Placemaking offers a valuable framework. It helps strengthen participation around spaces and invites deeper reflection about what people care about enough to act on in their environment. Yet, it is most powerful when connected to the broader ecosystem of community assets.

A mural isn’t just art on a wall; it can be a reflection of identity, a platform for youth expression, or a process that strengthens bonds. A park isn’t just green space; it can be a place of belonging, healing, and intergenerational connection.

Drivers of Action

ABCD is powered by three simple but profound drivers:

Hope – helping other possibilities emerge
Care – discovering what people care about enough to act
Relationships – building and strengthening the ties that lead to action

When we slow down, notice what people care about, and connect their gifts, we create the conditions for authentic collaboration.

Practical Approaches

There are many practical ways to move beyond place and discover people’s gifts. One example is the 5H’s exercise which explores gifts of the Head, Hand, Heart, Heel, and Human connections to spark conversations and uncover hidden strengths. Another is identifying “bumping places”: the cafés, porches, parks, or community halls where people naturally meet and mingle. These places aren’t just settings; they are opportunities to connect, listen, and co-create.

Why It Matters

It reframes community development: from place-focused improvement to people-centred self-determination.
It aligns with ABCD principles: starting with strengths, not needs.
It guards against superficial change: by linking physical transformation to community voice and leadership.
It highlights interconnectedness: people, culture, stories, and places together make a community resilient.

A Joint Invitation

Place matters. It is often where the work begins. But it is only one of the assets that sustain communities. True transformation happens when we go deeper. When we discover the invisible gifts, nurture relationships, and create spaces where everyone’s contributions are recognised and valued.

Our invitation is simple:
Start with place, but don’t stop there. Look further. Listen deeper. Build together.