The project includes $2,000.00 budget to purchase reference material and these materials will be made available to Aboriginal ECD educators and parents at one of the community libraries.

Overview < • > Little League of First Nations < • > Living History Project < • > A is for Aboriginal
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Community Asset Mapping

This is an integral part of the project and is an anchor concept. What is asset mapping?
Traditionally, needs assessment is conducted through an analysis of a community’s needs and focuses on the barriers to be overcome. (ie infrastructure, funding, equipment etc.)

Asset mapping comes at the question from a different viewpoint. What are the resources that do exist and how can the material and human assets that are identified be connected and combined to create new possibilities and opportunities?

The asset-based model, developed by John Kretzmann and John McKnight of the Asset Based Community Development Institute (Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University) is described by the authors as a process to…”locate all of the available local assets, to begin connecting them with one another in ways that multiply their power and effectiveness, and to begin harnessing those local institutions that are not yet available for local development purposes.”

The term map is very important, as the goal is to create a number of illustrated community maps focusing on aboriginal literacy, the authors continue, “…each community is unique, containing within it a combination of individuals, associations, and institutions that can be harnessed for community revitalization efforts. The “asset maps" provides an inventory of these strengths and resources.”*

Where are the resources, how can more use be made of what is there, how can the combination of resources or assets be combined to better achieve the goal of promoting early childhood literacy.

Outcome: A series of illustrated community maps of ‘literacy assets’ and information for Vancouver. These maps will be used as posters within the Vancouver communities and serve as one component of the promotion and advertising of this early literacy initiative. The maps will also be updated and supported through the Story Portal and will promote community involvement, ECD Workshops, meetups** and other community based initiatives.

*Mcknight, John L. and Kretzmann, John P. “Building Communities From the Inside Out: a path toward
finding and mobilizing a community’s assets” Chicago: ACTA Publications, 1993. P.5-P.6
**This is a new phenomenon where individuals use the net to schedule and set up impromptu meetings (meet-ups) based on individual interests from digital photography to parenting (www.meetup.com)
Do you know of any excellent Aboriginal resources? Any children's literature, toys or learning tools that we should know about? If so, please contact us at resources@thevase.net.