Making sense of assets: Community asset mapping and related approaches for cultivating capacities

This working paper critically reviews some main aspects from asset based approaches highlights key strengths and weaknesses for future research/development. Drawing on a large body of reports and relevant literature we draw on different theoretical traditions and critiques, as well as practices and processes embedded within a broad range of approaches including, widely acknowledged frameworks such Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Sustainable Livelihood Approaches (SLA) and Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Although these are presented as distinct approaches, there is a sense of evolution through them and many of them overlap (in terms of both theories and methodologies). We also include emerging frameworks, including geographical, socio-spatial, visual and creative approaches, stemming from a number of projects within AHRC’s Connected Communities programme and additional collaborations

The learningscape of a virtual design atelier

The development of e-learning platforms is fundamentally changing the nature of education across all disciplines. Art and design education has traditionally taken place within a studio environment and its model of teaching and learning has been informed by the atelier approach which has a distinctive educational and cultural history. Signifi cant pressures arise today in undergraduate art and design education and partly these drive the need to establish an effective and viable modern studio experience. Not only must any new studio support student learning of practice and principles, for example, by allowing students to work alongside experts, it must foster the community and culture of the creative industries. As if this wasnt diffi cult enough, any innovation in teaching and learning must not incur the huge costs and resource demands of our current models of art and design education and it must be scalable to provide a stimulating experience for large numbers of students with diverse backgrounds, abilities and needs. This paper reports on a suite of studies that were carried out as part of a JISCfunded project titled ATELIER-D. The aim of the project was to create an online virtual design learning environment that replicates and improves the features of traditional face-to-face studio education. The paper makes reference to new curricula at the Open University, particularly a new FHEQ level 4 online design course fi rst presented in February 2010 to 350 students

Creative communities, creative assets: exploring methods of mapping community assets

Asset mapping, a method for unearthing and visually representing an individual’s or a community's assets, has been used in the context of planning and creative industries. The goal of this workshop is to bring together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and practices to discuss and generate outcomes that make use of different perspectives of asset mapping methodologies. At the core of activities, facilitators will demonstrate the ways in which asset mapping has been used with community groups within an area or neighbourhood in the Creative Citizens research project - a project which explores how different types of creativity and civic engagement intersect to add value to communities in the context of a radically changing media landscape

Creative Communities, Creative Assets: Exploring ways of mapping community assets

WORKSHOP: Asset mapping, a method for unearthing and visually representing an individual’s or a community's assets, has been used in the context of planning and creative industries. The goal of this workshop is to bring together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and practices to discuss and generate outcomes that utilise the diverse perspectives of asset mapping methodologies. At the core of activities, facilitators will demonstrate the ways in which asset mapping has been used with community groups in the Creative Citizens research project - a project which explores how different types of creativity and civic engagement intersect to add value to communities in the context of a radically changing media landscape