Lead Partner: The Coady Institute
Description
The Coady Institute was established by St. Francis Xavier University in 1959, and named after Rev. Dr. Moses Coady who was in the forefront of The Antigonish Movement, a people’s movement for economic and social justice which began in Nova Scotia, Canada during the1920s and spread throughout Canada and the world. The Coady Institute builds on this legacy in its educational programmes, action research partnerships, and initiatives to help young Canadians become active global citizens.
The Institute as become a pioneer in the application of asset-based community development approaches in its educational programmes and action research partnerships. Moses Coady’s words, “Use what you have to secure what you have not” find contemporary expression in an approach to development at the community level that focuses on people’s strengths and capacities to mobilize and drive their development. By focusing on assets and capacities rather than needs and deficiencies, energy is directed towards opportunities rather than problems. The ways in which people have organized (often informally) in associations to improve the quality of life in communities is recognized as a core asset, and the signature of successful communities. The approach is complemented by an analysis of organizational and government policy environment to identify where opportunities lie, and where more progressive policies could respond to community initiative to improve the distribution of and access to assets.
What are the highlights of the Coady Institute’s work in this area?
- Educational programmes:
ABCD is integrated into a diploma programme in development leadership; An annual three-week Certificate programme in Mobilizing Assets for Communitydriven Development in Canada; Customized Certificate offerings delivered on-site - Case study research in twelve countries on “The Role of Assets and Agency in community driven development”
- Action Research partnerships in Ethiopia, Philippines and Kenya where applications of an asset-based approach are being documented.
- A partnership with Oxfam Canada to consolidate and expand the use of assetbased approaches in Ethiopia.
- Sustainable Development in East Africa: a project to link community-driven initiatives with agricultural research and technology institutions in both Ethiopia and Kenya.
- In process: a partnership with the Rural Community Development Center (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) in Vietnam to test asset-based approaches in ten areas of rural Vietnam.
Contact Details
Alison Mathie/ Gord CunninghamCoady International Institute,
St. Francis Xavier University,
PO Box 5000
Antigonish,
Nova Scotia
Canada
B2G 2W5Phone: (902) 867-3960 Free Phone (within Canada):1-866-820-7835
E-mail: kflander@stfx.ca