Asset-based approaches
Trevor Hopkins
Freelance Consultant
www.assetbasedconsulting.net
Aaron Antonovsky
1923 - 1974
‘The father of salutogenesis’
The ‘salutogenic’ perspective
Focuses on three aspects:
• Finding solutions
• Identifying ‘General Resistance Resources’
• The concept of a ‘Sense of Coherence’
Health
Health is seen as a movement in a continuum on an axis
between total ill-health and total health:
‘Ease’
‘Dis - ease’
Health
Health is seen as a movement in a continuum on an axis
between total ill-health and total health:
‘Ease’
‘Dis - ease’
Health
Health is seen as a movement in a continuum on an axis
between total ill-health and total health:
‘Ease’
‘Dis - ease’
Health
Health is seen as a movement in a continuum on an axis
between total health and total ill-health:
‘Ease’
‘Dis - ease’
Later analysis suggests this is a multidimensional concept
rather than the unidimensional one Antonovsky proposed.
Sense of Coherence
This capacity is a combination of people’s ability to:
• Assess and understand the situation they are in
• Find meaning to move in a health-promoting
direction
• Have the capacity to do so
The Sense of Coherence
Antonovsky expressed these as:
• Comprehensibility
• Meaningfulness
• Manageability
Generalized Resistance Resources
These are:
• found within people as resources bound to their person
and capacity
• in the person’s immediate and distant environment
• of both material and non-material qualities
• from the person to the whole society
Generalized Resistance Resources
Mapping-Sentence, definition of Generalized Resistance Resources (1985) Antonovsky p. 103)
Generalized Resistance Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
material/financial
knowledge/intelligence
ego/identity
coping strategies (rational, flexible, far-sighted)
social support (ties, social resources)
commitment, continuence, cohesion, control
cultural stability, cultural resources
magic
religion/philosophy/art (a stable set of answers)
a preventitive health orientation
The salutogenic model
The Salutogenic Model from Antonovsky - Faltermaier, (2005) p. 66)
The salutogenic model
The salutogenic model and “sense of coherence concept
could be implemented as a systematic orientation and
perspective in daily activities and professional practice –
that is, creating empowering dialogues to enforce the
strengths of people.”
Encouraging the strengths of women patients A case-study from general practice on empowering dialogues (1999)
Malterund K & Hollnagel H
Asset Mapping...
...or how to find, build and connect
the Generalized Resistance Resources
Assets mapping
Can be done with:
• Individuals – circles of friends/support/accountability
• Communities – Community asset mapping
• Organisations – using Appreciative Inquiry
“The key factor is not what is available but to be able to use
and re-use them for the intended purpose”
Circles of support and accountability
“When we seek for connection, we restore the world to
wholeness. Our seemingly separate lives become
meaningful as we discover how truly necessary we are
to each other”
Margaret J. Wheatley
Circles of support
‘Circles of support and personalisation’ (no date) Max Neill & Helen Sanderson
www.helensandersonassociates.co.uk/media/75948/circlesofsupportandpersonalisation.pdf
Circles of connectivity
‘Using an assets approach for positive mental health and well-being’ (2012)
Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Sciences
Community asset mapping
“The emerging associational map will chart the complex,
diverse, interrelated array of local informal and formal
associations. The purpose of the map will not be to seek
associational assistance or advice to systems. Nor will it
be in order to create partnerships.
Rather the map will be needed to better understand the
center of local neighborhoods, civil society and the
mediating structures of locality.”
John L McKnight
Community asset mapping
The actual and potential assets of:
•
Individuals
•
Associations
•
Organisations
‘Building Communities from the Inside Out’ (1993)
John P Kretzman & John L McKnight
Creating an asset map
The actual and potential assets of:
•
Individuals – heart, head & hand
•
Associations
•
Organisations
Adding more depth
As well as individuals, associations and organisations,
in a community this can also include:
•
The physical assets
•
The economic assets
•
The cultural assets
Using an assets approach for positive mental health and well-being’ (2012)
Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Sciences
http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=18364393
Analysing assets
Potential
Assets
Secondary Assets
Primary Assets
Appreciative Inquiry
“Good organisations know how to
preserve the core of what they do best.
Preserving the right thing is key.
Letting go of other things is the next step”
David Cooperrider
Agenda
Reflection – remembering times when our culture, values
and identity made us proud.
Affirmation - inquiring into those strengths and how we
can use them to create the future
Action – practical planning towards the future
The appreciative cycle
Deliver
Design
Define
Discover
Dream
...building the path as we walk it
Questions and discussion
“The asset approach is a set of values
and principles and a way of thinking
about the world.”
It takes everyone to build a
healthy, strong and safe
community.
www.assetbasedconsulting.co.uk