Stakeholder engagement: Asset-based community-led development (ABCD) versus the traditional needs-based approach to community development

The research on which this article is based drew a comparison between the asset-based community-led development (ABCD) approach and the more traditional needs-based approach to community development with regard to stakeholder engagement. The main finding of the qualitative study was that communities which were sensitised to ABCD were more self-motivated, self-driven and self-organised, and utilised their own assets and resources in collaboration with external assets and resources. Participants adhering to this approach tended to spell out the kind of support they wanted from external stakeholders. In comparison, in the needs- and problem-based approach, community initiatives were dependent on external funds, while organisations driving the process felt responsible for the success of community initiatives.