Identifying strengths and resources

Tool 2.6 This tool is often very useful at Step 4 of the FBF process (Decide and Plan). It is one thing for a group or a community to decide on a course of action or a project they would like to work on, but quite another to assess whether they actually have the resources and abilities, between them, to make it happen.

The starting point for Faith-Based Facilitation is the appreciation of the many assets, gifts and resources that people have in themselves, their families and friends, and their community. Every person – rich or poor – has unique gifts and abilities which need to be recognised and affirmed.

Although every person, family and community will have some assets to contribute, they may not have enough. This tool can help to identify existing strengths and resources as well as identify any gaps which may need to be filled with help from outside the community.

An interesting way of approaching this is to divide the group into two.
» Ask Group A to brainstorm the resources and strengths that are within the community or available to them;
» Ask Group B to brainstorm the resources and strengths needed to carry out the suggested course of action.

Then bring them back together to compare the two lists and identify the gaps between 'what we have' and 'what is required'. Finally, everyone can give their ideas for how the items from the 'missing' list can be found or alternatives that could be used instead, so that the task agreed can be undertaken. At this point the CPMS system may be helpful in identifying external resources.