“Designing Collaborative Educational Resources (COERS) for Assets-Based Community Participation (ABCP) across Europe” (ASSETSCOM)

PARTNERSHIP CoordinatoR: UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST OF SCOTLAND (UK) Partners: Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna; SYDDANSK UNIVERSITET; LAUREA-AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY; UNIVERZA V MARIBORU In spite of general declines in levels of youth crime across Europe, it has been found that local people living in deprived, densely populated urban areas are more likely to have high perceptions of youth disorder and to view young people’s behaviour as problematic. Further, evidence suggests that relationships between young people living in socially deprived communities and other local residents are often fraught with mutual distrust and stereotyping. Building on the Strength-Based Approach used in social work, the principles associated with Assets-Based Community Development rely on true empowerment of local residents and community groups while significantly adjusting the mind-sets of service providers to create an equilibrium of understanding and avoid a deficit view of young people and disadvantaged communities. The project aims to design collaborative educational resources in the form of innovative inter-professional educational resources to enable professionals and practitioners to implement an assets-based approach to foster inter-agency and inter-generational connectivity. In turn, these approaches will nurture and mobilise existing community assets and encourage pioneering collaborative approaches towards enhancing local community participation in order to enhance the protective factors that can both prevent youth disorder and crime and reduce negative public perceptions about young people. The first stage of the project will culminate in the co-production of comparative case studies from across northern, central and eastern Europe illustrating traditional and assets-based approaches to youth crime prevention and intergenerational community participation from different professional perspectives. An interprofessional gap analysis will examine what is required to enable interprofessional teams to implement assets-based approaches to youth crime prevention and promote positive inter- generational community participation initiatives. The second implementation phase of the project will see the development and piloting of an innovative virtual interprofessional learning environment and validated module materials in a range of languages. The specific objectives and outcomes are as follows: Phase 1 Objective: an inter professional understanding of Assets based approaches to Community Participation to combat youth crime and promote positive intergenerational communication and community participation, and an understanding of the contribution of different professional and disciplinary perspectives to the achievement of an assets-based approach. Outcomes: 1.1) An interrogative literature review of Assets-Based approaches to Community Participation. 1.2) A comparative documentary analysis of the policy context across partner countries. 1.3) Comparative case studies from the partner countries illustrating traditional and assets based approaches to youth crime prevention and intergenerational community participation. 1.4) An interprofessional education gap analysis. Phase 2 objective: Develop innovative collaborative educational resources to transform the way in which a range of professional groups and community stakeholders work with disadvantaged communities. Outcomes: 2.1) A learning and facilitation framework based on a pedagogical and impact study review of case based collaborative elearning resources and facilitation methods and interventions. 2.2) An online collaborative learning environment. 2.3) Validated interprofessional module materials in the form of case studies in a range of European languages. 2.4) A Community Assets Based learning facilitator manual and student handbook in a range of European languages. 2.5) An inaugural European faculty comprising academics and practitioners from partner countries, with case-based learning facilitation capabilities. 2.6) A development plan for a sustainable, Collaborative Community Assets Based European Academy. To deliver the project ambition we have assembled a five country partnership from Higher Education comprising combined expertise in youth inclusion, crime prevention, policy analysis, civic and political participation, community learning and participation. Each partner has considerable existing networks of excellence, and opportunities for international stakeholders to engage with the project will include online and social media, a consensus conference, a virtual engagement event and end of project conference. The project legacy will include the building blocks for a virtual community assets network, a European Academy and the foundations for the establishment of a fully accredited European Masters programme in Community Learning and Participation. The project will refresh approaches to community engagement, will contribute to mobility and virtual mobility and equip the qualified workforce to lead reform and champion evidence–informed approaches to community enhancement through harnessing untapped talent within European Community.