Description
ABCD & Beyond: A Practical Guide for Local Government offers a clear, practical introduction to applying Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) in council settings. It explores the mindset, measurement, engagement, and leadership shifts required to build community capacity and equity, serving as both a reference and a hands-on guide for practitioners committed to reimagining the role of local government. ABCD & Beyond flips the script invites councillors, officers, and community leaders to rethink how they engage, plan, and deliver together.
Packed with stories, tools, and provocations, this book opens new ways of thinking and acting so councils and communities can create meaningful change together through lived stories, global practice, and practical frameworks, this book supports councils to:
• Replace token consultation with authentic co-design.
• Measure success in trust, relationships, and belonging.
• Embed equity and inclusion as core business, not an add-on.
• Unlock the hidden assets of people, places, and culture.
• Use participatory tools to create shared ownership.
We know that when communities are leading, relationships are respectful, and we all thrive.
“This is a gem of a book. Full of engaging stories, reflections and provocations, it is essential reading for people already practising community development and those who are new to the field and interested in understanding asset-based community development.” Professor Emeritus Sue Kenny, Deakin University
Always in stock. “Printed On Demand” in Australia by Intertype
Andrew Kirk –
“Government was made complex – but it’s not’. This book simplifies the complex and shares great insights into local Government with a purposeful approach.
Meredith Baylis –
I work with NDIS participants and at times I struggle working with Government. Even though this book is aimed at Local Governments I’ve learnt some incredibly valuable tools I can take into my work. I feel this book is an essential guide for everyone working in Community, it’s easy to read, it’s engaging, has amazing illustrations and packed full of knowledge on how to do things differently ensuring real inclusion shifts from consultation to ‘co-everything!’
Asset Based Community Development is the foundation of a brighter future!
Emily Costello (verified owner) –
My copy of ABCD & Beyond arrived recently. This is one of those books that names what many of us who have worked in local government have felt for years, but found challenging to articulate or operationalise.
ABCD & Beyond offers a clear, practical introduction to applying Asset-Based Community Development in council settings — not as a theory, but as a fundamental shift in mindset, measurement, engagement and leadership. It challenges the default “service delivery to” model and instead makes a compelling case for councils to become enablers of community capability and equity.
What stood out most for me is how grounded this book is in real practice. It’s written by practitioners who have worked alongside local governments to genuinely shift the dial, and it shows. The examples reflect the messy, political, time-pressured reality of council work, while still holding a strong line on what it means to share power and trust communities to lead.
Much of what’s explored mirrors my own experiences working in local government: the tension between compliance and connection, the frustration of deficit-based planning, and the quiet wins that come when councils step back and communities step up. This book doesn’t pretend the work is easy, but it does make it feel possible.
Importantly, ABCD & Beyond isn’t just for community development practitioners. It’s a valuable read for councillors, executives, planners, engagement professionals, and anyone seeking to partner with local government in more authentic ways. It invites us all to rethink how we engage, plan and deliver – together.
If you work in this space, or alongside it, and care about creating the conditions for communities to thrive rather than be managed, this is a brilliant and timely read.