What if we looked at the ASSETS in a community.... (instead of focusing on deficits?) This would be a "Positive Deviance" approach to social change!
What is Positive Deviance?
Here is the definition provided on the website of the Positive Deviance Initiative (at Tufts University):
"Positive Deviance is based on the observation that in every community there are certain individuals or groups whose uncommon behaviors and strategies enable them to find better solutions to problems than their peers, while having access to the same resources and facing similar or worse challenges. The Positive Deviance (PD) approach is an asset-based, problem-solving, and community-driven approach that enables the community to discover these successful behaviors and strategies and develop a plan of action to promote their adoption by all concerned."
For those of you in the UNICEF/Ohio University "Communication for Development" course who are interested in learning more about PD, the link to the Positive Deviance Initiative website can be found above.
Linking here to a story by PD pioneer Jerry Sternin, and another short write up by Dr. Arvind Singhal, who was speaking on PD during the course this week. (Yolanda, as I add these links I am thinking of you!!) :)
Oh, and there is also a book!
What is Positive Deviance?
Here is the definition provided on the website of the Positive Deviance Initiative (at Tufts University):
"Positive Deviance is based on the observation that in every community there are certain individuals or groups whose uncommon behaviors and strategies enable them to find better solutions to problems than their peers, while having access to the same resources and facing similar or worse challenges. The Positive Deviance (PD) approach is an asset-based, problem-solving, and community-driven approach that enables the community to discover these successful behaviors and strategies and develop a plan of action to promote their adoption by all concerned."
For those of you in the UNICEF/Ohio University "Communication for Development" course who are interested in learning more about PD, the link to the Positive Deviance Initiative website can be found above.
Linking here to a story by PD pioneer Jerry Sternin, and another short write up by Dr. Arvind Singhal, who was speaking on PD during the course this week. (Yolanda, as I add these links I am thinking of you!!) :)
Oh, and there is also a book!
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