Strengths Oriented Real Time Evaluation & Development
The SORTED programme was developed by Nurture Development in conjunction with Sean McGearty. It integrates their respective approaches as leaders in the field of evaluation and strategic planning in the Third and Public sectors and offers both sectors cost effective high quality monitoring, evaluation and strategic planning supports. Three cutting edge approaches, namely Real Time Evaluation (RTE), Appreciative Inquiry (AI), and Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) combined, offer a highly responsive yet cost effective framework for evaluation, monitoring and strategic planning.
SORTED aims to use evaluation, monitoring and strategic planning to bring about organisational and cultural change, and is especially relevant to organisations operating within difficult circumstances where resources are scarce and challenges are many.
Click here for more information.
Keynote Address at IDeA Conference UK
Cormac delivered the keynote address at a conference on an Assets Approach to Health Inequalities at Warwick University on 26 and 27 October 2009 organised by the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA). The conference was attended by invited guests from the NHS, DH, Primary Health Care Trusts, and Local Government throughout the UK.
Cormac’s powerpoint presentation can be viewed here.
ABCD Workshop at IAF Conference, Keble College, Oxford
As part of the International Association of Facilitators Conference in Oxford, Cormac Russell delivered a workshop on Asset Based Community Development on 20 September 2009 entitled ‘Moving from a ‘Deficit’ to an ‘Asset based’ approach to development-the principles of ABCD’.
Sustainable Global Development Conference, University of Limerick
Cormac Russell delivered a paper entitled ‘From Needs to Assets: Charting a Sustainable Path towards Development in Sub-Saharan African Countries’ at the Sustainable Global Development conference which took place in the University of Limerick on 16th and 17th October, 2009.
The conference included papers, symposia, workshops, and audio-visual presentations on aspects of Sustainable Global Development from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and from Europe. Speakers included:
- Roger Riddell, author of ‘Does Foreign Aid Really Work?’ (Oxford University Press, 2007)
- Ana Valadez, indigenous rights and biodiversity campaigner and activist.
IDT South Africa
Cormac Russell addressed the Independent Development Trust (IDT) in Pretoria in South Africa in August 2009. The IDT’s vision is to be “the leading development agency in South Africa and the Region” The IDT, together with strategic partners, enables poor communities in South Africa to access resources, recognise and unlock their own potential and continuously improve their quality of life.
For further information on the work of the IDT and its strategic innovation group IDS, click here.
A copy of the presentation delivered to the IDT is available on request.
Michelle Obama highlights the work of John McKnight, Jody Kretzmann and the ABCD Institute during a recent speech
Click here to read her speech.
Communities in Control: Developing Assets
Held at the New Urban Centre in Liverpool on June 2, 2009, this first ABCD European Summit brought together more than 120 citizens and a further 30 professionals to share and exchange their vision of a Europe where communities are in control, in a democratic and Inclusive way. The theme, Communities in Control: Developing Assets was inspired firstly by the title of the UK Government White Paper on Community Engagement, and secondly by the movement in Australia of the same name that now meets annually to promote Healthy Communities across Australia.
The conference aimed to facilitate an exchange of experiences and knowledge about asset-based community development between citizens from Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK. On day two (June 3rd), delegates made field visits to a number of successful projects working to build stronger more sustainable communities in the Northwest of England, mainly in Manchester and Liverpool.
Click here for a copy of the report on the conference.
Accredited CSR programme
Nurture Development, in association with the National College of Ireland and Business in the Community Ireland successfully ran the first FETAC accredited programme in Corporate Social Responsibility in May 2008.
The response to the programme was extremely positive, as shown in one of the participant's comments:
"The Nurture Development corporate responsibility programme is a valuable and beneficial course for anyone new to the area of corporate responsibility or for those looking at ways to build and expand on their own corporate social responsibility programmes.
From the easily applicable theory to the practical case studies and best practice toolkit, this course is designed to maximise the student’s learning and understanding of corporate social responsibility as well giving them the tools and skills to develop and enhance corporate social responsibility practice in their own professional environment. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to anyone working in the CSR arena."
Gina Kelly, Meteor
The second course, which will run over five days in Dublin, will commence on October 2nd 2008 with the internationally renowned Professor of Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility from Manchester Business School - Rosa Chun.
This programme willgive companies the opportunity to up skill staff at both the theoretical and practical levels in CSR, while also providing participants with nationally recognised certification. Participants will focus on developing a CSR strategy for their organisation and will have guest lectures from experienced CSR practitioners, thereby placing the emphasis firmly on the 'how' as opposed to the 'why'.
Click here for the brochure. Contact Colleen Quinn at 01 496 1033 for further information.
Grangegorman Community Consultation Report
During 2007, Nurture Development completed a community consultation process in relation to the redevelopment of the 73 acre Grangegorman site with the residents of the Dublin 7 neighbourhood. The final report on the proceedings and outputs of those workshops is now available.
Click here to download the report.
Announcing a Strategic Alliance with Northwestern University
Following the conference ‘Building Active Citizenship through Assets in the Community’ with Professor John McKnight on 12 March 2007 which was attended by over 180 delegates, Nurture Development is pleased to announce a strategic alliance with the ABCD Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago. The first phase of this strategic alliance between Nurture Development and the ABCD Institute will be a ‘Train the Trainer’ programme in September 2007. If you would like Nurture Development to contact you with details of the programme, please email us at info@nurturedevelopment.ie
A full house at the Professor John McKnight Conference in Croke Park
Professor Tom Collins, NUI Maynooth, Professor John McKnight and Cormac Russell, Nurture Development