ABCD-Training-of-Trainers-Tools-July-2013

2.10. a. Mapping Institutions
(Adapted from Chambers, 1998)
Session Title
Session Objectives
Duration of Session
Resources
Training Materials
Mapping Institutions
Discover the full range of institutions in a community
Identify which assets these institutions could offer for community
development
Acquire a practical tool for mapping the assets of institutions
40 minutes
Flipchart
Markers
None
Introduction
Local institutions are often overlooked as sources of assets that community groups can draw upon to
support community development activities. Time and time again, however, the stories of spontaneous
community-driven development highlight the importance of the role of local institutions. Examples
include: an old church building made available for a group of local women to process food; access to a
phone, fax or computer made possible by a local government official or NGO; and a local business
offering to transport goods to market for a nascent community cooperative. Making a list of the assets
of local institutions can often result in the discovery of assets the community had never previously
considered as potentially assisting community development efforts.
Note: Mapping institutions can be a helpful activity because it identifies potential partners and
supporters of community action plans. However, some trainers avoid this step or wait until after action
plans have been devised because it can have the effect of tailoring action plans towards the types of
activities that outside institutions can support. This undermines the community-driven nature of an
ABCD approach.
Instructions
With the whole group, explain that institutions can also be important assets in the community.
Ask the participants to identify typical local institutions in a community:
• Government institutions including agricultural extension offices, health clinics, schools, and libraries
• NGOs
• Religious institutions
• Private sector institutions such as donors, banks, and private businesses
If you are following the ABCD methodology from start to finish as laid out in this manual, this could be
the same group of three that undertook appreciative interviews, and mapping of individual skills,
associations, physical, natural and financial resources (as described above), and you could use the
community where the story took place as the demonstration site for this exercise, asking probing
questions of the person who lives or lived in this community. If you are not following the ABCD
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