Asset Mapping
We all have unique gifts to offer, and part of becoming the best of who God created us to be is figuring out what those are. This week, create an asset map!
The concept of asset mapping was developed to help communities assess the resources, skills, and expertise that are already present in their population in order to improve the community from the inside rather than imposing “help” from outside sources. If you’d like to read more about this kind of asset mapping, check out the DePaul University ABCD Institute.
But the asset mapping process is also useful for assessing a single person’s individual gifts; it can build up their self-esteem, encourage personal growth, and activate their sense of efficacy. Use this template to take stock of what each member of your family has to offer. You can write or draw in the spaces provided. There’s a spot to include your areas of knowledge and expertise (your “head” assets), your skills (your “hand” assets), and your motivators/passions (your “heart” assets).
Once you’ve filled out your maps, share them with each other! But don’t just read them aloud, share them in an active way:
Head: share your specialized knowledge with everyone else. Don’t feel like you need to download every single fact you know about the topic, but if you know a lot about cricket, for example, watch a game together and answer everybody’s questions about what’s going on
Hands: share one of your skills. Perhaps you walk everyone through how to make jewelry, or how to bake a cheesecake. The others don’t need to become experts at the activity, just get a taste of what it’s like
Heart: take turns sharing one of your passions, maybe through an activity you all do together, maybe by talking about something you really love. Try to be open-hearted when you share, and open-minded when you receive, because we don’t all get fired up about the same things
Take some time to think about how your individual assets combine to create the map of your family. What does each person contribute? You can even make a big family asset map. Then turn your focus outward: how can you use these gifts in the service of others? After all, our mission is to improve people’s lives by becoming the best of who God created us to be.
Did you discover any assets – in yourself or someone else in your family – that you hadn’t thought about before? Share with us in person or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
