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The Association for the Study and Development of Community (ASDC) is a research and development organization for community capacity building and social problem solving. ASDC represents a network of leading community development practitioners and

Our Values Our Services Our Methods

scientists in the United States and Europe, with offices in Gaithersburg, Maryland and Milan, Italy. ASDC combines the principled, rigorous use of scientific methods with practical tools to foster learning and improved capacity for social change.

Values
ASDC is a values-based organization. We are committed to promoting and supporting the social justice, health, economic equity, and well being of all people. Our core values include:

• Valuing diversity, equality, and equity;
• Promoting civic participation;
• Including individuals in decision-making and social change processes that affect their lives;
• Learning as individuals and collectively as an organization and community;
• Enhancing scientific, professional, and public capacity to use information and share knowledge; and
• Ensuring the quality of our work while enjoying it.

Services
ASDC provides capacity building services to government agencies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. These services include:

• Research, evaluation, and evaluation capacity building;
• Learning systems and strategy development;
• Technical assistance, training, and other consultation on social change;
• Adult and professional education programs;
• Information technology; and
• Facilitation, planning, and consultation on community building and intermediary support system development.

Methods
ASDC provides services in a collaborative and participatory manner to ensure that they meet the goals of the participants and, at the same time, embody our core values. ASDC pays careful attention to the lessons learned from previous research and practice, and combines them with the experiences of participants. ASDC utilizes and combines various methods in order to provide services. Recognizing the influence of culture on individuals and communities, ASDC considers approaches and methods that build on and respond to cultural traditions and assets.

The methods that ASDC uses to build capacity include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Research and literature reviews;
• Community and systems change;
• Surveys, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews;
• Information systems design;
• Case studies;
• Quantitative and qualitative analysis;
• Learning sessions to interpret and share information;
• Interactive workshops; and
• Facilitated discussions and strategic planning sessions.

For more information about what ASDC can do, view the descriptions of Our Capacities and Our Projects.
 

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