Making use of what a community already has (such as existing organisations and resources), and using these things to make the area better for the people who live there. The aim is to look at what communities have, rather than what they lack. It has been described as 'using what's strong to deal with what's wrong'.

A way of helping people by looking at what they have, rather than what they lack. This approach helps people make use of their existing skills, knowledge and relationships. It is also called a 'strengths-based approach', and can be used as a way of improving local areas, by promoting what is good about an area rather than focusing on problems. See also co-production.