RP3011: Conference paper: Asset mapping and social innovation for low carbon communities

This research uses asset mapping as a method to reveal the latent knowledge, interests and skills of Livewell participants and mobilise these strengths to meet carbon reduction goals. Participatory co-design is being used to enable participants to develop social innovations for carbon reduction in their local community which could take the form of community gardens, active transport or neighbourhood-based sharing initiatives. This paper provides an overview of the Livewell Yarra trial and its theoretical underpinnings and explores how asset-based approaches and social innovation can build capacity for groups to take individual and collective action to reduce carbon emissions for their own benefit and that of the wider community. Paper presented at the 8th Making Cities Liveable Conference, Melbourne, 2015