New Report: Impact of the Economic Crisis on Asset Building Strategies in Europe

Posted by on October 5, 2009

[posted to Community Development Banking listserve]

This is a new publication from the new economics foundation that may be of interest to asset builders of which there should be many, if not all, on this list!

http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/z_sys_PublicationDetail.aspx?pid=291

The report “The Impact of the Economic Crisis on Asset Building Strategies in Europe: Using Opportunities and Creating Resilience” is an updated version of the report presented at the Levi Strauss Workshop on asset building during the European Microfinance Network conference in Milan.

The research presented here included a survey and interviews among the Levi Strauss Foundation’s grantees and an investigation into the impact on asset building of changes in the macroeconomic conditions across Europe.

The current economic crisis starkly reveals that in many countries, the efforts made around asset building did not have enough time to create sufficient resilience before the crisis began. Asset building can be seen as a counter-cyclical move to insulate poorer households against external crises, be they personal or macroeconomic in nature. It is all the more important therefore that we now ensure that existing assets are not eroded, through, for example, breaking the link between entitlement to benefits and levels of personal savings.

The findings suggest that the crisis could represent an opportunity to mainstream asset building into policy and practice. The report makes some general recommendations for funders, governments and organisations that will help asset building to become part of mainstream national poverty alleviation strategies.

Hard copies of the first version of the report can be mailed on request.

If you would like to contact me about the report, please feel free to get in touch!

Best wishes,

Veronika Thiel
Researcher/ Project Manager
Access to Finance, nef t: 020 7820 6394 e: veronika.thiel@neweconomics.org