Building recovery capital: co-creating an assets-based community engagement toolkit for people accessing drug and alcohol treatment services

Background Community assets such as social groups, volunteering opportunities and wellbeing activities can strengthen recovery capital and support long-term recovery; however, people accessing drug and alcohol treatment services often face barriers to engagement. This study aimed to co-create an Assets-Based Community Engagement (ABCE) toolkit to strengthen connections between treatment services and community assets. Methods A rapid evidence review informed a 12-week co-creation project involving workshops with service users, peer mentors and staff. Participants explored barriers, enablers and motivators to community asset engagement and identified priorities for toolkit development. Data were analyzed using a priori coding. Results Key barriers included cost, transport difficulties, digital exclusion, low confidence and limited awareness of opportunities. Enablers were peer support, trusted relationships, practical guidance and accessibility, while motivators centered on wellbeing, social connection and personal development. The co-creation process produced four toolkit components: a six-stage engagement model, a Community Connector role description, a guided conversation tool and recommendations for enhancing a digital community assets platform. Discussion Findings highlight the importance of addressing practical, social, and informational barriers to community engagement and demonstrate how rapid co-creation can generate practical resources for treatment services. Conclusion The ABCE toolkit offers a scalable, recovery-oriented framework for strengthening recovery capital through increased engagement with community assets and embedding asset-based practice within treatment and recovery services.