Community Development and Collaboration in Rural and Northern Communities
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Transcript of Community Development and Collaboration in Rural and Northern Communities
Community Development and Community Development and Collaboration in Collaboration in
Rural and Northern CommunitiesRural and Northern Communities
Greg HalsethGreg HalsethMarleen MorrisMarleen Morris
UNBC Community Development InstituteUNBC Community Development Instituteforfor
Board Voice Board Voice November 23, 2012November 23, 2012
OutlineOutline
IntroductionIntroductionContextContext
– Community DevelopmentCommunity Development– Eras of Service AvailabilityEras of Service Availability
The Voluntary SectorThe Voluntary SectorCollaboration between Collaboration between
OrganizationsOrganizationsDiscussionDiscussion
Introduction IIntroduction I
Issues affecting OECD rural areas:Issues affecting OECD rural areas:
Population agingPopulation aging– Resource frontier agingResource frontier aging– Youth out-migrationYouth out-migration
Limited resource economic baseLimited resource economic base Social, political, economic changeSocial, political, economic change Outdated governance structuresOutdated governance structures
Introduction IIIntroduction II
Issues affecting OECD rural area capacity:Issues affecting OECD rural area capacity:
Small populationsSmall populations– Limited human and financial resourcesLimited human and financial resources
Service closuresService closures Skill lossesSkill losses Distance/remotenessDistance/remoteness Aging infrastructureAging infrastructure ‘‘Visibility’ in national debatesVisibility’ in national debates
– Beyond places of crisisBeyond places of crisis
Community Development Foundations
The ability of communities to identify aspirations & organize assets and resources to achieve their objectives
Increasing the skills, knowledge & abilities to access/use information & resources
Create strategies & partnerships to take advantage of changing circumstances
A long-term, sustainable vision that facilitates community well-being, quality-of-life & resilience
Community Development IICommunity Development II
Local economic systemLocal economic systemLocal institutionsLocal institutionsPolitical leadershipPolitical leadershipCommunity spiritCommunity spiritCultural strengthCultural strengthSocial structureSocial structureAnd other factors beyond economicsAnd other factors beyond economics
Community Development Creates the Platform
Create a broad Create a broad community community development development platform as a platform as a foundation for foundation for seizing seizing opportunities opportunities
In Practice: Interdependent & Mutually SupportiveIn Practice: Interdependent & Mutually Supportive
The Community Development The Community Development Institute at UNBC www.unbc.ca/cdiInstitute at UNBC www.unbc.ca/cdi
Community Development Community Development Take AwaysTake Aways
A strong non-profit sector is critical to A strong non-profit sector is critical to long-term community prosperity long-term community prosperity
Provides services that support Provides services that support economic and business developmenteconomic and business development
Opportunity to build partnerships with Opportunity to build partnerships with business and industry that recognize business and industry that recognize the sector’s critical contributionthe sector’s critical contribution
Opportunity to build a stronger sector Opportunity to build a stronger sector through collaboration through collaboration
Rural ServicesRural Services
Traditional Challenge of “Geography”Traditional Challenge of “Geography”– Large distances, low population Large distances, low population
densitiesdensities= higher service delivery costs per capita= higher service delivery costs per capita
Rural and small town places struggle Rural and small town places struggle to provide servicesto provide services– Loss of services in rural places/small Loss of services in rural places/small
townstowns
Community Capacity Community Capacity Small offices/organizationsSmall offices/organizations
– ExperienceExperience– Turnover and institutional memoryTurnover and institutional memory– Limited technical support and Limited technical support and
resourcesresources– Often volunteer-basedOften volunteer-based
Relationship demandsRelationship demands– Difficult on time/staffDifficult on time/staff– Often need financial commitment Often need financial commitment
Services Provision ErasServices Provision Eras Rural isolationRural isolation
– Few services provided by StateFew services provided by State– Places were essentially on their ownPlaces were essentially on their own– Tremendous variation from place to placeTremendous variation from place to place
Expansion of the StateExpansion of the State– Canadian “social safety net”Canadian “social safety net”– Direct and indirect government support for local Direct and indirect government support for local
servicesservices RetrenchmentRetrenchment
– Market/urban models appliedMarket/urban models applied– Often unsuited to rural needs/geographyOften unsuited to rural needs/geography– ““Closure”Closure”
Current ProcessesCurrent Processes Public Sector WithdrawalPublic Sector Withdrawal
– Loss of services in rural places/small townsLoss of services in rural places/small towns– Vital to retention and recruitment of jobs Vital to retention and recruitment of jobs
andand people people
Care Service Issues ICare Service Issues I Full integration of community development & Full integration of community development &
care servicescare services– Individual / family / communityIndividual / family / community– Education / mental health / social developmentEducation / mental health / social development– Wellness not medical interventionWellness not medical intervention
Demographics Demographics – Services to an aging populationServices to an aging population– Services to recruit and retain the next generation Services to recruit and retain the next generation
workforceworkforce
Smart servicesSmart services– Role of technologyRole of technology– Get away from 19Get away from 19thth century models of delivery / duties century models of delivery / duties– Example: Port ClementsExample: Port Clements
Care Service Issues IICare Service Issues II
Circle of support servicesCircle of support servicesCircle of supports for all care Circle of supports for all care
professionalsprofessionals
Role of the voluntary sectorRole of the voluntary sector– Increasingly keyIncreasingly key– Increasingly stressedIncreasingly stressed
MethodologyMethodology
Selection of sites:Selection of sites:– Regional representationRegional representation– 4 NRE sites:4 NRE sites:
Mackenzie, BCMackenzie, BCTweed, ONTweed, ONWood River, SKWood River, SKSpringhill, NSSpringhill, NS
– 29 organizations29 organizations
Building Capacity Building Capacity with Voluntary Groupswith Voluntary Groups
Social cohesion:Social cohesion:– Opportunities for social interactionOpportunities for social interaction– Residents use ‘well-worn’ pathwaysResidents use ‘well-worn’ pathways
Social capital:Social capital:– Trust and confidence is built with local Trust and confidence is built with local
groups and leadersgroups and leaders– Networks of support, information, and Networks of support, information, and
resourcesresources
Human Resources IHuman Resources I
75.9% of groups had a board 75.9% of groups had a board of directorsof directors
38.0% had local leaders on 38.0% had local leaders on their boardstheir boards– Local leaders bring skills, Local leaders bring skills,
resources, and networksresources, and networks
Human Resources IIHuman Resources II
Staff:Staff:– 65.5% were strictly voluntary 65.5% were strictly voluntary
(no paid staff)(no paid staff)Challenges: lack of volunteers, Challenges: lack of volunteers, volunteer burnout, and little volunteer burnout, and little participation by membersparticipation by members
– 34.5% were mixed voluntary 34.5% were mixed voluntary and paidand paid
Changes in Financial Resources Changes in Financial Resources
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
GovernmentFunding
CommunityFunding
MembershipFunding
Revenue fromServices
20032005
Partnerships IPartnerships I
Does your organization have any Does your organization have any partnerships - % yespartnerships - % yes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
20032003 20052005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Non-local partnershipsNon-local partnerships 69.069.0 75.975.9
Local partnershipsLocal partnerships 69.069.0 58.658.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Partnerships IIPartnerships II
Does your organization have any partnerships? - % yes, 2005
---------------------------------------------------Board No Strict Mix Vol. Total
Board Vol. & Paid
---------------------------------------------------Non-local partnerships 86.4 42.9 63.2 100.0 75.9Local partnerships 68.2 28.6 47.4 80.0 58.6
---------------------------------------------------
What are Partnerships used for?What are Partnerships used for?
NetworksNetworks•To expand networksTo expand networks•To promote programs offeredTo promote programs offered•Links on local government websitesLinks on local government websites•Partners participate at eventsPartners participate at events•Client referralsClient referrals•Links to resources for organizationsLinks to resources for organizations•Moral support (letters of support)Moral support (letters of support)•Meetings to update local initiativesMeetings to update local initiatives
ExpertiseExpertise•Obtaining adviceObtaining advice•Sharing informationSharing information•Research to develop servicesResearch to develop services•Educational opportunities (training)Educational opportunities (training)•Information on regulationsInformation on regulations•Decision-makingDecision-making•BrainstormingBrainstorming•Problem-solvingProblem-solving
ResourcesResources•Summer youth employment programsSummer youth employment programs•Financial donationsFinancial donations•Donated space (office space, halls, Donated space (office space, halls, meeting area)meeting area)•Access to human resources (sharing Access to human resources (sharing volunteers, access to municipal staff, volunteers, access to municipal staff, donated time by local technicians)donated time by local technicians)•In-kind support (donated materials, In-kind support (donated materials, supplies, furniture, gift donations, supplies, furniture, gift donations, equipment)equipment)•Other organizations coordinating Other organizations coordinating charity events for their benefitcharity events for their benefit•Applying for grants for non-registered Applying for grants for non-registered charitiescharities•Joint purchases of equipmentJoint purchases of equipment•Advertising resourcesAdvertising resources•Tax breaks / no cost building leaseTax breaks / no cost building lease
Policy Implications IPolicy Implications I
Invest in volunteer trainingInvest in volunteer trainingEncourage and support Encourage and support
development and training of development and training of board of directorsboard of directors
Support board membership Support board membership diversitydiversity– GenderGender– Different sectors in the communityDifferent sectors in the community
Policy Implications IIPolicy Implications II
Programs should facilitate Programs should facilitate collaborationcollaboration
Long-term and stable supportsLong-term and stable supportsPartnerships developmentPartnerships developmentNeed for ‘common sense’ Need for ‘common sense’
funding programs and funding programs and applicationsapplications
Benefits of CollaborationBenefits of Collaboration
More effective use of resourcesMore effective use of resources Innovation through information and idea Innovation through information and idea
sharingsharing Better service provisionBetter service provision Extend reach and impactExtend reach and impact Increase influence Increase influence Creates sustained changeCreates sustained change
Barriers to CollaborationBarriers to Collaboration
Loss of organizational autonomyLoss of organizational autonomy Loss of individual decision-making powerLoss of individual decision-making power Requires too much compromiseRequires too much compromise Requires too much timeRequires too much time Unequal contributionsUnequal contributions Unequal distribution of credit and gloryUnequal distribution of credit and glory Previous negative experience with Previous negative experience with
collaborationcollaboration
Dynamics of CollaborationDynamics of Collaboration
What makes collaboration work?What makes collaboration work?
How do we get there?How do we get there?
Information and KnowledgeInformation and Knowledge Need to:Need to:
– Build understandingBuild understanding– Ground dialogue and planning in Ground dialogue and planning in
information and knowledgeinformation and knowledge Include demographic and service Include demographic and service
delivery datadelivery data
Creates a common starting pointCreates a common starting point Helps to establish priorities, broker Helps to establish priorities, broker
cooperation, and overcome vested cooperation, and overcome vested interestsinterests
Goals and OutcomesGoals and Outcomes Need to:Need to:
– Agree on what you want to achieveAgree on what you want to achieve– Monitor progressMonitor progress
Establish synergistic set of Establish synergistic set of outcomes:outcomes:– Areas where working together will Areas where working together will
create benefit for both create benefit for both – Achievements that could not be realized Achievements that could not be realized
individuallyindividually
Governance & Staff Governance & Staff InvolvementInvolvement
About relationship buildingAbout relationship building– Need to create relationships at all levels Need to create relationships at all levels
of the organization: governance, senior of the organization: governance, senior administration, and staff administration, and staff
Need to create the time, space, and Need to create the time, space, and venues to have the necessary venues to have the necessary strategic conversations and think strategic conversations and think togethertogether
Collaborative LeadershipCollaborative Leadership Successful collaborative leadership is Successful collaborative leadership is
different from operational or different from operational or hierarchical leadershiphierarchical leadership– Collegial and democratic not top-downCollegial and democratic not top-down
Needs to create common ground so Needs to create common ground so people can talk and work togetherpeople can talk and work together– Listening, “translating” meaning across Listening, “translating” meaning across
organizational cultures, and building organizational cultures, and building common understandingcommon understanding
PlanningPlanning Strategies and plansStrategies and plans
– InclusiveInclusive– Promote inter-organizational synergyPromote inter-organizational synergy– Promote inter-organizational teamsPromote inter-organizational teams
Must be oriented to achieve identified Must be oriented to achieve identified goals and outcomesgoals and outcomes
Implementation action planImplementation action plan– Supportive of collaborative activitiesSupportive of collaborative activities– Create incentives Create incentives
Dynamics of CollaborationDynamics of Collaboration
What makes collaboration work?What makes collaboration work?
How do we get there?How do we get there?
Context:- Assets and Aspirations-Objectives and Strategies
- Grounding Region in Local and Global Context
Structure-Links:- Groups & Organizations- Different Degrees of Formality- Interconnections & Relationships- Bring the Right People Together- Platform for Open Discussion
Tips for First CollaborationsTips for First Collaborations Begin with a project that is relatively Begin with a project that is relatively
easy to manage and achieveeasy to manage and achieve The project should create “new” The project should create “new”
benefit for all partiesbenefit for all parties Create the space for dialogueCreate the space for dialogue Be mindful of impact on staff timeBe mindful of impact on staff time Deal openly with issues and conflictDeal openly with issues and conflict Monitor and celebrate progress Monitor and celebrate progress
Tips for First CollaborationsTips for First Collaborations
Remember that the best predictor of a Remember that the best predictor of a willingness to undertake a second willingness to undertake a second collaborative project is success with collaborative project is success with the firstthe first
Community Development InstituteCommunity Development Instituteat at
UNBCUNBC
For further information please visit our website at:For further information please visit our website at:
www.unbc.ca/cdiwww.unbc.ca/cdi
Greg Halseth Greg Halseth [email protected]
Marleen MorrisMarleen MorrisAssociate DirectorAssociate [email protected]
Thank youThank you