Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec Paul Morin, Professor,...

Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec

Paul Morin, Professor, Department of Social Work, Sherbrooke’s University,

Scottish Community Development CentreMarch, 6th, Glasgow

Contents

Community development in Québec

Eastern Townships Community Development Observatory

Estrie Community Dashboard: a project for mobilization and joint planning in community development.

First experimentation (2009-2011)

Contents

Development phase (2011- Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) Challenges

Community development in Québec

Since the early 70’s they are community organizers in the health and social services local public institutions

Now called Heath and Social services Center (94 of them)

Also community organizers in the third sector (mostly sectorial)

Community development in Quebec

As stated in Québec’s national public health program, the capacity of people to change their habits and control their situation as regards health and well-being does not only depend on their willpower and capacity to act but also on the conditions of their socio-economic, physical, social, and cultural environment.

With regard to this point, community development is one of the leading priorities in regional and local public-health action plans all over Québec.

Third sector organisation (2006) Mandate: a partnership between

practitioners and academics to create a synergy to promote and develop practice in community development

Membership and Composition of the board

Shoestring budgetA web site : www.oedc.qc.ca

Eastern Townships Community Development Observatory

http://www.oedc.qc.ca/

What is the Eastern Townships Community Dashboard? A tool designed to help orient people, allowing them to take action.A winning combination of statistics and information on the dynamics of local communities, based on census results (2001, 2006 but also 2011, 2016…) and original use of social data.

Estrie Community Dashboard

Eastern Townships Community development Observatory


A participative initiative of participants, citizens, elected officials, groups of consultants and researchers.

The ability for everyone to be able to detect complex problems that can arise in local communities as well as potential issues that can develop.

A tool to support the efforts of local development in progress

An acute knowledge of all communities is essential in order to determine what sort of support is needed.

The purpose of the dashboard is to compile data on communities and their projects to provide support for the implementation of the developments through :

A tool to support the efforts of local development in progress

strategic planning; citizen participation; the creation of action plans; the politics of community

development; interventions on social inequalities.

An interactive and cross-sectoral process An interactive and cross-sectoral process An interactive and cross-sectoral process

L’Observatoire estrien du développement des communautés (OEDC) supports this project, in collaboration with the Direction de la santé publique et de l’évaluation (DSPÉ). At least two representatives from each RMC territory and from Sherbrooke as well as representatives from local organizations form the OECD’s scientific committee.

The main goals of this committee are:


Defining local communitiesIn the spring of 2008, 66 local communities consisting of ± 5 000 people were identified by 73 pivotal members of the Eastern Townships.

Choosing quantitative indicators In autumn 2008, the scientific committee chose a series of indicators (age of the population, income, crimes against the person, rate of cancer, housing, etc). (19 indicators = 126 informations)


Producing StatisticsStatistical research is undertaken by the regional public health agency.

Acknowledging communities’ potential for development The leaders of each territory invite the citizens and businesses of the local communities to identify their most vital and dynamic areas as well as their zones of vulnerability.

Estrie Community Dashboard Producing statistics

The first statistics were available on the OEDC website by the summer 2009.

Disseminating resultsCommunities and regional authorities will acquaint themselves with the results and discuss how to best transform the information into action. (knowledge transfert)

Assessing the process of implementationEvaluations will be made throughout the entire process.

Community Potential Appraisal

This questionnaire contains 40 statements on life in a local community.

• Every group member must complete this questionnaire.• Read each statement while thinking about your local

community, and then state whether you agreeor disagree with each statement by checking the box

which corresponds best to your opinion.• We ask that you answer individually and as

spontaneously as possible. You are being asked to give your impression. There are no correct or incorrect answers.

• Your answer will remain confidential and will not be disseminated. Only a summary of the discussion will be made public.

Eastern Townships Community Scorecard: Action Based on

Knowledge

Eastern Townships Community Scorecard:Action Based on Knowledge Tota

lly disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neithe

r agree nor

disagree

Somewhat

agree

Totally

agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5 --—

Potential of Individuals

1 It is easy to find people who can participate in community projects.

2 People do volunteer work.

3 People feel that they can make a difference in their community.

4 Relations in the neighbourhood are good.

5 People have a social life (family, friends, business, etc.) within the community.


lly disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neithe

r agree nor

disagree

Somewhat

agree

Totally

agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Statement 1 2 3 4 5 --—

Potential of Individuals

6 People have a social life (family, friends, business, etc.) outside the community.

7 People feel concerned about events in their community.

8 People use public or community services when needed.

9 People enjoy living in this community.

10 People help one another in their daily lives.

Eastern Townships Community Scorecard: Action Based on Knowledge


lly disagree

Somewhat disagree

Neithe

r agree nor

disagree

Somewhat

agree

Totally

agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Community Potential 1 2 3 4 5 --—

11 People are interested in local news.

12 People frequently use the Internet.

13 People have access to a variety of organizations and associations within the community.

14 Organizations and associations work together to solve common problems.

15 It is easy to get involved in the community.



lly disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neithe

r agree nor disagree

Somewhat

agree

Totally

agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Community Potential 1 2 3 4 5 --—

16 Public institutions are close to citizens (schools, CLSC, municipality, police, etc.).

17 People visit a public library.

18 Young people participate in athletic and cultural activities.

19 There is a variety of local services to respond to everyday needs (corner store, ATM, pharmacy, gas station, etc.).

20 People have access to a variety of modes of transportation for their daily activities.



lly disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neithe

r agree nor

disagree

Somewhat

agree

Totally

agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Environmental Potential 1 2 3 4 5 --—

21 People care about maintaining their homes and the community in general.

22 Buildings and public spaces are attractive.

23 Outdoor public spaces have been laid out.

24 People use public or community spaces to meet each other.

25 People take daily measures to preserve the environment (composting, selective collection, etc.).

Eastern Townships CommunityScorecard: Action Based on

Knowledge

Eastern Townships Community Scorecard:Action Based on Knowledge

Totally

disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neither agree

nor

disagree

Somewhat agree

Totally agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Collective Potential 1 2 3 4 5 --—

26 The contribution of elders is recognized within the community.

27 Young people feel that they fit into their community.

28 There are leaders who encourage people to get involved in community projects.

29 There are leaders who can seek grants to fund community projects.

30 People feel safe in the community.

31 Children can play outdoors safely.


Knowledge


Knowledge


Totally

disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neither agree

nor

disagree

Somewhat agree

Totally agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Collective Potential 1 2 3 4 5 --—

32 People have access to a broad selection of quality and affordable foods in their community or nearby.

33 People want to gather to celebrate events.

34 People rally when the community faces a trial or hardship.

35 People are proud of the patrimony and history of their community.

36 People dream of a better future for their community.


Totally

disagree

Somewhat

disagree

Neither agree

nor

disagree

Somewhat agree

Totally agree

Not

Applicable (N/A)

Socio-Economic Potential 1 2 3 4 5 --—

37 People have sufficient funds to meet their basic needs (housing, food, clothing, transportation).

38 Significant gaps exist among people living in the community (income, education, etc.).

39 There are poor people living in the community.

40 People in the community benefit from a dynamic economic environment.

This appraisal of community potential is directly inspired from: Réal Boisvert (2007). Les indicateurs de développement des communautés. Vers un dispositif national de surveillance, Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de la Mauricie et du Centre du Québec, p. 56-58.


Knowledge

Advance knowledge for better actions

A quantitative and qualitative tool

A participatory process, intersectoral and to the point

Observatoire estriendu développementdes communautés

Comité de suivi

Comité de mise en oeuvre du Tableau de bord des

communautés de l’Estrie

MRCdes Sources

Intervenantspivots (MRC)

Communautés statistiques

/vécues

Inst

ance

s in

ters

ecto

rielle

s

Comitéopérationnel

ad hoc*

MRCdu Granit



/vécues

Inst

ance

s in

ters

ecto

rielle

s


ad hoc

MRC du Haut-Saint-François



/vécues

Inst

ance

s in

ters

ecto

rielle

s


ad hoc

MRC du Val-Saint-François



/vécues

Inst

ance

s in

ters

ecto

rielle

s


ad hoc

MRC de Memphrémagog



/vécues

Inst

ance

s in

ters

ecto

rielle

s


ad hoc

Ville de Sherbrooke

Intervenantspivots (Ville)


/vécues

Inst

ance

s in

ters

ecto

rielle

s


ad hoc

ÉTAPES TB

POUR ÉVALUATION

PRINCIPES D’ACTION

Concertation/intersectorialité

Participation des acteurs

Autonomie des milieux


Étape 1 : Délimitation des

communautés locales

Étape 2 : Choix des

indicateurs statistiques et les

analysesÉtape 3 :

Groupes de discussion de

l’appréciation du potentiel de la communauté

Étape 4 : Présentation des portraits dans les

communautés

Étape 5 : Mise en action des

communautés

ÉTAPES TB

POUR ÉVALUATION




Augmentation du pouvoir

d’agir






analysesÉtape 3 :




communautés


communautés

ÉTAPES TB

POUR ÉVALUATION










analysesÉtape 3 :




communautés


communautés

ÉTAPES


Participation citoyenne

Renforcement du pouvoir

d’agir

Concertationintersectorielle


Étape 1Délimitation des

communautés

Étape 2 Choix des

indicateurs

Étape 3Discussion sur le

potentiel des communautés

Étape 4Validation des

portraits

Étape 5Mise en action des

communautés

Principes d’action

Étap

es

Février 2009 − Octobre 2010An evaluation

of the implantation process5 steps

Delimitation of the communities

Choice of indicatorsDiscussion on the

communities’ potentialValidation of descriptionCommunities at work

4 principles of action Citizen participation Strengthening of

empowermentIntersectoralityAutonomy of territories

8 pilot communities

3 in Sherbrooke1 in 5 of the 6 RCM

The TBCE can be linked to:

Place-based policy spaces and strategies

Local knowledge for community-based planning and

Collaborative community building

Creation and consolidation of spaces of concertation :the most important effect of the TB dashboard

Intersectoral process demanding and complex which requires the development of a common vision of the process The co-construction of a « territorial

intelligence » (RCM, communities)A long term commitment of partners to

this concerted action

First experimentation (2009-2011)Intersectoral concertation

First experimentation (2009-2011)Appropriation

By the regional stakeholders:They had to reflect on the process

and construct tools

By the key territorial persons:Understand themselves the process

Staff movementPartial vision at the start without always understanding the finality

First experimentation (2009-2011)

To adapt the process in their territory

To have the partners adhesion:

- by the key territorial persons (with one-off or longer term involvement)

- by the citizens during the appreciation of the potential

First experimentation (2009-2011)Citizen participation

A difficult principle to operationalise for the practitionersCitizens especially present at the

stage of the appreciation of the potential of the communities

The necessity emerged:Of reinforcing the consensus in the

territoriesOf being equipped with tools and

mechanisms to be able to make things differently

The TB dashboard is completed (first phase)

At the end of 2013, 27 of Sherbrooke’s 33 communities will have completed the process

TB is utilized by third sector organisations for planning and demanding subventions

TB has been utilized for determining the allocation of a regional fund on poverty and social exclusion

Development phase (2011-

Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR

The current research aims to evaluate TBCE’s approach in terms of its position in response to the question:

What is the potential impact of the TBCE’s strategies on social determinants of health (SDH)?


The approach of the TBCE has a substantial impact in assisting residents to take ownership of the reality of their devitalized community (which is not easy to accept) and to guide them in their first steps towards mobilization in order to take action on this reality.


Dedicated and visionary leaders

Access to ressources, with

supportJoined-up action

Participation: structured,

concerted and inclusive

Concrete and innovative actions

Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR (Sherbrooke)

Adhesion to TBCE of public institutions and third sector organizations as being perceived in synergy with their mandate

Support and expertise of key human resources, mainly from public institutions

Recognition that for acting on the quality of life, the action must be intersectoral and having a dynamic of partnership

The staged implementation of TBCE has produced an appropriation of the process and its concrete potential


Challenges at the municipal level:

Find the funds that will permit the concretisation of the municipality orientation in community development

A better articulation between the diverse responsibilities of the key stakeholders


Challenges at the municipal level:

Being able to start community development in communities very much disadvantaged

Consolidate community development that is already in place

Develop the reflex of using the TBCE


Mont-Bellevue’s district example:Leadership of the district and of the

councillors for the TBCE process A territorial third sector organization

is using the TBCE in conjunction with its mobilization strategy

Appropriation of the intersectoral dimension by key stakeholders

Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR (Mont-Bellevue)


Example of a project in Mont-Bellevue: the primary school project:

The community organizers have used the TBCE as the tool for organizing the information:


The level of schooling is way under the average

One household of three is under the annual poor income level

23.4 % of children are living in a household under the annual poor income level

An evolving partnership between the Health and Social services center and the School board

Final Challenges

Consolidate the partnership between communities, academics and other stakeholders

Junction with the economic world

Thanks for your attention

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec Paul Morin, Professor,...

Documents

Transcript of Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec Paul Morin, Professor,...