Introducing Learning Local Governance: Reimagining Sustainable Communities

1. Introducing Learning Local Governance: Reimagining Sustainable Communities Dr. Isobel M. Findlay Community University Institute for Social Research Saskatoon Community Workshop 28 June 2010

2. Agenda • Explain the acronyms • SSHRC CURA • CUISR • Who helped us get to this stage • What we committed to do • How you can contribute • Why you might want to

3. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) CURAs • Community-University Research Alliances (CURAs) support the creation of alliances between community organizations and postsecondary institutions which, through ongoing collaboration and mutual learning, foster innovative research, training and the creation of new knowledge in areas of importance for the social, cultural or economic development of Canadian communities. • promote sharing of knowledge, resources and expertise between postsecondary institutions and organizations in the community; • enrich research, teaching methods and curricula in postsecondary institutions; • reinforce community decision-making and problem-solving capacity; and • enhance students' education and employability by means of diverse opportunities to build their knowledge, expertise and work skills through hands-on research and related experience.

4. CUISR Mission …to facilitate partnerships between the university and larger community in order to engage in relevant social research that supports a deeper understanding of our communities that reveals opportunities for improving our quality of life.

5. How We Work • Authentic Partnerships—built upon trust and respect between community and university participants—is central to CUISR. It is reflected in the composition of the board (50% community representation and 50% faculty) and Co-chairs for the Institute. Our comprehensive intersectoral and interdisciplinary partnership model includes 100 active participants and groups. • Intellectual and collaborative organizing—CUISRprovides a forum for faculty, students, and community organization and agencies to shape policy and contribute to the greater good of our community. • As a result, the University of Saskatchewan has gained recognition as the hub of community-university relationships. • Saskatoon is also acknowledged for collaborative social organizing and planning. • Knowledge mobilization: CUISR disseminates research findings through newsletters, brown bag luncheons, reports, monographs, listserv, website, and the CUISR Resource Room.

6. CUISR Strategic Directions Saskatoon Community Sustainability International Indigenous Women Community Development Rural and Urban Communities Social Economy

7. What’s in a CURA for us? • CURA “provides co-ordination and core support for planning and carrying out diversified research activities” • Continuing to work together • Sharing and leveraging resources and expertise • Developing and refining what needs to be done • Strengthening proven alliances and building new ones • Helping transform the landscape • SSHRC expects that partners will develop the capacity to work together effectively (i.e., community organizations will develop the capacity to shape research agendas and postsecondary institutions will develop the capacity to work with communities).

8. What’s in it for us? • Applicants successful at the Letter of Intent stage are eligible for a development grant of up to $20,000. • An individual CURA can receive funding of up to $200,000 annually for up to five years. CURA grants are subject to: • SSHRC's fiscal ability to provide the support • Satisfactory compliance with the program's reporting requirements • A positive mid-term (third-year) evaluation.

9. Who are the co-investigators? • Sheri R. Benson • Sue Delanoy • Tanya O. Dunn-Pierce • William J. Holden • Fred N. Ozirney • Len Usiskin • Pamela Woodsworth • Alan B. Anderson • Joseph Garcea • Louise P. Clarke • Isobel M. Findlay • Michael Gertler • Nazeem Muhajarine • Elizabeth Quinlan

10. Partners? • Regional Intersectoral Committee • Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies • Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Programming • Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre • Saskatoon Health Region KidsFirst • Saskatoon Indian & Métis Friendship Centre • Saskatoon Tribal Council • Spectrum Corp. Community Services Inc. • Station 20 West Community Enterprise Centre • Student Wellness Initiative Toward Community Health • Caledon Institute of Social Policy • Canadian Institute of Wellbeing • Central Urban Métis Federation, Inc. • Centre for the Study of Co-operatives • CHEP Good Food Inc. • Child and Youth Friendly Saskatoon • City of Saskatoon • Friends of Kinsmen Activity Place Corp • Humanities Research Unit • Passion for Action Against Homelessness • Quint Development Corporation • Rainbow Community Centre

11. Why Governance? Why Now? • Globalization, new public management, offloading of governance responsibility, market efficiencies over citizen welfare, budget gaps, slashed services, skewed priorities, crumbling infrastructure, aggravated inequalities, democratic deficits, crises of economy, finance, environment, and legitimacy • Good governance and accountability as answers • Citizens demanding participation in local decision-making, leading to new forms of engagement • Opportunity to reimagine ways of democratically engaging citizens to deliberate, plan, and manage the diverse community resources impacting quality of life

12. Why Saskatoon? • For well over a decade, collaborative, multi-sectoral initiatives in Saskatoon and area—tracking and monitoring community needs and indicators of quality of life have produced evidence-based strategic planning and policy. • “Saskaboom” has added incentive to build on the multi-sectoral foundation and to learn from successes and failures. • Saskatoon, CUISR, and its networks are ready. • Quality of Life iterations • SSHRC CURA—Linking, Learning, Leveraging: Social Enterprises, Knowledgeable Economies, and Sustainable Communities • Building Community: Creating Social & Economic Well-being

13. What we committed to do • Our overarching research question is: How do we create local community governance models that are comprehensive, representative, responsive, culturally appropriate, and sustainable? • The objective is to engage in a learning process to identify the best ways for communities to develop local community governance to respond to complex needs. • The project is a case study of the Saskatoon city-region, with relevance for all communities: a study that builds on CUISR’s foundational work, proven research capacity, extensive networks, infrastructure, and governance model.

14. Advisory Council Members representing different stakeholder groups and CURA partners CUISR Board Members Staff Research Personnel (undergraduate and graduate students, community researchers) Management Board CURA Co-Applicants CUISR Community-University Research Liaison CUISR Strategic Research Coordinator Administrative Assistant Monitoring Framework Collaborative process, citizen engagement, Quality of Life indicators Methodologies: PAR, process and outcome monitoring Data Collection Methods: Surveys, interviews, focus groups Consultations Neighbourhoods, CBOs, citizens, Business, Government Methodologies: Participatory action research, grounded theory, narrative inquiry Data Collection Methods: Surveys, Interviews, focus groups, arts- and theatre-based, asset mapping Case Studies Collaborative Initiatives Methodologies: Participatory action research, case study, grounded theory Data Collection Methods: Literature review, individual interviews, focus groups Knowledge translation Knowledge translation Co-Creation of Knowledge

15. Local Governance Model For Sustainable Community Toolkit of Model and Policy Recommendations Knowledge Mobilization Local Governance Model Toolkit Arts-Based Presentations Conference Presentations “Research in Progress” Seminars Brown Bag Lunches Community Engagement Fora CUExpo CUISR Resource Centre Interactive Online Communications Newsletters Media Coverage Direct participation as board members on key multi-sectoral committees and policy round tables Research Outputs Policy Reform and Implementation Edited Book Peer-Reviewed Pub’s Canadian Policy Research Networks, Institute for Research on Public Policy Technical Reports Research Summaries Conferences: Congress of Humanities & Social Sciences, Canadian Public Health Assoc, Canadian CEDNet, ANSER, CASC, Canadian Political Studies Association, CUExpo Education and Training Graduate Student Scholarships Graduate Student Internships with CBOs Community Service Learning Community Researchers Community Research Sabbaticals Community-University Liaison Community/University Curriculum Development Research Workshops

16. Tentative Research Themes • Putting knowledge to work for communities • Communities of practice, social learning, literacy, education, access to information, co-production of knowledge • Resourcing sustainable and sustaining communities • Governmental and non-governmental policies, practices, access to resources, power inequities, economic disparities • Mapping and measuring local governance systems • Structures, membership, functions, capacities, best practices, assessment tools, national, international models • Developing resources for working together • Accessing & mobilizing energy & expertise, creating community spaces, getting the word out, making the case • Rethinking cultural diversity • Models, dynamics, implications for sustainable communities

17. How can you contribute? • Share your collective intelligence and expertise • Help redefine/ refine the project • Identify gaps, opportunities • Suggest who or what groups need to be involved • Commit to partnering • Join us on the research journey