Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec

Paul Morin, Professor, Department of Social Work, Sherbrooke’s University, Scottish Community Development Centre March, 6th, Glasgow Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec

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- • Realisticevaluation (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)

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. Community development in Quebec

Eastern Townships Community Development Observatory • 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 budget • A web site : www.oedc.qc.ca

Estrie Community Dashboard 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.

Eastern Townships Community development Observatory

Estrie Community Dashboard • 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 processAn interactive and cross-sectoral processAn 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:

Estrie Community Dashboard • 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)

Estrie Community Dashboard • 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 statisticsThe 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 bestto 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

Eastern Townships CommunityScorecard: Action Based on Knowledge

Eastern Townships Community Scorecard: Action Based on Knowledge

Advanceknowledge for better actions A quantitative and qualitative tool A participatory process, intersectoral and to the point

Février 2009 − Octobre 2010An evaluation of the implantation process 5 steps Delimitation of the communities Choice of indicators Discussion on the communities’ potential Validation of description Communitiesatwork 4 principles of action Citizen participation Strengthening of empowerment Intersectorality Autonomy of territories 8 pilot communities 3 in Sherbrooke 1 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

First experimentation (2009-2011)Intersectoral concertation • 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)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 movement • Partial 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 difficultprinciple to operationalise for the practitioners • Citizensespeciallypresentat the stage of the appreciation of the potential of the communities • The necessityemerged: • Of reinforcing the consensus in the territories • Of beingequippedwithtools and mechanisms to be able to makethingsdifferently

Development phase (2011- • 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

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)?

Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR • 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 Participation: structured, concerted and inclusive Access to ressources, with support Joined-up action Concrete and innovative actions Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR

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

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

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

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

Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR • 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:

Realistic evaluation (2012-2014) funded by the CIHR • 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 Paul.morin@usherbrooke.ca

Community profiling, Community development and health: Lessons from Quebec