Shared Space - Chapter 3 - Working in the Shared Space
Clusters are areas in the shared space. Like firms in economic clusters, work involved in the communities agenda is in three main tasks - Knowing, doing and reviewing. These depend on an evidence base and collaborative relationships, where possible and appropriate.
Building knowledge for different intervention s requires a focus on different clusters; affordable housing , homeless and income security conforms to sustenance; child care , social networks and literacy to adaptation; recreation , cultural expression or local decision-making to engage ment; skills training , employment and asset creation to the opportunities cluster.
Multiple perspectives must be used in contextual and conceptual understanding. "Know-what" (standard), "know-why" (codified) and "know-who" are combined OECD concepts - know-why and know-what are used to understand and solve problems (what), but tacit knowledge (who) is also required - "where the ice is thin."
Know-what refers to a current state, the requirement for data.
Systems and processes are being created to help communities with their know-what requirements. Opportunities 2000 , Action for Neighborhood Change 's Neighborhood Vitality Index , the United Way of Canada 's work with the Centre of Governance at the University of Ottawa and the City of Ottawa projects that include the Neighbourhood Vitality Index develop statistics, profile s, baseline s, comparisons, frameworks, indicators and other contributions to understanding groups and progress.
The Community Foundations of Canada launched a civic indicator on the Toronto Community Foundation 's Vital Signs project, which measures and grades vitality in common areas and those unique to communities . Funded by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation , community foundation s in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver , Calgary, Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Waterloo region will use this instrument.
Newfoundland and Labrador with Memorial University and the provincial Strategic Social Plan developed a set of Community Accounts , compiled from statistics and information bodies into a uniform template which are posted to a public website. Nova Scotia has a similar project called Community Counts .
In 2006 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 's Rural Secretariat launched a national statistical website with free economic and demographic information.
In addition, communities must work with internal organizations, government and universities.
Know-why relates to rationales and assumptions, which communities use to form unique theories of change.
Know-how is information about intervention s required for different scenarios (what and why), including diverse solutions for solving problems such as poverty .
Know-who refers to who is involved in the community and outside, to apply lessons and link with existing efforts. Asset mapping may be used.
For example, Understanding the Early Years uses local community data, using asset maps with location and dispersion for easy identification. Vibrant Surrey , part of the Vibrant Communities project, is developing the Economic Security Mapping Project , a street level GIS tool for comparing services with demographics to identify strengths and gaps.
Know-who also means understanding government structures, between federal, provincial and municipal government s.
In the communities agenda, doing involves creating links, and collaborative work - information exchange, shared learning and training , integrated development plans and initatives, consolidated application procedures and protocols, joint procurement and common evaluation. Groups in Quebec have a longer history of collaborative forums, such as the ' tables de concertaction.'
Information exchanges, such as the Vibrant Communities initiative which linked government agencies and stakeholder s, deepen awareness.
Joint research , such as the Human Early Learning Partnership can address topics using "distinct philosophical and disciplinary lenses."
Joint learning , including communities of practice, develops a shared repetoire of met hods, tools, techniques, language, stories and procedures by building a sense of trust and comfort in asking questions, attain higher profile s, link communities and transfer base knowledge.
Shared planning and intervention is a core communities agenda topic. It can be used to coordinate the flow of resources , as in the Housing Affordability Partnership or the Safe Communities Foundation.
Governments term collaboration 'horizontal management' and develop entities such as federal councils.
Service integration is a way to reduce art ificial segregation which creates gaps, redundancies and problems and make services more access ible and integrated. Service Canada is designed to provide service integration. Quebec consolidates services under the CLSCs and local service networks , and Saskatchewan with the Human Services Integration Forum and SchoolPlus . Edmonton has created a report A New Perspective: An Integrated Service Strategy.
Joint ventures build on service integration to combine mandates, resources , skills and plans when organizations do not have fiscal or jurisdiction to solve a problem. The Vancouver Agreement created a strategic plan for the Downtown Lower East Side in a March 2000 agreement with government , communities and business .
Joint problem-solving brings communities and government s together, and usually achieves measurable results (useful for reviewing). It ideally results in policy development, resulting in larger systemic change. Collaborative efforts are either self-prescribed or directed. An issue is the agenda may not be community-driven and generally needs ongoing government involvement .
Adjusting direction is as important as measurement in review. Review starts after the planning, when work is underway. What was learned is as important as success or failure - what factors and why it happened. This shifts the review from judgement to continual improvement, and acknowledges mistakes. No changes in direction may mean little self critique, or meek steps.
Review processes are messy, a continuous feedback loop. They follow the Theory of Change statement. Clear identification (milestones), outcomes and objectives, monitoring and benchmarks are used against itself or similar efforts. Quantitative or qualitative measures are required, sometimes involving time and resource intensive collection met hods. Expressing the significance of findings may involve story telling - " credible performance stories " - to make a reasonable case, summarize data, point to factors, explain scope, and easier sharing.
Success sequence s may not be predictable, placebo effects may be created , and causality may not be clear - for example poverty may cause poor health , and poor health may cause poverty .
Measures can be achieved in multiple ways. For example, improved literacy or retraining options. Wide ranging impacts are measured at three levels; households, organizations and larger systems.
Data collection can overwhelm organizations, basic record keeping often adequate. Surveys and interviews may be used, as well as demographic statistics, while realizing privacy.
Reflection should include documenting lessons learned. Reflection sessions are structured processes to review, document current actions, and build capacity, and may include single groups or related clusters.
Trail Builders use annual half-day reflection sessions including the convenor organization, local governance, key working groups, fund ers and individuals living in poverty . The Theory of Change is referred to and updated.
Shared Space - Chapter 4 - Supporting Sustenance
Clusters are areas in the shared space. Like firms in economic clusters, work involved in the communities agenda is in three main tasks - Knowing , doing and reviewing. These depend on an evidence base and collaborative relationships, where possible and appropriate.
Building knowledge for different intervention s requires a focus on different clusters; affordable housing , homeless and income security conforms to sustenance; child care , social networks and literacy to adaptation; recreation , cultural expression or local decision-making to engage ment; skills training , employment and asset creation to the opportunities cluster.
Multiple perspectives must be used in contextual and conceptual understanding. "Know-what" (standard), "know-why" (codified) and "know-who" are combined OECD concepts - know-why and know-what are used to understand and solve problems (what), but tacit knowledge (who) is also required - "where the ice is thin."
Know-what refers to a current state, the requirement for data.
Systems and processes are being created to help communities with their know-what requirements. Opportunities 2000 , Action for Neighborhood Change 's Neighborhood Vitality Index , the United Way of Canada 's work with the Centre of Governance at the University of Ottawa and the City of Ottawa projects that include the Neighbourhood Vitality Index develop statistics, profile s, baseline s, comparisons, frameworks, indicators and other contributions to understanding groups and progress.
The Community Foundations of Canada launched a civic indicator on the Toronto Community Foundation 's Vital Signs project, which measures and grades vitality in common areas and those unique to communities . Funded by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation , community foundation s in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver , Calgary, Red Deer, Medicine Hat and Waterloo region will use this instrument.
Newfoundland and Labrador with Memorial University and the provincial Strategic Social Plan developed a set of Community Accounts , compiled from statistics and information bodies into a uniform template which are posted to a public website. Nova Scotia has a similar project called Community Counts .
In 2006 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 's Rural Secretariat launched a national statistical website with free economic and demographic information.
In addition, communities must work with internal organizations, government and universities.
Know-why relates to rationales and assumptions, which communities use to form unique theories of change.
Know-how is information about intervention s required for different scenarios (what and why), including diverse solutions for solving problems such as poverty .
Know-who refers to who is involved in the community and outside, to apply lessons and link with existing efforts. Asset mapping may be used.
For example, Understanding the Early Years uses local community data, using asset maps with location and dispersion for easy identification. Vibrant Surrey , part of the Vibrant Communities project, is developing the Economic Security Mapping Project , a street level GIS tool for comparing services with demographics to identify strengths and gaps.
Know-who also means understanding government structures, between federal, provincial and municipal government s.
In the communities agenda, doing involves creating links, and collaborative work - information exchange, shared learning and training , integrated development plans and initatives, consolidated application procedures and protocols, joint procurement and common evaluation. Groups in Quebec have a longer history of collaborative forums, such as the ' tables de concertaction.'
Information exchanges, such as the Vibrant Communities initiative which linked government agencies and stakeholder s, deepen awareness.
Joint research , such as the Human Early Learning Partnership can address topics using "distinct philosophical and disciplinary lenses."
Joint learning , including communities of practice, develops a shared repetoire of met hods, tools, techniques, language, stories and procedures by building a sense of trust and comfort in asking questions, attain higher profile s, link communities and transfer base knowledge.
Shared planning and intervention is a core communities agenda topic. It can be used to coordinate the flow of resources , as in the Housing Affordability Partnership or the Safe Communities Foundation.
Governments term collaboration 'horizontal management' and develop entities such as federal councils.
Service integration is a way to reduce art ificial segregation which creates gaps, redundancies and problems and make services more access ible and integrated. Service Canada is designed to provide service integration. Quebec consolidates services under the CLSCs and local service networks , and Saskatchewan with the Human Services Integration Forum and SchoolPlus . Edmonton has created a report A New Perspective: An Integrated Service Strategy.
Joint ventures build on service integration to combine mandates, resources , skills and plans when organizations do not have fiscal or jurisdiction to solve a problem. The Vancouver Agreement created a strategic plan for the Downtown Lower East Side in a March 2000 agreement with government , communities and business .
Joint problem-solving brings communities and government s together, and usually achieves measurable results (useful for reviewing). It ideally results in policy development, resulting in larger systemic change. Collaborative efforts are either self-prescribed or directed. An issue is the agenda may not be community-driven and generally needs ongoing government involvement .
Adjusting direction is as important as measurement in review. Review starts after the planning, when work is underway. What was learned is as important as success or failure - what factors and why it happened. This shifts the review from judgement to continual improvement, and acknowledges mistakes. No changes in direction may mean little self critique, or meek steps.
Review processes are messy, a continuous feedback loop. They follow the Theory of Change statement. Clear identification (milestones), outcomes and objectives, monitoring and benchmarks are used against itself or similar efforts. Quantitative or qualitative measures are required, sometimes involving time and resource intensive collection met hods. Expressing the significance of findings may involve story telling - " credible performance stories " - to make a reasonable case, summarize data, point to factors, explain scope, and easier sharing.
Success sequence s may not be predictable, placebo effects may be created , and causality may not be clear - for example poverty may cause poor health , and poor health may cause poverty .
Measures can be achieved in multiple ways. For example, improved literacy or retraining options. Wide ranging impacts are measured at three levels; households, organizations and larger systems.
Data collection can overwhelm organizations, basic record keeping often adequate. Surveys and interviews may be used, as well as demographic statistics, while realizing privacy.
Reflection should include documenting lessons learned. Reflection sessions are structured processes to review, document current actions, and build capacity, and may include single groups or related clusters.
Trail Builders use annual half-day reflection sessions including the convenor organization, local governance, key working groups, fund ers and individuals living in poverty . The Theory of Change is referred to and updated.