Dr. Isobel M. Findlay Community University Institute for Social Research Saskatoon Community Workshop 18 August 2010

 What’s in a CURA for us?  What we committed to do  How our application will be evaluated  How we are strengthening our case  Who have been added to the team  How the research design is shaping up  What can the CURA mean? For whom?  How can we help make it happen?

 A maximum of $1 million over five years from SSHRC  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 governance landscape  An opportunity to reimagine how we can best work together to build on our successes, address ongoing challenges, and share lessons learned What’s in a CURA for us?

 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 ◦ To support respectful relations and sustainability  The project is a case study of the Saskatoon city-region, with relevance for all communities.

How we will be evaluated

 Partnerships and collaborations as the new norm  Citizens demanding participation in local decision-making  Overextension and inadequate resources  Good governance and accountability  For well over a decade, multisectoral initiatives in Saskatoon and area have produced evidence-based strategic planning & policy  Opportunity to reimagine ways of engaging citizens to deliberate, plan, and manage diverse community resources impacting quality of life  Saskatoon is both unique and exemplary—and more than ready

…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.

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

 Faculty from 10 units across the University  Community researchers representing 10 organizations  Close to 30 community partners  Advisory Council representing local, regional, national, and international interests  Collaborators: Len Findlay, Aloysius Newenham-Kahindi, Don Story, Kate Waygood, Chelsea Willness  New partners: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives; Indigenous Peoples Program, Centre for Continuing and Distance Education, U of S; Rural and Co-operative Secretariat; Saskatchewan Association for Community Living

 Diverse collaborations  Gender and cultural lens  Range of disciplines and interdisciplinary practices from the social sciences and humanities to fine arts  Joint development of questions and approaches to data collection, analysis, and evaluation to conclusions and recommendations  New models for co-creation, translation, and knowledge mobilization  Our research practice will itself be an important site of learning, relationship and capacity building, identity formation, and community renewal.

Putting Knowledge to Work for and with Communities Key words: Communities of practice, social learning, literacy, education, information, media, political deskilling, co-production of knowledge Designing Policy Frameworks for Sustaining and Sustainable Communities Key words: Governmental and non-governmental policies, philosophies, practices Mapping and Modelling Local Governance Systems Key words: Structures, memberships, functions, capacities, philosophies, best practices, politics and cultures of partnerships, assessment tools, democracy, networks Resourcing Local Governance Key words: Accessing & mobilizing resources, energy, expertise, creating community spaces, getting the word out, making the case Building Cultural Relations Key words: intercultural dialogue; Truth and Reconciliation; anti- racist education; culture for sustainable development; cultural constructions of governable/ungoverna ble; creative cities and classes Cases Urban Aboriginal initiatives Affordable housing initiatives Poverty elimination initiatives Child/youth initiatives Immigration/Integration/Inclusion initiatives Crime prevention initiatives Food security initiatives Other initiatives

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

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/Universit y Curriculum Development Research Workshops

 For the community?  For your organization?  For the university?  For your household?  For you?

 Leverage our resources  Share our capacities and commitment  Help redefine/ refine the project  Identify gaps, obstacles, opportunities  Suggest who or what groups need to be involved  Commit to partnering  Join us on the research journey