Genuine Progress Index for Atlantic Canada Indice de progrès véritable - Atlantique Measuring Community Wellbeing & Development Office of Economic Development, Halifax, 4 June, 2003

Community GPI is based on simple question: What kind of community are we leaving our children?

What kind of community are we leaving our children? Translating measurement into experience and language of ordinary Nova Scotians Nova Scotia’s premier quality of life More possessions, longer lives But, some disturbing signs

Uncertain Answers: Better Off in a Poorer Natural World? Natural resource depletion, species loss Less fish, condition of forests, soils Global warming Stress, obesity, asthma, environmental illness Insecurity, inequality, child poverty Decline of volunteerism

“The more the economy grows, the better off we are” - Sending the wrong message?  Crime, sickness, pollution, resource depletion make economy grow  GDP can grow even as poverty and inequality increase.  More work hours make economy grow; free time has no value.  GDP ignores work that contributes directly to community health (volunteers, work in home).

We Need Better Indicators of Progress and Wellbeing. In the GPI:  Health, livelihood security, free time, unpaid work, natural resource, & education have value  Sickness, crime, disasters, pollution are costs  Reductions in crime, poverty, greenhouse gas, ecological footprint are progress  Growing equity signals progress

Community GPI Initiative came from community groups. Many community partnerships include: NS Citizens for Community Development Society; community health boards, regional public health authorities, Cape Breton Wellness Centre, Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health CB regional police, Glace Bay Citizens Service League, Rotary Clubs, Kings and Cape Breton Community Economic Development Agencies

Community-Government- University Partnerships: Federal: Canadian Population Health Initiative, National Crime Prevention Centre, HRDC, Canadian Rural Partnership, Rural Secretariat, Statistics Canada Dalhousie Univ. Population Health Research Unit; St. Mary’s University Time Use Research Program University College of Cape Breton, Acadia U.

Goals and Objectives: Community: vision, learn, mobilize, act Vision - community indicator selection “Learning about ourselves” Mobilize communities - common goals Turn new-found knowledge into action

Research Goals: Identifying strengths and weaknesses of 2 very different communities Community learning about itself, insights, understanding relationships among variables - eg volunteerism, time use and health Turning knowledge into action; keeping track - measuring genuine progress

Process as Result Indicator selection, creating survey Farmers exchanging information Report releases in Sheffield Mills, Jeddore - farmers, fishermen present New ideas: e.g. restorative justice Results bring disparate groups together

The Means: 3,600 surveys - random, 15+, confidential CI 95% +/- 3%; 2 cross-tabulations Detailed: 2 hrs; Glace Bay: 82% response Survey includes health, care-giving, time use, voluntary work, security, income employment, environmental issues Data entry & cleaning, access guidelines

What’s in the Glace Bay and Kings County GPI Surveys? 1) Demographics & Employment Age, sex, household, marital, education, income Employment, unemployment, out of work Job characteristics - types of jobs (p-t, f-t, etc), benefits, work from home, occupation Work schedule, hours, shifts, job security, underemployment, job sharing - work reduction

2) Health and Community Core values, caregiving, volunteer work, community service Stress, mental health, social supports, children’s health Weight, smoking, physical activity, screening (Pap, mammogram, blood pressure) Pain, disability, disease, medications, health care use

3) Peace and Security Victimization and costs of crime Neighbourhood safety, fear, self- protection Opinions about police, courts, prisons Identify community problems - drinking? bullying? domestic violence? drugs? Etc.

4) Time Use Diary Work: Household work, paid work, voluntary work, caregiving, education How we spend free time - TV, reading, socializing, spiritual practice, sport, exercise Travel, personal activities, child care Window on quality of life

5) Environment Energy use Transportation patterns Water quality Recycling and waste Food consumption - food diary and nutrition

Community Action Community access to results - special software packages, news stories, etc. Meet to discuss results and identify policy priorities / actions Community prioritizes indicators for annual benchmarks of progress Community training - adaptations

Emphasis on practical action - E.g: Teenage smoking; overweight; exercise - e.g. promote school-based programs Screening rates - mammography, pap smears -- notify health officials of needs Identify counselling needs - employment, domestic violence, mental health Education - nutrition, recycling, energy use

New directions for the future: New solutions: e.g. work-life balance Model for other communities - template for adaptation - community / province Balance community-based research with methodological rigour, Statistics Canada oversight, advice, review Improve methods, indicators, survey tools, data sources - never a final product