A Community Capitals Analysis of a Regional Change Initiative: The South East Alberta Technology Strategy Presented by: Karen Blewett

A Community Capitals Analysis of a Regional Change Initiative:

The South East Alberta Technology Strategy

Presented by: Karen Blewett

Overview Using a positive, asset-based approach to analyze what community assets and resources were integral in the foundation and building of a regional rural diversification initiative. The Community Capitals Framework Organizational / analysis tool of the things we have to work with Appreciative Inquiry the technique that defines HOW we can gather data

Using a positive, asset-based approach to analyze what community assets and resources were integral in the foundation and building of a regional rural diversification initiative.

The Community Capitals Framework

Organizational / analysis tool of the things we have to work with

Appreciative Inquiry

the technique that defines HOW we can gather data

Purpose of Study Use of the Community Capitals Framework as an analytic tool to provide an understanding of what community capitals contributed to the SEATS project at its onset, development, and implementation. What did those involved in the project say was in place to make success possible? What investment of capitals occurred during the process? Through the lens of the South East Alberta Technology Strategy…

Use of the Community Capitals Framework as an analytic tool to provide an understanding of what community capitals contributed to the SEATS project at its onset, development, and implementation.

What did those involved in the project say was in place to make success possible?

What investment of capitals occurred during the process?

The SEATS Initiative Defining capital What is the Community Capitals Framework? Part 1

Is a collaborative community initiative aimed at increasing the technology sector in SE Alberta Made up of technology sector partners, CF Entre-Corp and the Medicine Hat College. Vision: South East Alberta will have a thriving technology sector renowned as a preferred region for technology-driven organizations, professionals and students. With leading edge infrastructure, services and networks, South East Alberta will serve as a catalyst for community-wide collaboration and growth in the Technology industry. The South East Alberta Technology Strategy

Is a collaborative community initiative aimed at increasing the technology sector in SE Alberta

Made up of technology sector partners, CF Entre-Corp and the Medicine Hat College.

Vision:

South East Alberta will have a thriving technology sector renowned as a preferred region for technology-driven organizations, professionals and students. With leading edge infrastructure, services and networks, South East Alberta will serve as a catalyst for community-wide collaboration and growth in the Technology industry.

Background: Started in 2005 as a community-based project focusing on incubating start-up technology businesses, the South East Alberta Technology Strategy has evolved into a broader approach to develop the technology sector as a whole. This project has advanced through the following three phases: The South East Alberta Technology Strategy

Background:

Started in 2005 as a community-based project focusing on incubating start-up technology businesses, the South East Alberta Technology Strategy has evolved into a broader approach to develop the technology sector as a whole.

This project has advanced through the following three phases:

The SEATS Initiative Over Time…

The South East Alberta Technology Strategy SEATS Initiative Regional Community Partners Funders SEATS Project Manager Lead Partner: Community Futures Entre-Corp

When resources or assets are invested to create new resources over a long time horizon, they become capital Community capitals represent assets in all aspects of community life. Capital can be spent, saved, invested or lost Every community has seven primary capitals So What is Capital?

When resources or assets are invested to create new resources over a long time horizon, they become capital

Community capitals represent assets in all aspects of community life.

Capital can be spent, saved, invested or lost

Every community has seven primary capitals

Community Capitals Framework The Community Capitals Framework (CCF) is an integrated technique that looks at what resources exist within a community and how a community can invest in one resource to create new resources (Emery and Flora, 2006).

Provides possibilities and limits to human action. It influences and is influenced by human actions. Water Soil Biodiversity Weather Parks and Recreational Activities Farm Land Natural Capital Refers to the assets in a location such as natural resources, the environment, and natural beauty.

Provides possibilities and limits to human action.

It influences and is influenced by human actions.

Water

Soil

Biodiversity

Weather

Parks and Recreational Activities

Farm Land

Heritage Ethnicity Symbols - sense of place Ways of knowing and acting Traditions and languages Festivals Spirituality Appreciate and enhance local and Traditional Knowledge and to see the health of the community as our responsibility. Cultural Capital Reflects how we “know the world” and how to act within it.

Heritage

Ethnicity

Symbols - sense of place

Ways of knowing and acting

Traditions and languages

Festivals

Spirituality

Appreciate and enhance local and Traditional Knowledge and to see the health of the community as our responsibility.

Knowledge Skills Health Self-esteem Leadership Abilities Opportunities for people to apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities for the betterment of the community. Human Capital Is the native intelligence, skills, abilities, education, and health of individuals within a community.

Knowledge

Skills

Health

Self-esteem

Leadership Abilities

Opportunities for people to apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities for the betterment of the community.

Relationships Interactions Trust and Reciprocity Forming groups, collaboration, taking collective action Collective identity Shared future Working together People from different groups use their own networks to access resources, knowledge and information. Social Capital Is about the connections among people and organizations. It is the social glue that makes things happen.

Relationships

Interactions

Trust and Reciprocity

Forming groups, collaboration, taking collective action

Collective identity

Shared future

Working together

People from different groups use their own networks to access resources, knowledge and information.

Bonding Social Capital consists of relationships among individuals and groups with similar backgrounds or interests. Tight, exclusive networks Strong distinction between insiders and outsiders Single answer focus Bridging Social Capital connects diverse groups of people within a community to each other, and to groups outside of the community Open and flexible networks Permeable and open boundaries Legitimization of alternatives Social Capital

Bonding Social Capital

consists of relationships among individuals and groups with similar backgrounds or interests.

Tight, exclusive networks

Strong distinction between insiders and outsiders

Single answer focus

Bridging Social Capital

connects diverse groups of people within a community to each other, and to groups outside of the community

Open and flexible networks

Permeable and open boundaries

Legitimization of alternatives

Dimensions of Social Capital + Bonding/- Bridging + Bonding/+Bridging Community resists externally initiated change or infighting negates community change efforts; often little cooperation between groups within (Strong Boundaries) Locally initiated change driven by community defined goals with links to external resources (Progressive Participation) -Bonding/ - Bridging -Bonding/+ Bridging Wealthy solve problems with financial capital; the poor have few options (Extreme Individualism) Community change driven by goals of outsiders; change may also be dominated by local or extralocal bosses or power elite (Top-down Decision Making)

The ability to influence standards, rules, regulations and their enforcement. Political Capital Political Capital reflects: Access to a local office of a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislative Assembly Access to local, county, provincial, or tribal government officials Leverage with a regional company

Political Capital reflects:

Access to a local office of a Member of Parliament or Member of the Legislative Assembly

Access to local, county, provincial, or tribal government officials

Leverage with a regional company

Savings Debt capital Investment capital Tax revenue Tax abatements Grants Gifts Includes public and private funds, land, equity, and investments. Financial Capital Financial Capital is also about how and where we choose to spend our funds – Consumption patterns

Savings

Debt capital

Investment capital

Tax revenue

Tax abatements

Grants

Gifts

Is the infrastructure that supports the community such as telecommunications, industrial parks, main streets, facilities, machinery, water and sewer systems, roads. Built Capital

Integrating the Community Capitals Framework into the Analysis of the South East Alberta Technology Strategy Part 2

Table of Contents Introduction Research Description and Purpose Theory of Change / Research Model Significance / Background of Research Literature Review / Context Community Readiness and Capacity Analyzing Community-Driven Projects Using the Community Capitals Framework Methodology Description of Data / Data Collection Process Key Findings Degree of Readiness (Pre-Existing Capitals) Process (Investment in Capitals) Impact (Change in Capitals) Analysis Social Capital Invested SEATS Strategies and Implementation Plan Conclusions Recommendations for Future Research

Introduction

Research Description and Purpose

Theory of Change / Research Model

Significance / Background of Research

Literature Review / Context

Community Readiness and Capacity

Analyzing Community-Driven Projects Using the Community Capitals Framework

Methodology

Description of Data / Data Collection Process

Key Findings

Degree of Readiness (Pre-Existing Capitals)

Process (Investment in Capitals)

Impact (Change in Capitals)

Analysis

Social Capital Invested

SEATS Strategies and Implementation Plan

Conclusions

Recommendations for Future Research

Description and Purpose of Study Scope The intent is to better understand what community assets are foundational in getting a project off the ground and then how these assets are translated into further return on investment as the project progresses. To better understand the interconnectivity of the existing and enhanced community assets in the SEATS initiative, the Community Capitals Framework is applied as an analytic tool to look at the influence and interconnectivity of existing community capitals and how these capitals were mobilized as SEATS developed over time. Applying this framework lays the foundation for assessing the impact of a variety of community capital investments that occur through a project’s development cycle and how those investments translate to successful CED work in action (Flora, 2006, p. 6).

Scope

The intent is to better understand what community assets are foundational in getting a project off the ground and then how these assets are translated into further return on investment as the project progresses.

To better understand the interconnectivity of the existing and enhanced community assets in the SEATS initiative, the Community Capitals Framework is applied as an analytic tool to look at the influence and interconnectivity of existing community capitals and how these capitals were mobilized as SEATS developed over time.

Applying this framework lays the foundation for assessing the impact of a variety of community capital investments that occur through a project’s development cycle and how those investments translate to successful CED work in action (Flora, 2006, p. 6).

Description and Purpose of Study Purpose: to illustrate the capital conformations in SEATS that are associated with: The degree of strategic readiness to mobilize outside and internal resources to engage in a community-driven initiative. What seems to be most crucial to have in place to move the SEATS forward? (initial stocks of capital) The process of a community-driven initiative and the investments made to move forward. What investments in community capitals seem to have the best return on investment for SEATS? (investments in capital) The impact of SEATS development. What change happened to the existing community capitals and what new community capitals are now in place for SEATS? (change in capitals)

Purpose: to illustrate the capital conformations in SEATS that are associated with:

The degree of strategic readiness to mobilize outside and internal resources to engage in a community-driven initiative.

What seems to be most crucial to have in place to move the SEATS forward? (initial stocks of capital)

The process of a community-driven initiative and the investments made to move forward.

What investments in community capitals seem to have the best return on investment for SEATS? (investments in capital)

The impact of SEATS development.

What change happened to the existing community capitals and what new community capitals are now in place for SEATS? (change in capitals)

Model of Change Context Process Outputs and Outcomes Pre-existing conditions Actions, investments, intervention Results of Actions SEATS Characteristics and Assets (Initial stocks in capitals) SEATS development and growth (Investment in capitals) Positive changes in new and existing capitals ( Change in capitals) The degree of strategic readiness to mobilize outside and internal resources. The process of the initiative and the investments made to move forward. The impact of SEATS development. What seems to be most crucial to have in place to move forward? What investments on community capitals seem to have the best return on investment? What change happened to the existing community capitals and what new capitals are now in place?

Key Points Social and Human Capitals The importance of social and human capital at the beginning of SEATS and through its development. The interaction among these community capitals serve as a catalyst to influence the growth and development of other capitals and the goals of the SEATS initiative overall.

Social and Human Capitals

The importance of social and human capital at the beginning of SEATS and through its development.

The interaction among these community capitals serve as a catalyst to influence the growth and development of other capitals and the goals of the SEATS initiative overall.

Key Points Social and Human Capitals The importance of social and human capital at the beginning of SEATS and through its development. The interaction among these community capitals serve as a catalyst to influence the growth and development of other capitals and the goals of the SEATS initiative overall.

Social and Human Capitals

The importance of social and human capital at the beginning of SEATS and through its development.

The interaction among these community capitals serve as a catalyst to influence the growth and development of other capitals and the goals of the SEATS initiative overall.

Key Points Interaction of Community Capitals Reinforces how all community capitals have influenced, and continue to influence, SEATS strategies and implementation. A number of community capitals are invested at any given time – which demonstrates the importance of the interconnectivity of all community capitals and their ability to impact change.

Interaction of Community Capitals

Reinforces how all community capitals have influenced, and continue to influence, SEATS strategies and implementation.

A number of community capitals are invested at any given time – which demonstrates the importance of the interconnectivity of all community capitals and their ability to impact change.

Key Points Interaction of Community Capitals

Interaction of Community Capitals

Learnings Great opportunity to apply a community development approach (the CCF) to an existing project both as a post-hoc analysis as well as a tool that can be integrated into future work in the evaluation of SEATS. Since SEATS is a current initiative, the findings from this study can be used to develop further (or targeted) articles, reports and evaluations that can assist the partners involved in the project. It can also help other community development practitioners and funders gain a broader understanding of how the CCF can be utilized in the planning and development of community-driven initiatives Challenge of coding and overlap of capitals...as well as the measuring of change in capitals because the project is not complete.

Great opportunity to apply a community development approach (the CCF) to an existing project both as a post-hoc analysis as well as a tool that can be integrated into future work in the evaluation of SEATS.

Since SEATS is a current initiative, the findings from this study can be used to develop further (or targeted) articles, reports and evaluations that can assist the partners involved in the project. It can also help other community development practitioners and funders gain a broader understanding of how the CCF can be utilized in the planning and development of community-driven initiatives

Challenge of coding and overlap of capitals...as well as the measuring of change in capitals because the project is not complete.

www.culture.alberta.ca/communitydevelopment Community Development Branch Presented by: For More Information: Karen Blewett Community Development Officer Email: [email_address]