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Mapping Social Capital in a Network of Community Development Organizations

Last Updated on April 16th, 2010

 

Project Title: Mapping Social Capital in a Network of Community Development Organizations

Project Number: CL4-05-SK

Term of Project: September 2007 to March 2008

Status: Completed

Academic Researcher:

• Michael Gertler, University of Saskatchewan (principal investigator)

Student Researcher:

• Jason Heit, University of Saskatchewan (internship)

Community Researcher:

• Karen Bonesky, South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development

Community Partners:

• South West Centre for Entrepreneurial Development

Project Summary:

In recent years, Southwest Saskatchewan has been the stage for initiatives and collaborations among business/economic development organizations, community service organizations, government and their agencies, and the private sector. The resulting networks, strategies, and mindset changes suggest that behind the economic success and achievements that the region has experienced is a current of social capital—relationships, co-operation, and common visions and goals for a group, community, or region.

This report is an outcome of the networks and relationships among and between these players and the communities that they serve. The idea of measuring the “softer” aspects of economic and community development within the network of organizations that serves Southwest Saskatchewan and the City of Swift Current came from key stakeholders within that network.

Specific Project-Level Research Objectives:

• To assess the current situation
• To identify which groups and organizations comprise the network
• To determine how those groups and organizations work together
• To determine how they characterize their relationships/linkages
• To determine what projects/collaborations have flowed from the connections established at the Entrepreneurial Centre (EC)
• To endeavour to provide the foundation for further projects that will attempt to design and develop a social capital assessment tool that measures the non-economic contributions that the EC and its network organizations provide to the surrounding community

Expected Deliverables:

1. Report
2. Presentations

Findings:

The final report will detail the results compiled from conversational interviews undertaken in partnership with EC network members and stakeholders. As the network consists of agencies focussed on promoting community development, quality-of-life issues, job-creation, and providing essential services (medical, daycare, etc.), the objectives of the larger Social Economy project are entailed within this inquiry.

Project Poster: Poster (pdf)

Final Report:

Projected Expenditures: $5,000 (internship)

In-Kind Contributions:

Publicity:

Dissemination Activities:

• Presentation at the Social Economy regional workshop, May 2008
• Poster Presentation: International CDS Conference, June 2008
• Poster Presentation: LLL provincial workshop, Prince Albert, May 2009

Additional Notes:

Member of the Canadian Social Economy Research Partnerships

Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada / Conseil de recherches en sciences humaines du Canada

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