Do Community Networks Contribute to Social Cohesion

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Do Community Networks Contribute to Social
Cohesion?
A CRACIN Broadbased Study on Social Engagement
Activities Associated with Publicly Funded
Community Networking Initiatives

• Marita Moll Director,
• Telecommunities Canada
• and
• CRACIN Co-investigator
• Presentation to CLN Ontario Forum
• May 25-26, 2006

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Social cohesion?

• the ongoing process of developing a community of
  shared values, shared challenges and equal
  opportunity --necessitates a sense of trust, hope
  reciprocity Jane Jenson
• measured in social capital

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Social capital?

• What we put into that process for the benefit of
  community -- the investments, assets that
  facilitate collective action and build networks
  (social engagement).
• ex a community choir, a local volunteer fire
  brigade, a neighbourhood soccer team

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Bridging and bonding

• Bridging a city-wide/ province-wide soccer
  team, choir, etc. to mix the cultures and
  traditions of various regions.
• Bonding the cultural, religious and educational
  structures that define an Amish or Hutterite
  colony isolate them from other communities

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Survey Query

• Policy assumption Communities must nurture their
  capacities for participation.
• Do community networks contribute to this process?
  (investment in social capital)
• Is it the kind of social capital that extends
  beyond that particular site or facility? (offer
  bridging possibilies)
• Is the quality of life of users enhanced? (lead
  to social cohesion)
• t

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How can we find out?

• By compiling and analyzing existing evaluations
  of selected (mostly federally funded) community
  networking initiatives
• By scanning literature on social cohesion/social
  capital and relating it to the community
  networking context
• By developing indicators of social capital in the
  community networking context
• By administering a survey to CAP, CLN, and other
  community network users
• By conducting interviews with community partners

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Why do we want to know?

• To broaden CRACIN case study research findings
• To provide a more quantitative basis for policy
  recommendations

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Why should you want to know?

• To substantiate public good claims
• To justify public funding
• To provide some quantitative data for evaluations

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Looking for indicators of social capital in
community networks

• Food is and excuse for getting together with
  people. Computers are also an excuse for getting
  together with people.
• What are the reasons for coming to the center --
• -- meet people, find employment, get help?
• What are people doing when they get there
• -- personal research, e-mail, on-line
  discussions on local issues
• What are some unanticipated outcomes
• -- volunteering, civic participation,
  integration?

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Survey construction

• 1. Partnership with the Canadian Council on
  Social Development to develop the questions
  (Sept.-Dec. 2005)
• 2. Focus Group Testing (Feb/May 2006)
• St. Christophers House (Toronto)
• Feb. 5, 2006
• Communautique (Montreal)
• May 5, 2006

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Ethics clearance

• April 2006
• Application to the University of Toronto Ethics
  Review Board
• -- essential step for any research on human
  subjects reviews the project and the process to
  make sure vulnerable populations are protected
  and privacy of subjects is ensured
• May 2006 -- application approved

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Survey -- next step

• We need your help!

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Survey Sites

• 56 sites across Canada
• province breakdown based on population
• 15 Ontario,
• 15 Quebec,
• 5 British Colombia,
• 5 Alberta,
• 3 Manitoba,
• 3 Saskatchewan,
• 2 Nova Scotia,
• 2 New Brunswick,
• 2 Newfoundland and Labrador,
• 1 Prince Edward Island,
• 1 North West Territories,
• 1 Yukon
• 1 Nunavut.

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Survey implementation

• June - Sept. 2006
• Administrators survey
• by telephone
• Users survey
• 10-12 users/site
• paper or on-line survey
• qualitative and quantitative

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Analysis and Dissemination

• October 2006 - September 2007
• Survey instrument and results will be made
  available on the web
• Presentations to government policy community
• Academic and community-based publishing and
  presentations

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• cracin.ca