Community development in Quebec

1
Community development in Quebec

• Denis Bourque
• Université du Québec en Outaouais
• Canada Research Chair in Community Organization
• Annual Public Health Days, November 30, 2011

2
Community development

• Different forms of structured joint action that,
  through the mobilization of the populations
  concerned and social actors (institutional,
  community, private, elected representatives),
  target the collective issues related to living
  conditions and quality of life. (Bourque, 2008,
  p. 8)
• Transformation of collective problems into
  collective planning, first by community of
  identity or interests, then by geographical area

3
Origins two sources that have influenced each
other

• 1- Evolution of forms of community response to
  their problems. Innovation by local stakeholders
  and actors
• 2- Transformation by public action divided
  between two approaches instrumentalization and
  adaptation-ownership, which is more effective
  than fidelity

4
Current dynamic

• Community development divided between two
  intersecting approaches
• 1- Instrumentalization of communities in order to
  implement public/private program objectives and
  methods
• 2- Ownership by actors and the public of the
  local issues where the responses are created
  jointly with the necessary contributions and
  controlled by the programs
• In the field hybridization of the two
  approaches in a paradoxical dynamic

5
Descending-exogenous logic
Ownership tendency
Instrumentalization tendency
C-D
Autonomy tendency
Complementarity tendency

• Ascending-endogenous logic

6
Tension between opposing logics

• No community development without public (or
  private) programs and policies, but tension
  between instrumentalization and ownership
• Administrative community development or sector
  procedures that proliferate around the management
  of programs with strong lifestyle components and
  individual changes vs. processes that structure a
  collective actor around a common good, building
  on social participation, joint action and the
  transformation of living environments

7
Types of Leadership
Procedural leadership
Expertise-based leadership
Community development
Community leadership
8
Challenges of community development practices

• Having vision and strategic development plans for
  establishing constructive working relationships
  with programs and funders
• Moving beyond addressing consequences and acting
  on the causes multiple levels
• Building on meaningful participation
• Also creating institutional transformation and
  innovations

9
Conclusion

• Community development social innovation, unique
  feature of Quebec and above all a lever for
  communal development
• Sets out requirements and strategic or even
  ethical challenges for actors so that they meet
  their full potential

10
Thank you for your attention
11
Sources

• Bilodeau, A. et al. (2004). Lexigence
  démocratique de la planification participative
  le cas de la santé publique au Québec, Nouvelles
  pratiques sociales, vol. 17, n 1, 50-65.
• Bisset S (2008). Health program implementation, a
  socio-technical networking process. A case study
  of a school-based nutrition intervention.
  Montréal Département de médecine sociale et
  préventive, Université de Montréal. Thèse de
  doctorat.
• Bourque, D., Comeau, Y., Favreau, L. et L.
  Fréchette (dir.), (2007). Organisation
  communautaire, fondements, approches et champs de
  pratique, Québec, Presses de lUniversité du
  Québec, 534 pages.
• Bourque, D. (2008). Concertation et partenariat
  entre levier et piège du développement des
  communautés, Québec, collection Initiatives,
  Presses de lUniversité du Québec, 142 pages.
• CSBE (2001). L'appropriation par les communautés
  de leur développement, Québec, Conseil de la
  santé et du bien-être, 52 pages.
• INSPQ (2002). La santé des communautés
  perspectives pour la contribution de la santé
  publique au développement social et au
  développement des communautés Revue de
  littérature, Québec, Institut national de santé
  publique, 50 pages.
• Lachapelle, R. (dir.) (2003). L'organisation
  communautaire en CLSC. Cadre de référence et
  pratiques, Regroupement québécois des
  intervenants et intervenantes en action
  communautaire en CLSC, Québec, Presses de
  l'Université Laval, 293 pages.
• MSSS (2008). Programme national de santé publique
  2003-2012, mise à jour 2008, Québec, ministère de
  la Santé et des Services sociaux, Direction
  générale de la santé publique, MSSS, 103 pages.