Resource Library Feed ()

Understanding Cultural Safety

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:26:05 +0000

The intent of this research project is to better understand how cultural safety practices and service delivery models that support homeless Aboriginal persons who live in urban centres could improve overall outcomes for homeless service agencies and their clients.

Child Care Policy and the Experiences of Employed Albertan Families with Pre-school Children

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:48:16 +0000

This report, funded by the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research, is a pilot project designed to understand childcare needs in Alberta. The focus groups for the study were parents selected from Calgary, Edmonton, and Lacombe. These families encapsulate a wide range of factors such as socio-economic status, occupation, number of children, and diversity in family structure.

Living Wage in Context

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:02:37 +0000

In March 2013, the City of Grand Prairie released a report entitled A Living Wage for Grande Prairie: Background Report. This report focuses on the Living Wage, an approach to poverty reduction that is gaining momentum in the United States, the United Kingdom and, more recently, has become popular in various municipalities across Canada. This report is three-pronged: it explores what living wage is, why the City of Grand Prairie is in a position to have such a policy and then calculates Grand Prairie's living wage for 2011 and 2012.

Homelessness Assets and Risk Tool (HART)

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:27:47 +0000

This 2012 pilot study, sponsored in part by the Calgary Homeless Foundation, was devised to test the predictive validity of the Homelessness Assets and Risk Tool (HART), a screening tool created to identify vulnerability to homelessness in at-risk populations. The study's primary purpose was to measure HART's predicative ability with respect to identifying those at risk of homelessness by tracking a sub-sample of volunteer participants over a one-year period. Its secondary objective was to determine the applicability of HART in the Calgary context and assess the tool's feasibility from an administrative perspective.

Reducing the Cost of Poverty in Medicine Hat

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:55:50 +0000

The report presented a comprehensive analysis of a community based effort to reduce poverty in Medicine Hat. Funding was provided by Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta, United Way of Southeast Alberta, Medicine Hat Community Housing Society and the Government of Canada's Homelessness Partnering Strategy. Vibrant Communities Calgary prepared the report, as per the guidance and oversight of the Medicine Hat Roundtable Committee who conducted interviews with 25 members of the Medicine Hat Community. The interviewees were a varied group of Medicine Hat residents consisting of people living in poverty, as well as representatives from political, municipal, business and non-profit organizations (Lee and Briggs, 2013, p.6).

Citizens for Public Justice's Poverty Trends Scorecard

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:45:40 +0000

This series of fact sheets, which were published by the Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), describe income inequality and factors that influence this growing trend in Canada. Specifically, the CPJ compares the changes in individual incomes, debts and household financial situations of the recessionary and recovery periods between 1981 and 2011.

Increasing Women’s Involvement as Decision-Makers in Community Based Organizations

Thu, 16 May 2013 22:21:16 +0000

By Louise Griep, Alberta Network of Immigrant Women. 2012

This report was completed as Phase I of the Alberta Network of Immigrant Women (ANIW) Blueprint Project, funded by the Status of Women Canada. It examines the involvement of immigrant and/or racialized women (IRW) in volunteer and decision-making positions with community-based organizations. Overall, the GBA concluded that while many IRW participate in volunteer roles in community-based organizations, this diversity is not represented in organizations’ decision-making board membership.

A Place to Call Home

Thu, 16 May 2013 21:54:27 +0000

"The contrast could not be more stark. Edmonton's downtown is a place of gleaming office towers, high-end shopping, lunch time activity and evening entertainment for thousands of Edmontonians and visitors to our city. But it's also a place of despair and loss of hope, where for some, their bedroom is a park, their closet a shopping cart. These are Edmontonians experiencing homelessness" (Edmonton Homeless Commission, n.d.)
On a local and national scale, homelessness is a widely recognized issue. From 1999 onward, homelessness in Edmonton increased annually with 3,079 people without a home in 2008. As a result, Mayor Mandel created a Committee comprised of business people, labour leaders, managers of philanthropic organizations, social agency directors, politicians and faith leaders to end homelessness. The result - a 10 year plan to end homelessness in Edmonton- was adopted in 2009 (Edmonton Committee to End Homelessness, 2009).

Service and Supports for At-Risk Women

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:19:04 +0000

Best Practices: Services and Supports for Street-Involved Pregnant and Parenting Women - A Review of the Literature. Written by Krista Brower (Charis Management Consulting for Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research). 2012.

"Best Practices" is a literature review that was undertaken by the H.E.R. (Healthy, Empowered, Resilient) Pregnancy program, which utilizes a combination of "peer-support and professional staff [as well as]...health-care workers to assist and support women in Edmonton's low-income downtown area who are pregnant, parenting, or at risk to become pregnant" (Brower,12, 2012). This literature review focuses on programs run by organizations across Canada who are working on initiatives that are similar to H.E.R. with the intent of exploring models of service delivery and best practices for providing community-based support for street-involved pregnant women. It serves a dual purpose of allowing the H.E.R. Pregnancy Program to evaluate their own effectiveness and success, while also providing a resource for the different programs in Canada that assist these women.

Homelessness in Wood Buffalo

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:13:33 +0000

Written and published by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.

In October 2012, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo held a homeless count in order to capture the demographics of the current homeless population. With this evidence, Wood Buffalo aims to further address the problem of homelessness in the area, in line with the province of Alberta's 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness.

Experiences of Homeless Youth Who Seek Mental Health Care

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:44:17 +0000

A Visual Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of Youth Who Are Homeless and Seek Mental Health Care. Written by Margot Jackson, Solina Richter and Vera Caine. Published by Homeward Trust Edmonton. 2013.

Homelessness in youth is linked to negative childhood experiences, unstable family relationships and inadequate level of supports during times of crisis. Youth are trying to survive on the streets and deal with complex mental health issues. Through the narratives of homeless youth, the study examines the roots of homelessness and suggests innovative ways to meet the psycho-social needs of at-risk youth and prevent youth from returning to homelessness.

Housing Needs of Adults Post-Incarceration in Edmonton

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:28:29 +0000

Housing Needs of Adults Post-Incarceration in Edmonton. A Research Project by: The Mustard Seed Edmonton and the University of Alberta.Written by Jessica Thomson, Kris Knutson, Jonathan Nicolai deKoning, Jana Grekul, and Debbie Fawcett. 2013.

The objective of this project was to obtain information regarding the housing status of adults being discharged from correctional facilities in the Edmonton area, and use the findings to gain greater insight into the reintegration experience and its link to homelessness. The ultimate goal of this research is to increase understanding of the need for housing-related programs and services that might help to facilitate successful reintegration post-incarceration.

Housing stability amongst women involved in high-risk / exploitative situations

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:20:04 +0000

Intensive case management considerations to improve housing stability amongst women involved in high-risk and/or exploitative situations : final report : a research project by OrgCode Consulting Inc. and E4C. Written by Gwen Potter-King and Iain De Jong. Published by Homeward Trust Edmonton. 2013.

The authors of this report argue that necessary services for homeless women must address trauma, substance use, and sex work, which are closely connected to entry into homelessness for many women. The needs of these women are not being fully addressed by current services, which mostly provide transitional housing for women escaping domestic violence, and require the women to comply with conditions that lead them to stable housing. For chronically homeless women with mental illness, substance abuse issues, and a history of exploitation and trauma, a Housing First approach - whereby individuals with multiple barriers are provided with an apartment, rent supplement, and visits from an intensive case management worker - may be more effective, as they do not require compliance in a time-limited fashion. The less structured setting of Housing First services may provide an experience of "ontological security" for homeless individuals - a sense of stability stemming from a constant social and physical environment, which may contribute significantly to their recovery. This is absent in transitional housing environments, particularly for women with high risk factor lifestyles, as they may be forced to leave their housing to access drugs or sex work, which in turn may compromise their safety.

Understanding Tenancy Failures and Successes

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:23:54 +0000

Understanding Tenancy Failures and Successes. Published by Edmonton Social Planning Council & Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness. 2012.

In 2012, extensive research was undertaken to understand practices associated with the long-term retention of housing in Edmonton. This report summarizes core findings from a literature review of tenancy best practices, eight focus groups with vulnerably housed and homeless Edmonton residents, and an online survey of organizations and individuals with an interest in tenancy issues as well as local housing and homelessness initiatives.

Results from all three research initiatives yielded consistent insights into the nature and causes of tenancy failure within Edmonton.

Red Deer Homeless Count

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:15:22 +0000

Red Deer Point in Time (PIT) Homeless Count.

Published by the City of Red Deer. 2012.

On October 16th, 2012, the City of Red Deer, in partnership with The Red Deer & District Community Foundation (RDDCF) undertook their first Point in Time (PIT) Homeless Count, providing a snapshot of the city's homeless population. This report highlights the key findings of the count and provides insights into the conditions and causes of homelessness in Red Deer.

Live, learn, grow

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 22:18:01 +0000

Live, learn, grow : supporting transitions to adulthood for homeless youth.

Written by Stephen Gaetz and Fiona Scott. Published by the Canadian Homelessness Research Network Press. 2012.

This report argues that the Foyer housing model, adopted in Australia, the UK, and the USA, can also be an effective approach to assisting homeless youth in Edmonton. Although of particular interest to those involved in the planning and development of housing services, the issue of youth homelessness is of particular relevance now, when Edmonton's Youth Empowerment & Support Services (YESS) is experiencing a funding shortfall (Callsen, 2013).

2012 Edmonton Homeless Count

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:23:48 +0000

2012 Edmonton Homeless Count Report.

Published by Homeward Trust Edmonton. 2013.

In 2009, Alberta introduced its 10-year plan to end homelessness. Partnering with numerous community agencies across the Province, this program aims to end chronic homelessness in Alberta by securing permanent housing for those without homes. This report, completed by Homeward Trust, compiles the findings of the 2012 Edmonton Homeless Count. With the program nearing its midpoint, monitoring and reporting becomes increasingly important to ensure that the various strategies being implemented have been effective. Additionally, the researchers have noted limitations with data in the previous counts, and have made significant progress with their enumeration strategies and methods.

Summing Up

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 20:15:11 +0000

Summing Up: Results of the Social Policy Framework Engagement Feedback Received to August 31, 2012. Published by the Government of Alberta. 2012.

This report is a summary of results from the first phase of the Government of Alberta's Social Policy Framework public consultations. During these discussions, Albertans were asked to explain what they would like to see in the province's Social Policy Framework, which will shape social policy in our province for years to come.

HungerCount 2012

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:07:35 +0000

HungerCount 2012: a comprehensive report on hunger and food bank use in Canada, and recommendations for change. Published by Food Banks Canada (2012).

This report focuses on the use of food banks across Canada during the month of March 2012, reasons why Canadians are turning to food banks to survive, and ways to address food insecurity in this country. Also included in this report are separate provincial and territorial reports on food bank use for the year of 2012 as well. The report also provides recommendations on how to reduce food bank use.

Beyond Housing

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:45:26 +0000

Beyond Housing- At Home/Chez Soi Early Findings Report- Volume 3- Fall 2012. Published by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. 2012.

Can the recovery of homeless people who live with mental health issues be facilitated by providing them with recovery-based provisions of housing and services? This approach, that is the Housing First (HF) intervention and its potentials are the focus of the At Home/Chez Soi research project conducted by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. Volume 3 of the Early Findings Report showcases some of the ways the project has positively impacted the lives of participants.

Strategies to End Homelessness

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:42:18 +0000

Strategies to End Homelessness: Current Approaches to Evaluation. Written by Bernie Pauly, Elly Carlson and Kathleen Perkin. Published by the Canadian Homelessness Research Network Press. 2012.

In Canada, there is a growing interest in projects designed to reduce or eradicate homelessness. For these initiatives to be successful, the homeless population cannot be viewed as a homogenous group by those organizations that are fighting homelessness. Therefore, there are various potential strategies to end homelessness that must be considered, each of which can be equally effective. Carlson, Pauly and Perkin have sought to summarize reviews on various strategies implemented throughout Canada.

The Real Cost of Homelessness

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 01:21:59 +0000

The Real Cost of Homelessness: Can We Save Money By Doing The Right Thing? Written by Stephen Gaetz. Published by the Canadian Homelessness Research Network Press, 2012.

This report finds that the cost of supporting homelessness is estimated to be $4.5 to $6 billion annually. This cost is reflective of a response-based system that relies heavily on the provision of emergency services by community organizations, governments and not-for-profit organizations. Gaetz argues that it is more cost effective to house people and/ or prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place than to react to the consequences of homelessness, where individuals rely on emergency shelters and day programs.

Homelessness Coverage, Social Reality, and Media Ownership

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:16:25 +0000

Homelessness Coverage, Social Reality, and Media Ownership: Comparing a National Newspaper with Two Regional Newspapers in Canada. Written by Yuping Mao, Solina Richter, Kathy Kovacs Burns, Jean Chaw-Kant, Mass Communication & Journalism, Volume 2, Issue 7, 2012.

Newspapers are a major tool that Canadians rely on to learn about social issues. As such, the ways in which a newspaper covers social issues can influence what and how its readership thinks about it. This research article seeks to characterize the differences between how two provincial newspapers, the Edmonton Sun and the Calgary Herald, and one national newspaper, the Globe and Mail, cover the universal social issue of homelessness. The article then seeks to extrapolate how these differences are influenced by the reality of homelessness, the newspaper's ownership and the ideological bias the later may entail.

Experiences and Perceptions of Discrimination in Edmonton

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:11:52 +0000

Experiences and Perceptions of Discrimination in Edmonton: A Survey on Edmonton Residents. Written by Harvey Krahn, (University of Alberta) and Randolph Haluza-DeLay (The Kings University College). Produced by the City of Edmonton. 2012.

This report looks at Edmontonians� experiences with and perceptions of racial discrimination in Edmonton. As part of the PRL�s 2011 Alberta Survey, researchers surveyed over 100 Edmonton residents to learn more about discrimination in our city. Most survey participants said that they believe Edmonton is a very welcoming place to live. However, respondents from certain groups in our city believe that they are victims of racial discrimination. Researchers found that those respondents who identified as an Aboriginal or member of a visible minority group (including foreign-born and Canadian-born) are more likely than other groups to report that they were discriminated against. As well, most respondents said that �discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, immigrant status and related variables is perceived to be more prevalent than discrimination on other grounds� (Racism Free Edmonton, 2012, pg. 7).

Housing Homeless Youth in Vancouver

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:57:25 +0000

Housing Homeless Youth in Vancouver: Key Barriers and Strategic Responses. Written by Sandip Basi, Tabrina Clelland, Navi Khind, Amy Morris & Peter Severinson. 2012.

Using case studies, interviews, literature and policy analyses, and an overview of services that are currently available for Vancouver�s homeless youth, the authors of this report identify gaps in service provision and provide best practices for tackling youth homelessness in Vancouver. Several key points were emphasised in this report: the importance of prioritizing the issue of youth homelessness, investment in preventative interventions, and adopting a holistic and collaborative system-wide strategy.

At Home/Chez Soi Interim Report

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:36:28 +0000

Published by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. 2012.

This interim report, published by the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), draws on the one-year results of a multi-site trial of the Housing First model in five cities across Canada. The objective of the report is to answer a number of key questions related to the project, which the MHCC believes will be of interest to a range of audiences.

You Know You're Not Alone

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:23:27 +0000

You Know You�re Not Alone: Community Development in Public Housing. Written by Sarah Cooper. Published by Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives- Manitoba Office. 2012.

This study looks at the impact of community development programs in creating positive environments in public housing developments outside the inner city. It also seeks to better understand what programs work and how programming offered through family resource centres could be improved.

The report begins with a general discussion of community development efforts supported by a literature review, followed by an overview of the context of public housing in Winnipeg. The study used a participatory research method involving community members in both developing and conducting the research. A combination of focus groups, interviews and surveys were used during this study.

Effective, just and humane

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:08:56 +0000

Published by the John Howard Society of Ontario. 2012.

The John Howard Society of Toronto (JHST) has piloted a housing program that assists male clients aged 18 and older find and hold onto affordable, stable and safe housing. The JHST housing program model is meant to address underlying social factors that are related to homelessness, and the reciprocal relationship between homelessness and incarceration, in addition to finding sustainable housing for its clients. The program model is based on the assumption that homeless populations, in particular those recently released from correctional institutions, have extra challenges that are beyond the scope of any one service sector (health issues, mental health challenges, maintaining contact with corrections officials, addictions, barriers to employment, etc.). In order to deliver this program model, JHST partners with several other non-profit agencies in the community. This review published by the John Howard Society of Ontario is meant to provide information regarding the initial outcomes of this program, analyze the effectiveness of its collaborative approach, and make recommendations for future service delivery.

Men's attitudes and behaviours toward violence against women

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 16:24:17 +0000

Published by Alberta Council of Women�s Shelters. 2012

On March 12, 2012, the Alberta Council of Women�s Shelters released a study conducted by independent marketing firm Leger Marketing regarding the opinions and attitudes of adult men in Alberta towards domestic violence and violence against women.

Chinese connection

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 15:44:50 +0000

Written by Ezra Roth. Published by the Institute for Nonprofit Studies at Mount Royal University. 2012.

In this report, written for the Mount Royal University�s Institute for Nonprofit Studies (2012), student research intern Ezra Roth uses force field analysis theory to examine the responses of nonprofit agencies to the changing dynamics of Calgary�s Chinese community.

Do Admission Criteria and Economic Recessions Affect Immigrant Earnings?

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 21:16:50 +0000

By Michael G. Abbott and Charles M. Beach.

Published by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP). 2011.

Since 2008, the federal government has sought to significantly change the application process for Canadian immigrants. Legislative changes have since enabled greater ministerial control over applications, and a shift away from the traditional �skills-assessed� immigration program. Initiatives such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) continue to undergo substantial growth in Canada.

Canada Speaks 2012

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:42:28 +0000

Published by The Salvation Army. 2012.

Canada Speaks 2012: Mental Health, Addictions and the Roots of Poverty is a report produced by The Salvation Army as part of their Dignity Project initiative, which seeks to educate the public about poverty. The study itself focuses on understanding Canadian perceptions of mental illness and addictions, and their connections to poverty. Statistics in the report were gathered from an online poll conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion on February 23 and 24, 2012. The survey sample consisted of 1,011 Canadians drawn from a panel balanced to be representative of the Canadian population.

From Getting By to Getting Ahead

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 20:37:00 +0000

From Getting By to Getting Ahead: Six Levers for Building the Wellbeing of Families with Lower Incomes.

Written by Charla Vall and Alison Thompson.

Published by the United Way Calgary and Area. 2012.

An informed look at the complexity of poverty in Calgary, this report provides six levers- existing strengths that can be leveraged for greater impact�to funders, policy makers, and service providers to reduce poverty. The strengths, challenges, and possibilities of reducing poverty as a city are identified through a review of the literature on social policy, surveys of families with lower incomes, a discussion series with individuals experiencing poverty and another discussion series with service providers. A mixed methods approach�quantitative and qualitative research�recognizes the complexity of the topic in �seeking to leverage supports and strengths so that families with lower incomes achieve greater wellbeing.� (United Way of Calgary and Area, 10, 2012)

Residental crowding and hidden homelessness

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:51:21 +0000

In his analysis of immigrant residential crowding, which is based on data from the 2001 Canadian census, Michael Haan develops a theoretical housing model to determine the probability that, under certain circumstances, residential crowding (as represented by a deviation from the model) points to hidden homelessness among Canadian immigrants. While Haan is unable to establish a firm relationship between immigrant residential crowding and hidden homelessness, his study exposes a number of complex factors tied to the issue. He suggests that if a relationship does exist, then homelessness may be hidden among the residential crowding within the Canadian-born population instead of our immigrant population.

Human Trafficking in Calgary

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:20:53 +0000

Human Trafficking in Calgary: Informing a Localized Response. Written by Lara Quarterman, Julie Kaye, and John Winterdyk. Published by ACT Alberta (Action Coalition on Human Trafficking) and the Centre for Criminology and Justice Research (CCJR) at Mount Royal University (MRU). 2012.

Would you recognize a victim of human trafficking if you came across one? A recent study that examines this issue in Calgary suggests that you might not.

Recognizing that there is insufficient information on how communities respond to human trafficking in Canada, ACT Alberta (Action Coalition on Human Trafficking), and the Centre for Criminology and Justice Research (CCJR) at Mount Royal University collaborated to connect with the staff of community agencies that were likely to work with trafficking victims in Calgary. The resulting report, Human Trafficking in Calgary: Informing a Localized Response, highlights a lack of clarity surrounding several pertinent issues, including the definition of human trafficking itself, and provides some suggestions to better address the needs of trafficked persons.

Family Matters

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:17:16 +0000

Family matters : homeless youth and Eva�s Initiative�s �Family Reconnect� Program. Written by Daphne Winland, Stephen Gaetz, and Tara Patton. Published by the Canadian Homelessness Research Network Press. 2011.

This report highlights family reconnection and reconciliation as a valuable program intervention for preventing and reducing youth homelessness in Canada. Drawing from evaluation-based research on one unique youth-serving, nonprofit organization in Toronto, the authors discuss the importance of preserving family relationships to help homeless and at-risk youth achieve safer housing and greater stability in their lives. The authors provide a framework to help agencies in other settings develop and implement family-centred programming.

Cyberbullying and Young Adults in Canada

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:11:44 +0000

Cyberbullying : Reality Check. Written by Lila Knighton, Alisa Simon, Janice Kelly and Dr. Alexandra Kimball. Published by Kids Help Phone. 2012.

Cyberbullying: Reality Check is a research update published by Kids Help Phone which builds upon their 2007 report entitled Cyber-bullying: Our Kids� New Reality. In clear and concise language, this report draws attention to a growing trend that has until recently received little attention. While the report acknowledges and adequately outlines the problem and offers general recommendations of educating Canadians on cyberbullying, it is meant to familiarize the reader with cyberbullying rather than offer concrete solutions to this problem.

Precarious housing and hidden homelessness among refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:57:12 +0000

Precarious housing and hidden homelessness among refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants in the Toronto metropolitan area. By Valerie Preston, Robert Murdie, Silvia D�Addario, Prince Sibanda and Ann Marie Murnagha with Jennifer Logan and Mi Hae Ahn, CERIS Working Paper Series, No. 87. 2011.

Released in December 2011, this working paper examines the housing circumstances of refugees and asylum seekers in Toronto, and compares these with the housing experiences of non-refugee immigrants. The paper also discusses barriers to securing housing for each group and strategies that newcomers use to overcome these barriers. Toronto differs from comparable urban centers as it has the largest immigrant population in Canada, a housing market with a declining vacancy rate and a low supply of affordable rental units that can accommodate families.

Colour coded health care

Thu, 24 May 2012 23:30:42 +0000

Written by Sheryl Nestel. Published by Wellesley Institute. 2012.

This report explores the effect of racism on the health outcomes of non-Aboriginal racialized Canadians. Using data found in online databases and print journals from 1990-2011, this research is conducted with two main challenges present: the severe lack of research on racialized people's health experiences, and the inconsistent use of terminology (like race, ethnicity, immigrant, visible minority) in health care research.

Can I see your ID?

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:31:39 +0000

Written by Bill O�Grady, Stephen Gaetz and Kristy Buccieri. Published by Justice for Children and Youth and Homeless Hub Press, 2011.

This report highlights the day-to-day reality of homeless youth in Toronto in the context of the implementation of the Ontario Safe Streets Act (O.S.S.A). This legislation criminalizes panhandling, squeegeeing and other behavior labeled undesirable. The authors contend that ticketing homeless youth for loitering, public drinking, squeegeeing and panhandling is a form of social profiling which not only creates a nearly insurmountable financial burden on an already impoverished group, but also punishes the homeless for their behavior in public spaces when it is, in fact, their lack of a private space (i.e. their homelessness) which forces them to occupy such public spaces.

Housing First

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:42:23 +0000

Written by Jeanette Waegemakers Schiff and John Rook (University of Calgary), 2012.

Given the increasing use of Housing First as a public policy strategy to eradicate homelessness, the authors of this study outline current and emerging evidence of Housing First�s effectiveness. The focus of the report is to catalogue and categorize literature pertaining to Housing First, rather than summarize the findings of the literature. The report concludes that a gap exists in academic research regarding the effectiveness of Housing First, especially in a Canadian context.

Delivery matters

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:20:05 +0000

Written by Diana Gibson (Parkland Institute) and Jill Clements, (Institute for Development Studies (UK)). Published by Parkland Institute. 2012.

This report compares for-profit and not-for-profit models of clinical service delivery to determine the benefits of using for-profit health service providers within the public health care system to solve problems it faces, including long wait times and the increasing cost to fund the health-care system. This report, the second in a series on this topic, investigates the delivery of hip and knee replacement surgeries. It compares the privately owned Health Resource Centre (HRC) in Calgary and the new Alberta Hip and Knee Replacement Project (AHKRP) initiated by the publicly owned Alberta Bone and Joint Institute. Both providers are paid by the Alberta health care system.

Disparities in Primary Health Care Experiences

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:48:43 +0000

This report examines primary care treatment access and care for ambulatory care sensitive conditions, which are defined as conditions that can be managed on an outpatient basis. Examples of these conditions include: asthma, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, some heart diseases, and high blood pressure. One in three Canadian adults lives with an ambulatory care sensitive condition, placing substantial demand on health care system resources. Increasing the effectiveness of primary care can help prevent further health complications and hospitalizations for these conditions, and improve cost-effectiveness of the health care system.

The State of Homelessness in Calgary in 2012

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:41:33 +0000

This preliminary report, which was published by the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), is part of the implementation of Calgary�s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. The CHF collects information regarding homelessness in Calgary on an ongoing basis to ensure that the implementation of the 10-Year Plan is based on the most current information.

Improving Housing Outcomes for Aboriginal People In Western Canada

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:32:10 +0000

Improving Housing Outcomes for Aboriginal People In Western Canada: National, Regional, Community and Individual Perspectives on Changing the Future of Homelessness.

Written by Wilfreda Thurston, Nelly D Oelke, David Turner, and Cynthia Bird, Published by the University of Calgary and the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. 2011.

This report aims to identify homelessness reduction programs in Western Canada that most effectively end homelessness for Aboriginal peoples. This research project was conducted in seven major cities across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Direct interviews with homelessness service providers were conducted, along with a series of case studies to reveal the importance of a holistic approach and Aboriginal specific policies in working with Aboriginal clients and communities.

Downtown Street Outreach Initiative

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:24:49 +0000

Published by Alana LaPerle Project Services. 2012.

In December of 2010, the Downtown Street Outreach Initiative pilot project began through a partnership between the Downtown Business Association (DBA) and Edmonton Police Services (EPS). It aimed to test a new model of connecting Edmonton�s �street� population with resources required to meet short-term and long-term needs.

Does Canada work for all generations? A report for Canadians in Alberta

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 22:49:22 +0000

According to Dr. Paul Kershaw, raising a family in Canada has been more difficult for this generation than it has been for parents of past generations. In his report, Kershaw presents three factors that are contributing to the decline in the quality of life for today�s young families:

1. Household incomes for young Canadian couples have flat-lined since the mid-1970s, after adjusting for inflation.

2. Household incomes are stagnant even though far more young women earn employment income today.

3.All the while, average housing prices in Canada have skyrocketed by 76 percent (Kershaw, 1, 2011).

Why Have Poorer Neighbourhoods Stagnated Economically, While the Richer have Flourished?

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:47:14 +0000

Written by W.H. Chen, John Myles and Garnett Picot. Published by the Canadian Labour Market and Skills Researcher Network. 2011.

The purpose of this study is to inform city and social planning professionals about the potential causes and consequences of income disparity between neighborhoods in Canadian cities. This study utilized longitudinal (1980-2005) post-tax income data from the 8 largest metropolitan areas in Canada (Ottawa-Gatineau area, Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver).

Youth on the Street and Youth Involved with Child Welfare

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 21:59:56 +0000

Written by Abby L. Goldstein, Touraj Amiri, Natalie Vilhena, Christine Wekerle, Tiffany Thornton, and Lil Tonmyr. Publisher: University of Toronto. 2011.

This study examines the relationships between childhood maltreatment, involvement with the child welfare system, mental health issues, and substance use as they relate to youth homelessness and housing instability. It was conducted using a sample of youth who were involved in two projects � the Youth Pathways Project (YPP) and the Maltreatment Adolescent Pathways (MAP) Longitudinal Study. The sample population for this study contained three groups; youth involved with the child welfare system, youth who are homeless and have had experience with the child welfare system, and homeless youth that have no experience in the child welfare system.

The purpose of this study is to provide information which can be used to establish programs and policies or enhance ones already in place with respect to meeting the unique needs of youth who are homeless or are transitioning out of the child welfare system and are experiencing or are prone to mental health and substance use issues.

Poverty Costs

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:37:04 +0000

Written by Alexa Briggs and Celia R. Lee. Published by Vibrant Communities Calgary and Action to End Poverty in Alberta. 2012.

This report was prepared to analyze the economic costs of poverty in Alberta and to encourage the adoption of a provincial poverty reduction strategy. Currently, Alberta is one of only three provinces without a poverty reduction plan. Instead, Alberta relies solely on poverty alleviation, which the authors believe is not an effective approach to ending systemic poverty in the province.

Canada's CEO Elite 100: The 0.01%

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:24:17 +0000

This report closely examines the compensation received by the 100 highest-paid executives of Canadian publicly listed corporations, as declared in the proxy circulars of their respective corporations. It compares their salaries with the income of average working Canadians. This analysis shows that there is an enormous income gap between this group of CEOs and the majority of Canadians. By painstakingly detailing every facet of executive compensation, identifying numerous disparities between CEOs and average workers, as well as some of the underlying causes, the author recommends key interventions necessary to stem the engorgement of executive compensation; or at the very least, ease the burden for those farthest from the top.

Turning the Key

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:41:39 +0000

Assessing Housing and Related Supports for Persons Living with Mental Health Problems

Published by the Community Support and Research Unit of the Center for Addition and Mental Health and the Canadian Council on Social Development. 2011.

Mental illness impacts millions of Canadians across the country. Not only is mental illness an important health issue in and of itself, but it is also intertwined with other health and social factors such as the ability to secure adequate and affordable housing. According to the Turning the Key Report, approximately 520,700 people living with a mental illness in Canada are inadequately housed while 119,800 are homeless.

The purpose of the Turning the Key report is to inform the Mental Health Commission of Canada and the public about the housing and community support needs of Canadians living with mental health problems and illnesses. To achieve this goal, information was gathered from across Canada using a thorough and comprehensive range of data collection methods including interviews, online webinars, site visits, literature reviews and provincial and territorial context mapping.

Green and Affordable Housing in Canada: Investment Strategies of Social Housing Organizations

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:19:44 +0000

This report is an overview of strategies used in BC and Ontario to fund green upgrades of social housing. The social housing sector makes up less than 6% of the total housing stock. A third of this stock is publicly owned with the balance being managed through a variety of co-op, non-profit or limited dividend strategies. The focus of this report is on green upgrades to social housing stock because these housing units are generally older and have a high tenant turnover � resulting in higher operational costs. Furthermore, co-ops and non-profits tend to be limited in their ability to intensify renovation efforts due to a "shortage of financing and commitment from senior government." This research project focused on federally-funded social housing renovation programs in British Columbia and Ontario, which have both been complemented by provincial funding since 2009.

Immigrants and Low-Paid Work: Persistent Problems, Enduring Consequences

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:20:52 +0000

According to a 2008 Statistics Canada report, immigrants are 1.8 times more likely than native-born Canadians to earn less than $10 per hour. This report from Metropolis British Columbia: Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Diversity attempts to address the issue of why immigrants tend to experience chronic low pay, how chronic low pay affects quality of life for immigrant families and individuals, and what strategies and solutions might assist in overcoming persistent inequalities in the labour market for immigrant Canadians.

Every Class in Every School

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:04:18 +0000

The report Every Class in Every School, which was written by Dr. Catherine Taylor (University of Winnipeg) and Dr. Tracey Peter (University of Manitoba), seeks to provide a solid Canadian evidence base for understanding the experiences of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, Two Spirit, queer, or questioning) teens in high-schools. Over an 18 month period between December 2007 and June 2009, data was collected from 3700 high school students across Canada using an open-access online survey and controlled-access in-class sessions. These surveys asked students to provide demographic information, homophobic and transphobic experiences they faced at school and the institutional response to those experiences.

Socioeconomic Status and The Incidence of Cardiac Arrest

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:38:30 +0000

Kyndaron Reinier, Elizabeth Thomas, Douglas L. Andrusiek, Tom P. Aufderheide, Steven C. Brooks, Clifton W. Callaway, Paul E. Pepe, Thomas D. Rea, Robert H. Schmicker, Christian Vaillancourt, Sumeet S. Chugh and the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Investigators. Published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (Volume 183, Issue 15). 2011.

Up to 45,000 cardiac arrests, or 1 every 12 minutes, occur each year in Canada. (Heart and Stroke Foundation, 2011). Factors that increase a person�s risk of having a stroke include tobacco use, alcohol use, high blood pressure and poor nutrition. Chronic stress, social isolation, anxiety and depression can all increase someone�s chances of developing heart disease. Research has shown that low-income individuals are less able to purchase nutritious foods, cope with stress, and engage in healthy activities than those individuals who have more money at their disposal. As a result, individuals with a low socioeconomic status may have an increased risk of experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Researchers who worked on this study collected data on out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests that occurred in the individual�s home or a residential institution in seven North American cities (three of them being Canadian) from April 1^st , 2006 to March 31^st, 2007.

Who Pays, When, and How?

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:12:23 +0000

Released in the 2011-2012 edition of How Ottawa Spends, "Who Pays, When, and How? Government-Assisted Housing in the Northwest Territories and the Role of the Federal Government" provides an overview of the housing situation in the North West Territories (NWT) and the role of the federal government in administering housing in the region, with special consideration given to the territory�s low-income population.

Urban Physical Environments and Health Inequalities

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:10:04 +0000

By the Canadian Institute for Health Information. 2011.

Urban Physical Environments and Health Inequalities synthesizes knowledge of socio-economic status, outdoor air pollution, extreme heat, and health determinants in order to inform policy makers and the general public and thereby reduce health inequalities. Part of a larger body of work aimed to increase �actionable population health analyses� (P. 50), this report was written by the Canadian Institute of Health Information, a non-profit organization that provides information on health issues and health care in Canada.

With an increasing number of Canadians living in cities, more people are being exposed to air pollution and pockets of extreme heat, heightening the need to understand the impacts of urban environments on their inhabitant�s health. Although pollution levels and high temperatures are influenced by many environmental elements that cannot be changed, some factors, such as smoke stack height, gas exit temperature/velocity, and the creation of green spaces, can be altered through emissions regulations and public policy.

Taxes and the Common Good

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:56:39 +0000

Taxes and the Common Good: A CPJ Backgrounder on Taxation. By Chandra Pasma, Citizens for Public Justice. 2011.

The Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) report: Taxes and the Common Good: A CPJ Backgrounder on Taxation discusses public justice taxation and income distribution in Canada. It also provides strong and credible evidence to support the argument that income disparity is growing and that public justice (which they define as the �political dimension of loving one�s neighbour, caring for creation and achieving the common good�) is on the decline in developed countries such as Canada (Centre for Public Justice, 2011).

What Happens When the Bed Bugs Do Bite?

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:53:35 +0000

What Happens When the Bed Bugs Do Bite? The Social Impacts of a Bed Bug Infestation on Winnipeg�s Inner-City Residents. By Elizabeth Comack, and James Lyons, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. 2011.

This report proposes solutions to address the bed bug epidemic in Winnipeg and to discredit the public misconceptions about those individuals who suffer from this type of infestation. Because bed bugs do not transmit diseases, they are considered to be more of a nuisance than a major threat to the health and well-being of the public. The authors argue that the bed bug infestations actually pose a strong mental, social, and psychological threat to human health. They investigate this claim by interviewing various community stakeholders and individuals who have experienced the effects of a bedbug infestation in Winnipeg, Manitoba. During their investigation, they also developed strategies that the provincial government and local social agencies can adopt to address this growing problem in Winnipeg.

The Rise of Canada�s Richest 1%

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:49:01 +0000

The Rise of Canada�s Richest 1%. By Armine Yalnizyan, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. 2010.

Released in 2010 by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, this paper attempts to show the changes in wealth distribution among Canadians over the last century. It also shows that the majority of personal income in Canada is made by a relatively small group of people. Using information from Statistics Canada, Revenue Canada and studies on American income inequality, it also tries to dispel the myth that tax cuts for the wealthy will lead to more economic development, leading to a trickle-down effect that leads to greater prosperity for all.

Lone-Parent Status Among Ethnic Groups in Canada

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:09:21 +0000

Lone-Parent Status Among Ethnic Groups in Canada: Prevalence, Composition and Generational Persistence Aspects. By Fernando Mata. Published by Metropolis British Columbia. 2011

The 2006 Canada Census shows that the prevalence of lone-parent families in Canada is disproportionately higher within visible minority populations. This familial trend is becoming more common in certain migrant communities and deserves greater attention, since there are a multitude of human rights and social inclusion issues that are closely tied with ethnicity and single parent statuses.

Educated, Employed and Equal

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:21:42 +0000

Educated, Employed and Equal: The Economic Prosperity Case for National Child Care. Published by YWCA Canada. 2011

Educated, Employed and Equal argues that a significant gap exists in social policy in Canada: the number of women participating in the workforce and graduating from university has grown substantially. However, these trends have not been matched by national policies or programs that support women so they can work and have children.

Reducing Disparities and Improving Population Health

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:11:57 +0000

Reducing Disparities and Improving Population Health: The role of a vibrant community sector by Audrey Danaher. Published by the Wellesley Institute, 2011.

Systemic health inequities pose a considerable challenge to population health. In wealthy countries such as Canada, a social gradient exists whereby the greater an individual�s income, level of education, and access to resources, the better their health. Studies have shown that Canada�s poorest neighborhoods experience a greater number of deaths, higher infant mortality rates, and greater levels of chronic disease in comparison to Canada�s wealthiest neighborhoods (Canadian Population Health Initiative, 2008).

Homelessness in Yellowknife: An Emerging Social Challenge

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:56:52 +0000

Homelessness in Yellowknife: An Emerging Social Challenge. Nick Falvo. Published by the Canadian Homelessness Network Research Press. 2011.
This report provides a brief overview of characteristics and potential causes of homelessness in Yellowknife. The report then outlines several programs to alleviate this social issue in the city. Finally, recommendations are given on policy affecting homelessness.

Enhanced Street Youth Surveillance

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 23:50:20 +0000

Enhanced Street Youth Surveillance: Edmonton site results 1999-2010. Published by Alberta Health Services. 2011.

The Enhanced Street Youth Surveillance (E-SYS) report aims to describe behaviors and environmental factors that affect the vulnerability of street involved youth (SIY) in contracting sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI). The ongoing program consists of five data collection cycles from 1999 to 2010 completed in seven major urban centres across Canada. This report covers the findings of the Edmonton site. The program intends to inform health promotion strategies by identifying gaps in STBBI prevention. Over the course of the surveillance, the determinants of health for SIY in Edmonton have remained significantly lower than the average youth population.

Transformative Writing Among Inner-City Adults

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:27:02 +0000

Transformative Writing Among Inner-Cty Adults : A Case Study Evaluation of the Open Roads, Life Learning Pilot Program. by Dianne Kristjansson, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives- Manitoba. 2011.

Transformative Writing among Inner-City Adults is a case study presented by Diane Kristjansson about a transformative writing and life leaning pilot project (Open Roads). The idea was to implement a transformative life writing model that Joanne Klassen introduced in 1998 in inner-city Winnipeg and to assess whether adult participants responded positively to a less competitive, community-centered approach to education. Interviews with participants, administrators and co-facilitators were conducted and showed an overwhelming positive response for the program along with a high participant completion rate. While obviously very successful, the study leaves the reader unconvinced of whether transformative learning or the caring, devoted teachers have yielded these excellent results.

No Room for New Families?

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:21:27 +0000

No Room for New Families? A Field Experiment Measuring Rental Discrimination against Same-Sex Couples and Single Parents. by Nathanael Lauster and Adam Easterbrook, University of British Columbia. 2011. Published in Social Problems (Vol. 58, No. 3, August 2011)

In this new study by Nathanael Lauster and Adam Easterbrook of UBC, the authors point out that �the dominance of marriage as the central relationship binding adults to families has been increasingly challenged by alternatives� and that �certain forms of new family households have become increasingly common�.

Towards Resiliency for Vulnerable Youth

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:11:46 +0000

Towards Resiliency for Vulnerable Youth: A United Way Report. United Way of Calgary and Area, April 2011.

The United Way�s report: Towards Resiliency for Vulnerable Youth looks into problems that youth face as they make the transition from youth to adulthood.

The Cost of Poverty in BC

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:04:05 +0000

The Cost of Poverty in BC by Iglika Ivanova. Co-published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives � BC Office, the Public Health Association of BC and the Social Planning and Research Council of BC.

Poverty is the result of circumstances in which an individual has fewer resources for food and shelter. People living in poverty are also more likely to suffer from illness, to become criminals or victims of crime, and economically inactive. According to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Canada�s poverty rate is higher than in other developed countries. According to Statistics Canada, the province with the highest poverty rate is British Columbia. Half a million people in the province (12% of the population) suffer from poverty, including single mothers, new immigrants, refuges, and disabled persons.

Unravelling Identities and Belonging

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 20:28:10 +0000

Unravelling Identities and Belonging: Criminal Gang Involvement of Youth from Immigrant Families, Prepared by Hieu Van Ngo, Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, in collaboration with the members of the Collaborative Inquiry Network, 2010.

Unravelling Identities and Belonging: Criminal Gang Involvement of Youth from Immigrant Families was overseen by Hieu Van Ngo, a University of Calgary graduate student pursuing doctoral studies in the Faculty of Social work. Using data gathered through one-on-one interviews with past members of criminal gangs in Calgary between 2009 and 2010, Ngo attempted to find common factors that explain why immigrant youth in the city are joining criminal gangs. Using this data as a foundation, a group collaborative inquiry network consisting of diverse stakeholders from the Calgary community was formed to develop a practical framework for supporting youth and preventing their disintegration from society.

The Experience of Homelessness Among Canadian Forces and Allied Forces Veterans

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 19:35:35 +0000

The Experience of Homelessness Among Canadian Forces and Allied Forces Veterans, Susan L. Ray and Cheryl Forchuk (University of Western Ontario), 2011.

This report, funded by the Homeless Partnering Secretariat (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada), seeks to redress the knowledge gap that exists regarding homelessness among Canadian Forces and Allied Forces veterans. While the study references some literature regarding research completed in other countries, this study represents the first national study on the subject in Canada.

Resetting the Table

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:15:21 +0000

Resetting the Table: A People's Food Policy for Canada, People's Food Policy Project, 2011.

Food insecurity is a growing concern in Canada. Close to two and a half million Canadians struggle to put food on the table each day and one in four Canadians are obese. It is widely recognized that systemic adjustments to the food system are needed to address these problems. However, Canada does not have a national food policy in place that would help us achieve this goal.

Making Research Matter

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:28:56 +0000

Making Research Matter: A Progress Report on Calgary�s Research Agenda to End Homelessness.

A report by the Calgary Homeless Foundation. May 2011.

Calgary�s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness (10 Year Plan) was released in 2007 by Calgary�s Committee to End Homelessness. The goal of this plan, which is being implemented by the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), is to provide all homeless Calgarians with safe and affordable housing by January 2018. The strategy will also contain resources and supports to sustain this housing program.

�Canada Speaks�

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:22:56 +0000

�Canada Speaks� - Exposing Persistent Myths About the 150,000 Canadians Living on the Streets.

A report from Salvation Army�s Dignity Project. May 2011

This report contains the results of an online survey of more than 1,000 Canadians that attempted to learn more about public attitudes towards homeless people in Canada. It suggests that Canadians are divided over their attitudes towards individuals experiencing homelessness. Many believe that homeless people deserve dignity and that housing is a fundamental right for all Canadians. However, a significant minority believe that homeless people are to blame for their situation and that a good work ethic is all that's needed to escape homelessness. Over 150,000 homeless people are currently living in cities across Canada.

Making Toronto Safer

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:36:11 +0000

Making Toronto Safer: A Cost Benefit Analysis of Transitional Housing Supports for Men Leaving Incarceration.

By Open Policy and Chronicle Analytics, John Stapleton, Brendan Pooran and Rene Doucet

Commissioned by the John Howard Society of Toronto and Toronto Community Foundation. April 2011

In 2010, the John Howard Society of Toronto commissioned a cost benefit analysis on transitional housing supports (THS) for prisoners transitioning from incarceration to living in the community. Researchers wanted to see if there were any significant financial and social benefits to be gained from THS. It found that THS provide support to ex-prisoners and the community at large, while also helping government save money and assisting the local economy.

Points of Light

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:26:44 +0000

Points of Light: the state of the Alberta Nonprofit Sector. Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, 2011.

Points of Lights: the state of the Alberta Nonprofit Sector is based on research and an online survey conducted by the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO). This report provides policymakers and stakeholders in Alberta�s nonprofit sector a summary of findings from the State of the Alberta Nonprofit Sector Survey. The survey consisted of 954 respondents and reviews several key features of the sector, its current status and its future outlook.

Living wage: an introduction

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:03:45 +0000

Living Wage: an introduction. Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination, June 2011.

This report from the Guelph and Wellington Task Force for Poverty Elimination draws attention to the issue of a living wage.   �Living wage� refers to an economic policy designed to alleviate the social problem of chronic poverty by providing workers with an adequate wage to maintain an acceptable standard of living.   According to The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), many Canadian families are having a hard time making ends meet despite working long hours. Furthermore, low income families are hardest hit by poverty.

Health Determinants for First Nations in Alberta

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:37:59 +0000

Health Determinants for First Nations in Alberta. Health Canada, 2010.

Health Determinants for First Nations in Alberta is a report prepared by Health Canada which looks to quantify various health indicators of Alberta�s First Nation communities. It examines statistics such as population demographics, leading causes of death, and education achievement in addition to soft measures such as self-reported satisfaction with health care services to attempt to identify how policies can be structured to improve health care for First Nations in the most effective way. The report argues that while health in First Nations communities is poorer than it is in the general population, the observed indicators show that it is improving.

Population Health Intervention Research Casebook

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:03:26 +0000

Population Health Intervention Research Casebook, Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2011.

One of the goals of Public Health in Canada is to reduce health inequities. Population intervention research is one such method used to achieve this goal. Population health intervention research examines the impacts of policies, programs, and resource distribution approaches on the health of whole populations. This research review examines the Institute of Population and Public Health and the Canadian Population Health Initiatives document, �Population Health Intervention Research Casebook�.

The casebook provides a summary commentary on eight population intervention research projects carried out in Canada. The goals of the casebook are to showcase the experiences of those researching or working to address population health issues.

Canada�s Colour Coded Labour Market: the gap for racialized workers

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:15:18 +0000

Canada�s Colour Coded Labour Market: the gap for racialized workers. The Wellesley Institute and Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives. Sheila Block and Grace-Edward Galabuzi, March 2011.

Based on 2006 Canadian Census data, this report looks at work and income trends among racialized and non-racialized Canadians during the heyday of economic boom. According to the report, racialized Canadians encounter a persistent colour code that blocks them from the best paying jobs the country has to offer. And even at the best of times, racialized Canadians earned only 81.4 cents for every dollar paid to non-racialized Canadians.

The financial knowledge of Canadians

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:11:04 +0000

The financial knowledge of Canadians. Leslie-Anne Keown, Statistics Canada, March 2011.

In 2009, the first nation-wide assessment of Canadians� financial knowledge was conducted by Statistics Canada. Financial knowledge is the awareness an individual has of the financial options available to them and how they chose to use their options. Some non-Canadian contexts have shown that the level of an individual�s financial knowledge can �influence their capacity to buy a home, retire comfortably or support their children�s postsecondary education�.

CCVO Economic Climate Survey of Alberta�s Nonprofits and Charities

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:03:46 +0000

CCVO Economic Climate Survey of Non Profit Organizations and Charities. Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, April 2011.

For people who either are involved with or interested in Alberta�s non profit sector, the annual Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO) climate report gives reason to be optimistic. Circumstances are improving for the non profit sector.

National Report Card 2010: Inclusion of Canadians with Intellectual Disabilities

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:39:34 +0000

National Report Card 2010: Inclusion of Canadians with Intellectual Disabilities. Canadian Association for Community Living, 2010.

The Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) has set a vision for Canada to be fully inclusive and accessible for those with disabilities by 2020. To this end, CACL has adopted 10 objectives to guide Canadians and our governments in building a more inclusive Canada. Every year since 2007, CACL has issued a report card which addresses progress in all 10 objectives.

The 2010 Report Card presents data on three of these objectives: Inclusive Education, Supporting Families and Disability Supports.

Childhood immigration and acculturation in Canada

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:10:20 +0000

Childhood Immigration and Acculturation in Canada. Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development, 2011.

The face of the Canadian immigration landscape has changed dramatically over the last twenty years. While new immigrants used to come almost exclusively from Europe, Canada now accepts almost 60% of its total immigrants from Asia and the Middle East. Furthermore, the proportion of foreign-born residents has increased to nearly 1 in 5.

This report attempts to identify some overlooked variables in immigration studies and highlight areas that previous research on immigration has failed to address. It proceeds by asking two questions. Firstly, are immigrant children at elevated risk for mental health problems relative to non-immigrant children? Secondly, what individual and contextual factors influence mental health problems among immigrant children?

Reducing Pollution, Creating Jobs

Thu, 12 May 2011 17:11:10 +0000

Reducing Pollution, Creating Jobs. Clare Demerse, The Pembina Institute, March 2011.

When estimating the number of green jobs either currently in the work-force or created by policy changes there is often a problem with the definition of �green jobs�. One description of green jobs can lead to staggeringly high numbers of green workers while another indicates that only a very small portion of our nation�s economy is truly green.

Green Pathways Out of Poverty

Wed, 11 May 2011 19:33:06 +0000

Green Pathways Out of Poverty: Work force Development Iniatives. By Green For All, 2009.

Green economy, green jobs�these are convenient buzz words in today�s society. However, to low income earners, these words have a deeper meaning.   A green economy translates into financial and employment stability. Green jobs can provide low income earners with opportunities they may not have been given otherwise.

Barrier Free Health and Medical Services in Alberta

Wed, 11 May 2011 18:56:31 +0000

Barrier-Free Health and Medical Services in Alberta: Understanding the Needs of Albertans with Disabilities, Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities, April 2011.

Barrier Free Health and Medical Services in Alberta is a summary report of a large community-based project under the direction of the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities (ACCD). The project was funded in part by the Human Rights Education and Multiculturalism Fund. The main theme for this report is, �the quality of perceived and received primary care depends on access issues like transportation, office design, ability to use the washroom, making appointments, time spent with medical professionals, and knowledge and expertise of health care and medical professionals when delivering services� (page 22).

Persistent Poverty

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:17:05 +0000

Persistent Poverty: voices from the margins. Jamie Swift, Brice Balmer & Mira Dineen, Between the Lines, 2010.

In 2010, the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC) conducted a social audit across twenty-four communities throughout Ontario. Following the United Nations human rapporteur model, ISARC invited low-income Ontarians to share their stories about the experience of poverty with a view to exploring the social and community consequences of Ontario�s changing rules and legislation around poverty. This book gathers these testimonies together by topic and offers analysis in an attempt to answer the question, �Does the legislation yield the expected results?�

Based on the accounts presented, the answer must be a resounding, �No�.

Rebuilding Professional Lives

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:07:48 +0000

Rebuilding Professional Lives: Immigrant Professionals Working in the Ontario Settlement Sector. Adnan T�reg�n, CERIS - The Ontario Metropolis Centre, 2011.

This study looks at how some foreign-born and foreign-trained professionals in Ontario have acquired a new post-immigration profession in the form of settlement work, after not being able to practice their respective pre-immigration professions. The study explores the professionals� pre-immigration education and work history, reasons for migrating to Canada, expectations they had about coming to Canada, choices they made about pursuing professional practice, efforts they put towards that or some alternative goal, and their eventual professional reconstitution as settlement workers.

Housing and Harm Reduction

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:48:10 +0000

Housing and Harm Reduction: A Policy Framework for Greater Victoria. Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, 2011.

A look at similarities between Edmonton and Greater Victoria�s housing problems and recommended solutions.

Health Equity Impact Assessment: a Primer

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:11:34 +0000

Health Equity Impact Assessment: a Primer. By Rebecca Harber, Wellesley Institute.

This report explores Health Equity Impact Assessment (HEIA) as a promising tool for equity-focused planning. The author notes that inequalities in health remain pervasive in Ontario and world wide. While acknowledging that the roots of these disparities lie in social determinants of health, she suggests that the health system can either mediate the impact of these root causes of ill health or serve to widen health disparities if access and quality of healthcare are not equitable.

HEIA is a tool used to analyze a new program or policy�s potential impact on health disparities and/or on health disadvantaged populations. It is an adaptation of the more well known Health Impact Assessment (HIA), with an explicit focus on equity.

The dignity project

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:00:06 +0000

The dignity project: debunking myths about poverty in Canada. The Salvation Army, January 2011.

When it comes to poverty, there is no immunity. Poverty affects many nations and Canada is no exception. The Salvation Army�s Dignity Project report addresses poverty on a Canadian scale. The Dignity Project looks at common misconceptions that many Canadians hold in regards to poverty and debunks them through current evidence.

Hunger Crisis

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:05:49 +0000

Hunger Crisis: Report of the Hunger Inquiry. Report from the Recession Relief Coalition, 2011.

Did you know that every month over 80 000 people become new clients of Canadian food banks? In March 2010, 867, 948 people accessed a food bank in Canada. Moreover, this number likely grossly underestimates the number of men, women, and children that go hungry every day.

On November 23, 2010, the Recession Relief Coalition (RRC), a Toronto-based group of organizations and individuals concerned about the impact of the recession on Canada�s most vulnerable and marginalized residents, held a one day conference/inquiry in downtown Toronto. This diverse group, including people who have experienced hunger, researchers who study the social phenomena of hunger, and social service providers, came together to closely examine the issue of hunger and provide solutions to an issue that affects thousands of Canadians.

January 2011 Update of Calgary's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness 2008-2018

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:55:04 +0000

Review of Calgary's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, January 2011 Update. Calgary Homeless Foundation, January 2011.

In January of 2008, the Calgary Committee to End Homelessness began the implementation of Canada�s first 10-year Housing First-based model to eliminate homelessness. Named �Calgary�s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness�, the plan�s Phase 1 was put into action by the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) in partnership with private and public investors. With a focused and multi-sector funding and service delivery strategy, the Plan has benefitted over 2,300 Calgarians over the past three years (the original plan can be found here). The Plan has now been adjusted with the intention of providing the most relevant and effective services possible for the next seven years.

Panhandling: a street study

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 22:49:43 +0000

Panhandling: a street study. Boyle Street Community Services, October 2010.

Chances are that, if you have ever walked down the street in downtown Edmonton, you�ve had an experience with a panhandler. Panhandlers are often perceived as being lazy, addicts or homeless by choice. It becomes very easy to form this bias when we have never lived in their shoes or taken the time to understand why they have ended up where they are.

How are the Children of Visible Minority Immigrants Doing in the Canadian Labour Market?

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:18:41 +0000

How are the Children of Visible Minority Immigrants Doing in the Canadian Labour Market? Report by Patrick Grady, Global Economics Ltd., 2011.

Canada is known to have an open immigration policy, but alarming data from the 2006 Canadian Census suggests that not only does this policy have negative financial implications now, but since visible minorities are not integrating well into the Canadian labour market (even in their second generation) this fiscal burden may not ameliorate itself in the future.

Disability Policy in Alberta

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:52:43 +0000

Disability Policy in Alberta: An Initial Exploration of Transition Implications. A pilot study by the Institute for Nonprofit Studies, Mount Royal College, January 2009.

In Alberta, multiple distinct policies affect the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities for specific periods in their lives. The provincial government spends over $700 million annually to support nearly 24,000 individuals with developmental disabilities.

At the time of the research (2006-2008) at least four separate ministries had policies addressing individuals with developmental disabilities: Health and Wellness, Children�s Services, Learning, and Seniors and Community Supports. Between birth and eighteen years of age, persons with developmental disabilities will experience life-altering transitions at least three times as they move between policy envelopes. The resulting transitions cause tension, stress, and major challenges to the ultimate success of the individuals being served and their families. This pilot research project begins to look at the implications of these policy transition points on agencies, individuals, and their families.

Housing Vulnerability and Health: Canada�s Hidden Emergency

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 22:52:04 +0000

Housing Vulnerability and Health: Canada�s Hidden Emergency. A report on the Reach³ Health and Housing in Transition Study, November 2010.

In Canada, healthcare is something that we generally take for granted.

Few of us are concerned that we would not be able to see a doctor if we needed, if we would be able to rest and recover from a case of the flu, or whether or not buying medicine would mean we couldn�t pay the rent. Yet for the homeless and those so severely disenfranchised that they are at risk for becoming homeless, these are very real concerns. Housing Vulnerability and Health: Canada�s Hidden Emergency examines these issues. It draws upon a data set collected by surveying 1200 people in homeless shelters, meal programs, single occupancy hotels and rooming houses in 3 Canadian cities. The results are a fascinating, if disturbing, glimpse of both the medical concerns of this group, the barriers they face in getting the care they need, and the role housing plays in their struggle.

Reduced Poverty = Better Health for All

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:21:33 +0000

Reduced Poverty = Better Health for All. The 2010 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada: 1989 � 2010. A Report by Campaign 2000, November 2010.

The 2010 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty in Canada argues that poverty is a key health determinant and that reduced poverty leads to better health for all. This argument is based on previous extensive research focused on the relationship of poverty and health status which has shown that people with lower incomes consistently have worse health than people with higher incomes. Research has also shown that children living in low income families are more likely to encounter health-related problems than other children.

Report on Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:59:10 +0000

Report on Temporary Foreign Workers in Alberta: The findings from The Alberta Federation of Labour Round Table Discussion on Temporary Foreign Workers. Prepared by Alberta Federation of Labour, November 18, 2010.

The province of Alberta is a hotbed for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs). According to 2009 Statistics, Alberta alone has 65,748 TFWs. On a national scale, Alberta holds 23 percent of Canada�s TFWs. The number of TFWs in Alberta has grown by 5% since 2007, where the province held 18 percent of the national total.

The poor still pay more

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:31:03 +0000

The poor still pay more: Challenges low-income families face in consuming a nutritious diet. Report from the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity and Open Policy Ontario, 2010.

In 1967 David Caplovitz published a book entitled The Poor Pay More. In �The poor still pay more�, the authors argue that, decades later, the poor continue to �pay more� for a nutritious diet due to factors such as the need to spend more of their disposable income on nutritious food and the inaccessibility of fresh produce. While more than 375,000 Ontarians turned to food banks in 2009, this report argues that �food banks and community food initiatives are not a solution to hunger or poverty�.

In the Best Interests of Children and Families

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:49:48 +0000

In the Best Interests of Children and Families: a discussion of early childhood education and care in Alberta. Report by the Muttart Foundation, November 2010.

In the Best Interests of Children and Families suggests a way to reconcile Alberta�s currently disjointed and inefficient early childhood education system. In order to accomplish this, it first looks at facts about Albertan families (such as demographics and preferences) as well as facts about early childhood education (such as which elements make it effective). Then, it suggests a possible roadmap to lead us from our current situation to one where Albertan parents are satisfied with the services they receive.

Bottle Rocket Hearts

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 18:05:11 +0000

This is my third time reading Bottle Rocket Hearts, and each time I re-open the pages I�m struck by the way the characters come to life for me. Rather than summarize the plot myself, I�ll pull a few excerpts from the excellent Quill and Quire review:

Bottle Rocket Hearts, the first novel from former Montrealer Zoe Whittall, who now lives in Toronto, follows the life of Eve, a gay (though occasionally sexually omnivorous) young woman on the cusp of adulthood, as she negotiates life and love in Montreal in the mid-1990s.
The novel opens with Eve sitting in the waiting room at Montreal General Hospital, waiting for word about her girlfriend, Della, who may be having a mental breakdown. �Eve is angst-ridden and confused, struggling to define herself within the anglo-franco, straight-queer dichotomies of her city�

The Way We Green: White Paper

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 16:09:34 +0000

The Way We Green: White Paper
A discussion paper outlining the sustainability challenges facing Edmonton and suggested policy directions City of Edmonton, October 2010.

The White Paper is a report generated by the City of Edmonton to suggest policy directions for city planners, and to inform its citizens of the major aspects of The Way We Green (a plan to ensure Edmonton becomes a sustainable city). The report highlights 7 challenges facing city planners: energy and climate change, river water supply, food security, biodiversity, air quality, one planet living, and waste management. To prioritize these aspects of green planning, the White Paper uses public input and an assessment of the current state of affairs derived from 21 independent reports and a panel of 5 experts. Edmontonians and the project team agree that energy and climate change is the most important topic for the city to address, while air and water quality have been reasonably well maintained.

Alberta hate/bias crime report

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:03:53 +0000

Alberta Hate/Bias Crime Report
Published by the Alberta Hate Crimes Committee and the City of Calgary. June 2009. Prepared by: Dr. Valerie Pruegger, City of Calgary.

If someone were to ask, �Does the phenomena of hate crime really exist in Alberta?�, they may be surprised to learn that it does. In fact, hate crimes have caused enough concern in the province to warrant action to combat them. This report explores the nature of hate crime in communities across Alberta.

Hidden in Plain Sight: housing challenges of newcomers in Calgary

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:51:41 +0000

Review of Hidden in Plain Sight: housing challenges of newcomers in Calgary. Published by United Way of Calgary and Area, 2009.

Hidden in Plain sight presents key findings from a study of the housing challenges experienced by newcomers to Calgary. The analysis is drawn from the results of 292 survey responses, along with in-depth interviews conducted with 20 newcomers (who self-identify as having experienced housing issues) and 12 service providers from the homelessness, housing, immigration and settlement sectors. The findings and analyses are presented under 4 main headings:

The Flying Troutmans

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:26:46 +0000

Things aren�t working out for Hattie Troutman. Just when her Parisian boyfriend decides they need a break � he�s going to an ashram in India and insists they can continue to communicate telepathically � her niece Thebes calls from Manitoba to tell her that things are falling apart. Hattie�s sister Min has a bed waiting in a psych ward; 15-year-old Logan and 11-year-old Thebes have been fending for themselves as their world collapses around them.

Informal Employment

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:27:29 +0000

Informal Employment: Making a living in Calgary, Final Report by Cori Bender (Submitted to the Calgary Homeless Foundation, September 21, 2010)

This report, funded by the Calgary Homeless Foundation, contains the results and analysis of an ethnographic study into the complexities of informal employment - specifically panhandling and informal recycling (binning) - in the City of Calgary. During the study, the researcher engaged in approximately 125 hours of field research comprised of participating, observing and conducting in-depth interviews between May and August 2010. By focusing on the lived experience of informal recyclers and panhandlers, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the meaning of these informal employment activities in the lives of participants than statistics alone can provide.

Immigration: For Young Citizens

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:16:06 +0000

Immigration: For Young Citizens by Tom Kent, October 2010

In this commentary, published by the Caledon Institute of Social Policy, Tom Kent begins with the observation that �[i]mmigration to Canada is in chaos�. As one of the chief architects of postwar Canadian social policy, Kent is particularly qualified to provide insight into the historical context of current immigration policy. His commentary begins with the assertion that �[f]undamental changes are needed�.

Walk Edmonton: Steps to a Walkable City

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:12:59 +0000

Walk Edmonton, Steps to a Walkable City. Report by the City of Edmonton, Walkable Edmonton and Alberta Health Services, 2010.

It's hard to argue the benefits of walking as means of transportation. It provides exercise, costs nothing, and is environmentally friendly. Why are so few of us are willing to choose walking for our daily travels?

�Walk Edmonton; Steps to a Walkable City� attempts to answer this question. Walkability, as the report defines it, is the ease with which a person is able to use walking to fill their daily need for transportation. The report gives a broad analysis of how factors like neighborhood layout, safety, land usage, and proximity to retail and services can affect an individual�s decision to walk, and addresses what steps can be taken to improve walkability for Edmontonians.

Sofas, Shelters and Strangers

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:08:27 +0000

Sofas, Shelters and Strangers: A Report on Youth Homelessness in Niagara. A Report Prepared for the Niagara Region Community Services, September 2010. By Stephanie Baker Collins, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, McMaster University

With some estimates suggesting that youth represent one third of all shelter users (Homelessness in a Growing Economy: Canada�s 21st Century Paradox, G. Laird, 2007), the growing number of homeless youth in Canada makes youth homelessness a concern for every municipality.

Sofas, Shelters and Strangers focuses on key findings of a study on youth homelessness carried out by the Niagara Region Community Services (NRCS) in the Regional Municipality of Niagara between February 2009 and February 2010. The study included 40 homeless youth and 20 chronically homeless adults who became homeless when they were youths. It sought to find the causes and impacts of youth homelessness, to explore the connection between becoming homeless at a young age and later adult chronic homelessness, and to determine whether and how youth homelessness is different based on geographic location.

Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:47:09 +0000

We all like free publications, right? The Association of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research has a new online open-access peer review journal on the nonprofit sector.

From their website:

The Canadian Journal of Nonprofit and Social Economy Research / Revue canadienne de re�cherche sur les OSBL et l��conomie sociale (ANSERJ) is an online open access English and French peer-review publication. ANSERJ is dedicated to providing a stimulating and vibrant forum for the open dissemination of contemporary high-quality, peer-reviewed research on nonprofits and the social economy. This journal is intended to contribute to extending and linking the value of nonprofit and social economy research relationships across Canada and throughout the world. ANSERJ is multi-disciplinary, as well as interdisciplinary. High quality theoretically based, empirically grounded research and applied research from different perspectives is welcome to further the frontiers between theory and practice.

Visit www.anserj.ca for more information, or for access to the journal archives.

Working for a Living Wage

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 17:09:41 +0000

Working for a Living Wage : Making Paid Work Meet Basic Family Needs in Vancouver and Victoria
by: Tim Richards, Marcy Cohen, Seth Klein and Deborah Littman
Co Published by the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives, First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition, and the Community Social Planning Council of Greater Victoria. September 2008

and
Working for a living wage 2010: making paid work meet basic family needs in Metro Vancouver
by: Tim Richards, Marcy Cohen and Seth Klein
Published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC Office

     Working for a low wage, particularly when you are trying to raise a family, makes daily living difficult. Decisions are tough. Do families pay the rent, heat the house or buy food? When you work for a low wage, the possibility of making ends meet becomes a daunting task. According to these authors, the consequences of these decisions often lead to debt, anxiety and health issues. Furthermore, family and community time are affected as parents often have to work multiple jobs just to provide the basic necessities.

Green Jobs

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:57:00 +0000

Green Jobs: It�s time to build Alberta�s future
Author: David Thompson
Published by Greenpeace, Sierra Club Prairie, and the Alberta Federation of Labour

Morningstar: A Warrior's Spirit

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 19:48:30 +0000

by Morningstar Mercredi
Coteau Books, 2006

Morningstar: A Warrior�s Spirit is Morningstar Mercredi�s firsthand account of growing up in abuse and poverty and learning to deal with her past in order to move towards a healthier future. Despite a childhood that lacked stability and support, Morningstar turns her life around when she becomes a mother herself. As the publisher�s website points out, �the first part of this story is all too common, while the second is all too rare.�

Homelessness Conference in Edmonton

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 18:43:49 +0000

The Road Home conference will be taking place from November 15 to 17 in Edmonton. This event will include panel discussions on subjects including Housing First, research and policy, targeting specific populations, and innovative projects.

Complete information and registration is available on the Homeward Trust website. Registration closes on November 10.

The Spark: for Canadian Nonprofit Innovators

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:53:46 +0000

Collaboration and information sharing in the nonprofit community is vital, and The *Spark is a new online tool for doing just that.

As their website says,

The *Spark is the online community outreach, dialogue, and resource centre for the Canadian Nonprofit Innovators Network. We wish to link people, ideas, and tools, overcome communication barriers, and share stories in order to develop innovative practices in the nonprofit sector.

Visit www.sparkinginnovation.ca for more information!

Defining and Measuring Elder Abuse and Neglect

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 19:31:17 +0000

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada is funding the two-year initiative, Defining and Measuring Elder Abuse and Neglect - Preparatory Work Required to Measure the Prevalence of Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults in Canada.

From the Public Health Agency of Canada's Elder September 2010 Abuse E-Bulletin:

This project is being led by a multidisciplinary team assembled under the auspices of the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE) . The team recently completed drafting definitions of elder abuse and neglect as part of the first phase of the research. These draft definitions generated considerable interest from a number of countries when they were presented at the International Federation of Aging (IFA) Conference (May 3-6, 2010) in Melbourne, Australia. On June 3-4, 2010, NICE organized a follow-up workshop to obtain additional input and to establish a preliminary consensus on the definitions among key researchers and stakeholders. As a next step, NICE will undertake the development of surveys and questions that will be tested by focus groups.

For more information, read about the project on the NICE (National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly) website.

Household Food Insecurity in Canada

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 15:44:44 +0000

Great resources from the Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion (ONPP) at Health Canada: new surveillance information on household food insecurity in Canada.

Check out the website for statistics on household food insecurity in Canada, including data collected up to 2008, as well as resources on food insecurity measurement.

View the Household Food Insecurity in Canada web page here.

Thanks to Canadian Social Research Links for the tip!

New Website: ALLIES

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:29:20 +0000

ALLIES - Assisting Local Leaders with Immigrant Employment Strategies - has launched a new website to share resources and strategies for helping immigrants find employment.

From the ALLIES website:

ALLIES is a project jointly funded by Maytree and The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. ALLIES supports local efforts in Canadian cities to successfully adapt and implement programs that further the suitable employment of skilled immigrants. Through a series of multi-stakeholder initiatives, ALLIES and local partners contribute to building a stronger Canada by using the talents, connections and experience of skilled immigrants who have made Canada their new home.

From the Maytree newsletter:

Aimed at immigrant employment councils, employers and government, this new site has a wealth of resources such as videos, research papers, and examples of good practices to keep you up to date on immigrant employment solutions from across Canada.

Access toolkits to learn from successful programs or find a coach to walk you through the ins and outs of setting up and operating effective programs.

You will also find materials from our Learning Exchanges, including audio and video files featuring speakers such as Gord Nixon, Naomi Alboim and Don Drummond.

Visit the website at www.alliescanada.ca

Read more about the ALLIES initiative on the Maytree website.

The Amazing Absorbing Boy

Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:51:14 +0000

Our discussion focused heavily on the element of storytelling in this book. Maharaj is an engaging storyteller, and each of his characters has a great tale to tell. Strange personalities make their entrances and exits into Samuel�s life, each adding a colourful story.

While Samuel seems to be an appealing young man and makes acquaintances easily, none of his relationships seem to be long-term. He sees the world by constantly exploring new parts of his city, but he doesn�t interact in meaningful ways or build lasting connections. None of his new friendships become stable. We reflected on the fact that people can easily move to Canada and live here for an extensive length of time but not be embraced by society. We wondered about the people we see and acknowledge every day � in the stores we frequent or on the streets we live on � that have come here from other countries. Talking about these people makes us more aware of the immigrants around us that we never really notice.

We marveled at the resilience of Samuel and other immigrants in The Amazing Aborbing Boy. They manage to figure out the system � paperwork, lineups, and red tape � with little or no help. They survive by tapping into social services and taking advantage of community resources like libraries and ESL classes. And they build networks to look out for each other and support their fellow newcomers. Regent Park becomes an important new community for Samuel as he comes under the wing of this network, finding a new �family� in his new country.

Read more on Rabindranath Maharaj's website.

Study on the Needs of Kinship Caregivers: take part now!

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:57:48 +0000

From the Centres of Excellence for Children's Well-being:

The Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare (CECW) in collaboration with the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, is conducting an investigation of the availability and types of supporting services in Canada that best address some of the major issues faced by kinship caregivers and their families.

The CECW is conducting an online survey of agencies that support kinship care services. Consider taking part in this survey to share your knowledge and professional experience with the broader social service community!

Take part in the survey online

Immigrant and Refugee Youth Study

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:50:17 +0000

Marian Rossiter, an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta, is conducting a study of immigrant and refugee youth who arrived in Canada between the ages of 12 and 20 and who have become leaders and role models for youth in their communities.

She would like to know what helped these individuals to adjust to life in Edmonton. She would also like their suggestions for new or improved services that would help newcomer youth to settle more quickly and successfully into our community.

Youth who are chosen for this study must:

be immigrants or refugees;

be currently aged 18-24 years;

have arrived in Edmonton between the ages of 12 and 20; and

have demonstrated leadership in the community.

Ten male and female participants will be selected from a range of ethnic backgrounds. They will be asked to participate in an individual interview (1-1.5 hours in length) in Summer/Fall 2010, and they will receive a small payment for their participation and time. Participation in this study is confidential � participants� names will not be used in the analysis, presentation, or publication of the research.

If you can recommend youth who are interested in participating in this study, please contact Marian. If you have any questions about the project, please contact her. The plan for this study has been approved by the Faculties of Education, Extension, and Augustana Research Ethics Board at the University of Alberta.

For more information contact:
Marian Rossiter, PhD
Associate Professor and Coordinator
Teaching English as a Second Language Program
Department of Educational Psychology
6-102 Education North
University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB T6G 2G5
Telephone (780) 492-5478
Fax (780) 492-1318

Reducing Lone-Parent Poverty

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:45:15 +0000

Reducing Lone-Parent Poverty: A Canadian Success Story, by John Richards. Released June 2010 in the C. D. Howe Institute Commentary no. 305.

From 1996 to 2007, the poverty rate among Canadian lone-parent families dropped by more than half�from 50 per cent to 20 per cent.

John Richards attributes this amazing success to an increase in employment, and hence income, in these families. He asks the question: what did federal and provincial social policy get right? His analysis points to first, the adoption of more restricted access to social assistance (welfare-to-work) for employable persons by provincial governments in the mid-90s, and, second, initiatives, particularly the National Child Benefit (NCB), that increased support for low-income families. He also concludes that Canada�s economic prosperity during the reference years contributed to the decrease in poverty in lone-parent families, but to a lesser degree than social policy changes.

Richards also discusses several reasons governments should pursue welfare-to-work policies, including: independence from regulations involved with government transfers; the role model effect of working parents on children; potential reduction in the incidence of lifestyle diseases; and potential reduction in rates of depression and suicide.

However, although lone-parent poverty rates declined, �the trends in overall poverty are less optimistic.� Richards notes that the change in this was �unexceptional in international terms� from 1976 to 2007 and that Canada�s poverty rate remains �well above� the OECD average.

Richards concludes with the observation that the further effectiveness of welfare-to-work policies to reduce poverty is limited. Governments will need to adopt complex policies that deal with the challenges presented by people with disabilities or addictions, the homeless or the poorly educated. In this section Richards shows an understanding that poverty is the result of multiple factors, and that there is no single solution.

Unfortunately, the rest of Richards� analysis has limitations He looks at policy changes and the effect of economic prosperity on poverty, but he does not look at the demographic characteristics of lone-parent families. The Statistics Canada report �Education and income of lone parents� (Diane Galarneau, Perspectives in Labour and Income, December 2005, vol. 6, no. 12) notes that between 1981 and 2001, female lone-parent families (the majority of these families are headed by women) decreased in size, and in 2001, female lone parents were generally older, better educated and earned more than in 1981. These trends may have continued through to 2007

And, while he points out the social benefits of welfare-to-work programs, these are difficult to measure, demonstrate success in and trace to one or two policies. They also seem tangential to the benefit many governments were pursuing�reducing costs.

In discussing the NCB, Richards notes that it acted as a negative tax system, with a threshold for clawing back social assistance payments set above $20,000 in family income. Provinces reduced welfare payments to offset the NCB payments. The system allowed families to exit welfare programs at lower income levels. However, to this reader, this sounds like a transfer of responsibility for income assistance to the federal government. The number of people on welfare rolls would go down, but would poverty levels?

Richards� start point for his analysis is also interesting. 1996 was the peak year for overall poverty and female lone-parent poverty in Canada. The female lone-parent poverty rate in 1996 was 56.0%; in 1995 it was 50.6% and in 1997, 51.2 % (Statistics Canada, Persons in Low Income After Tax, Summary Tables). Start and end points can make a significant difference in results and need to be carefully chosen and explained.


Richards himself acknowledges that the overall poverty rate has changed little. So, there was a substantial decrease in the proportion of poor lone-parent families in our population, but not in the proportion of poor. Why?

Richards ends, in an appendix, by introducing a question that deserves public discussion�how to best measure poverty. Existing measures include: 1) Low Income Cutoff (LICO) thresholds�the income, adjusted for family size and community, at which a household spends 20 percentage points more of their after-tax income on necessities than the average household; 2) the Low Income Measure (LIM) thresholds�half the median after-tax income, adjusted for family size; and 3) the Market Basket Measure (MBM)�the cost of a list of essentials for a family of four. Each measure has merits and disadvantages, which Richards explores. He makes his preference clear�the LIM with adjustments to reflect regional price differences. A reader may or may not agree with this preference, but Richards� analysis is thoughtful. Discussion would help clarify what Canadians view as poverty, which would inform and guide social policy choices by government�and a definition of success in poverty reduction.

Review by Janet Harding

Girlfriend in a Coma

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:02:13 +0000

Douglas Coupland, 1998

While a well-recognized Canadian author, Douglas Coupland has a polarizing effect on some readers. I�ll be honest and admit straight up that I�m a fan, but I�m willing to take flak from readers who couldn�t make it through Girlfriend in a Coma. Coupland takes us for some pretty incredible plot twists and turns to arrive at his final destination.

Girlfriend in a Coma tells the story of a group of friends in North Vancouver. It follows them as they finish high school and over the next two decades, well into their adult lives. At the outset, football-playing Jared succumbs to leukemia. He returns as a prophetic ghost in the final section of the book. Karen, the girlfriend of the book�s title, falls into a coma after mixing crash dieting with prescription drugs. The remaining characters try to figure out what to do with their lives, going on to university, careers, drug addictions, and parenthood.

As we talked about these characters � the brilliant doctor, the electrician who becomes a homeless wanderer, the drug-addicted supermodel � we realized that they�re all, for lack of a better word, losers. They all go out into life with great ambition but just can�t seem to get it together. Ultimately they end up living back with their parents or just around the corner in the North Vancouver neighbourhood they all grew up in. We realized that we all know people like this; we might even fit this description ourselves sometimes. Douglas Coupland does a great job of setting up a situation we can relate to.

And then things go awry. Seventeen years into her coma, Karen wakes up. She�s astounded to see how much � or, how little � her friends have made of their lives. Shortly after her re-entry into civilization, the world more or less comes to an end. Everyone in the world falls asleep, except for the novel�s main characters. Natural disasters ensue. Infrastructure collapses. The solitary North Vancouver survivors subsist on supermarket plunder until Jared � the aforementioned deceased classmate � reappears and tries to help them fix things. He heals their blindness and other physical afflictions and removes their drug addictions. He gives them everything they need to start a new life for themselves, but they continue to pass their time squabbling over VHS tapes looted from the local video store.

While it�s easy to get frustrated with this tunnel vision, the temptation to sink into apathy in the midst of turmoil is pretty common. We realized that the characters in this novel don�t have any kind of cause to get behind. Jared asks Karen what big changes she sees after being asleep for seventeen years. She replies that the biggest difference is �A lack�A lack of convictions�of beliefs, or wisdom, or even of good old badness. No sorrow; no nothing. People�the people I knew�when I came back they only, well, existed.� Even when faced with a million potential causes � a million problems to fix � these people don�t know where to start. Sometimes it�s hard to see the big picture when we�re in the middle of something, and we won�t work for change unless we have a threat hanging over our head.

At this point, Jared provides a threat. These last people on earth are given a choice: they can continue as they are, with nuclear holocaust-like weather conditions and an unpredictable supply of canned tuna. Or, they can go back to the last day when the world was �normal� on one condition: it is their duty to wake everyone up to the problems in the world. Jared tells them that they�ll have to spend the rest of their lives searching for answers, asking questions, and challenging �dead and thoughtless beliefs�. He explains that �in [their] old lives [they] had nothing to live for. Now [they] do.� He commands them to �go clear the land for a new culture�if you�re not plotting every moment boiling the carcass of the old order�then you�re wasting your day.�

The catch in all this is that, to gain a second chance and a new purpose in life, Karen will go back into her coma. To become fully awake, one of them must go back to sleep.

The solution Jared offers led us to talk about our own society�s willingness to ask questions and to get behind causes. Do we have causes today? Are we willing to get behind big issues, or is the population more complacent than it has been in past decades? Are we giving our time as volunteers because we care deeply about issues? Are we giving our time as volunteers at all? Is society today as supportive of those who choose an alternative lifestyle as a means of protesting existing norms?

People still feel a call to do something meaningful on some scale, but we often feel disconnected from the means that allow us to enact this. Douglas Coupland challenges us to ask �why� as a lifelong battle, not just for ourselves but for the future of humanity.

Book Club summary by Jennifer Hoyer

Now Available: Environmental Impacts of the Tar Sands Industry in Northeastern Alberta: A Database

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:59:27 +0000

This new publicly available database is being called "an important contribution to the public availability of a searchable database of thousands of pollution-related 'incidents' in the tar sands."

Global Forest Watch has made this database available for download from their website - it's not publicly searchable, but you can set it up on your own computer. It contains information relevant to both researchers and the concerned public.

From the backgrounder:
Greenpeace, Sierra Club Prairie, Keepers of the Athabasca and Global Forest Watch Canada today released databases compiled by prominent scientist Dr. Kevin Timoney, one with more than 6,500 incidents, regarding tar sands operations that raise serious concerns about how companies are allowed to operate in this province by the Alberta government. (July 30, 2010)

Read the full backgrounder | Download the database from globalforestwatch[dot]ca

Wood Buffalo Domestic Abuse Asset Map

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:47:36 +0000

A new initiative from the Fort McMurray Family Crisis Society: creating an asset map of all resources for domestic abuse within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. They're currently conducting a survey of existing services, with the intent to evaluate the current status of programs to address this issue in their region.

To read a letter from the Fort McMurray Family Crisis Society about the project, click here. Read more on the Wood Buffalo Nonprofit Sector Link website.

Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare Kinship Care Survey

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:21:28 +0000

The Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare (CECW) / Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal (CWRP) and the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto are conducting a survey on kinship care in Canada. If you work in an agency that provides kinship support services, please consider taking part in this valuable research! The online survey is available until August 31, 2010.

From the website:
The Centre of Excellence for Child Welfare (CECW) in collaboration with the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto, is conducting an investigation of the availability and types of supporting services in Canada that best address some of the major issues faced by kinship caregivers and their families. This online survey is intended to determine the types of kinship support services your agency provides, as well as the circumstances under which the services are available.

To read more about this research, or to complete the survey, click here.

Visit the homepage of the Canadian Child Welfare Research Portal.

A Poverty Reduction Approach to Improving the Health and Well-Being of First Nation Communities

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:05:16 +0000

Leading academic researchers from across Canada and the United States recently received funding approval from the Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health, a branch of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, to conduct an intervention research project aimed at developing long-term strategies to improve community health and well-being in First Nations communities.

From the news release:
"The single greatest challenge that we collectively face is finding solutions that will make poverty history for all Canadians, no matter where they live," said National Chief Atleo. "We know First Nation communities face a unique set of circumstances that require unique and innovative solutions. The Experts Panel that will carry out this research project will provide leading edge information on the way forward. This is the kind of expertise we need to bring new approaches and new thinking to these complex issues which have held back First Nations and Canada for too long. This is important work for First Nations and all Canadians."

Read the full release here.

CRIAW launches FemNorthNet

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:46:50 +0000

The Feminist North Network (FemNorthNet) is a research alliance based at the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW). The project's goal is to look at the social and economic challenges that affect women in the North, especially those facing aboriginal populations. The initiative is run by researchers, advocates and community leaders, including researcher and policy analyst Jane Stinson of CRIAW, and is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Read more about FemNorthNet at the CRIAW website

iHuman Looks at High Risk Youth

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 21:07:37 +0000

High Risk Youth Uncensored: An Educational Exchange

From the iHuman website:

iHuman has partnered with university-based researchers, strategically positioned community-based workers, and a number of youth at risk in a collaborative research project called High Risk Youth Uncensored. The group is working together to develop a workshop series that will educate service providers (e.g., police officers, lawyers, and group home staff) on strategies and considerations for working with youth at risk.

Project partners include the University of Alberta, CS High Risk Unit, Criminal Defense Office, and The City of Edmonton.

Read more.

The Muttart Foundation: Give Your Advice!

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:54:28 +0000

The Muttart Foundation is reviewing their Regional Umbrellas initiative, a program designed to help the co-ordination of charities in ways that will provide them with greater capacity to be involved in policy issues.

As an initial step, they're looking for feedback on an initial report: MAKING IT WORK: Study of the Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector in Alberta, its Relations with Government, and the Feasibility and Desirability of a Sector Umbrella Organization

Visit the Muttart Foundation website to read more about this project and how you can give your input, or read the full report here.

Making Good Society

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:11:40 +0000

Making Good Society: Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in the UK and Ireland. Released March 2010 by the Carnegie UK Trust.

Life savings and jobs disappear due to apparent financial mismanagement and even crime. Climate change is affecting the world, but politicians and corporations seem to be slow to respond. Voter turnout nears historic lows in many places. To many, it appears that existing political and economic infrastructure is not working, or at least not working for the average person.

In the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, the Carnegie UK Trust set out to explore whether civil society could help address this challenge. �Every community hosts an extraordinary array of civil society activity including sports clubs, care for family members or local residents, homework clubs and support networks� (Foreword). Could civil society associations be strengthened in the UK and Ireland? Can people, through these associations, strengthen the ability of government, corporations and the associations themselves to meet not just financial and economic goals, but also the social and environment aspirations of individuals and the collective?

Making Good Society tackles these questions using a three-fold definition of civil society: the coming together of people for actions beyond the mandates of government or private businesses, the type of society we want to live in, and the places where people and organizations discuss common interests, find solutions to challenges or reconcile differences peacefully.

The Commission of Inquiry explored threats, opportunities and potential policies and practices to enhance the economic, environmental, media and democratic roles of civil society associations. In addition, it researched numerous examples of innovative approaches that have already been taken in all four areas. This makes the report an excellent resource for any organization or government.

The report provides suggestions for changes within civil associations and by government to facilitate �greater engagement by civil society associations in fields where they are now relatively marginal� (p.5). Many of those flow easily from present conditions, such as the call for organizations to ensure that their money-generating activities, whether charitable, environmental or educational, do not conflict with their primary goals. Some, like the recommendation for better measurement of growth that includes social and environmental factors, have been heard elsewhere. Others, such as the call to build greater diversity of business models, including cooperatives and social enterprises, hearken back to successes of the past. A few ideas, such as refashioning parliaments to allow more citizen involvement in dialogue and debate and mandatory corporate reporting of the social and environmental impacts of investments, are more radical.

Many of the suggestions, and the concept of greater involvement of civil organizations in the economy, media or political discussion, require significant change in public attitudes and political beliefs. For example, with regard to creating a low carbon economy, one of commission report noted the need to ��reorient people away from failed gratification through consumption to more rewarding lives based on stronger relationships and mutual support�� (p.70). Aside from the judgments and values inherent in this statement, it is a call for cultural change. Organizations (such as those listed in the report�s foreword) must be convinced that the actions proposed are the right, proper and beneficial things to do. The cultural shift must occur among large numbers of people and within the organizations that constitute the social, political and economic infrastructure of our society. The report is relatively quiet on this aspect of creating change, and on the time it takes.

Notwithstanding this criticism, the report contains concrete ideas to help civil society associations achieve their goals in areas as diverse as improved financial regulation, environmental responsiveness or political involvement by citizens. Governments will find emerging ideas they will likely need to respond to in the future. Corporations and financial managers will find a gentle reminder that financial matters affect people, the environment, the organizations they serve and society, and that civil society associations are increasingly aware of this.

That is the real strength of this report: it is a reminder that everything in the world is connected, and that the 20th century practice of isolating activities and sectors from one another does not reflect current reality. Readers may not agree with all the actions the commission advocates, but it is difficult to disagree with the call for all of us to recognize the integrated nature of our world and adjust our actions to reflect this integration.

Review by Janet Harding

Cellist of Sarajevo

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:56:38 +0000

Vintage Canada 2008

Steven Galloway�s The Cellist of Sarajevo introduces three main characters struggling to stay alive in war-torn Sarajevo. We follow them through the events of a few days and learn more about their lives as they reflect on their pasts. Dragan, a baker, spends most of the story navigating to his bakery and back while dodging bullets. Kenan, a father of two, carries empty bottles across the city to a water pipe where he can fill them to supply his family and an elderly neighbor for a few days. Arrow, the lone female character and the city�s most skilled sharp-shooter, is charged with protecting the cellist. These characters allow us a glimpse into the personal heart of war, making sure we don�t view events from a detached perspective.

The cellist who gives the novel its title has taken it upon himself to perform each afternoon at the site of a bomb blast that killed twenty-two innocent civilians who were waiting in line for bread. This is no small feat in a city rocked with shells and bullets. Each day his fellow citizens gather to listen and draw courage from his music and the living memorial he is creating. The cellist becomes a symbol of courage and of the pride that Sarajevans once had in their city.

We began our discussion with a reflection on the three major characters. Kenan�s fear and shame are tangible; he wishes he could provide adequately for his family and raise his children in a safe environment. He spends an entire day fetching water, a task that gives him purpose and makes him finally feel useful. Kenan is frustrated with his thankless neighbor and contemplates not volunteering to carry water for her, but his goodness and honesty leave him incapable of neglecting this act of kindness, despite his fear.

Arrow struggles to separate herself from the killing tasks she carries out every day. She refuses to answer to her real name, choosing instead a name that she can discard when her role as sniper is finished. We thought Arrow is a reminder that it�s impossible to experience war and tragedy without somehow being changed.

All the characters in the book deal with the war-torn reality around them quite practically: fetching extra bread from the bakery; carrying water strategically in roped-together bottles; choosing targets and hiding spots. They find beautiful things in the midst of disaster, walking down previously unexplored streets to avoid bombed-out intersections. They meet new people. They do good things � fetching water, delivering medicine � that they wouldn�t have felt compelled to otherwise. At the same time, they detach themselves emotionally by playing mental games: avoiding old friends; dreaming of ice cream and long walks through the city, imagining reading stories at the now-destroyed library.

At this point in our discussion we reflected on the conflicts or disasters in our own communities and the techniques we develop for avoiding them. While the characters in Steven Galloway�s novel are unable to physically escape the horrors around them, we can avoid driving through sections of town that are stricken with poverty. Our communities are structured such that we don�t have to see the abuse or violence that occurs in our neighbours� homes. As Kenan reflects,

�Buildings are eviscerated, burned, gutted, streetcars destroyed, roads and bridges blasted away, and you can see that, you can touch it and you can walk by it every day. But when people die they�re removed, taken to hospitals and graveyards, and before the bodies are healed or cold the spot where they were shattered is unrecognizable as a place where anything out of the ordinary happened. This is why the men on the hills are able to kill with impunity. If there were bodies in the streets, rotting where they fell, if the water from these taps didn�t wash away the blood and bone and skin, then maybe the men would be forced to stop, maybe they would want to stop.�

Kenan is wise to point out that it�s easier to kill people if you don�t have to see them. Perhaps we would deal with the problems in our society more rapidly if we had to look them in the face more often.

This is an excellent book to pick up if you�re looking for a quick read. It has well-developed characters, and the story is a strong affirmation of the power of music for any music lover. The Cellist of Sarajevo is also a learning experience. It gives a sense of what it�s like to be in a situation where you�re helpless. Steven Galloway presents a good dose of reality within the safe context of a great novel.

Unless

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:25:10 +0000

I always like to start off a conversation about any book be talking about the things we like best about the book. We agreed that in the case of Unless, Shields� simple writing style combined with deep, perceptive observations make for a captivating story. Comparisons were made to Jane Austen�s narrative style, which follows people going about their daily lives and finds beauty and truth in everyday experiences we can all share. Shields also does a great job of winding countless narratives into one novel; we had to flip back and forth through the book to find all the details of a single storyline, hidden among other characters and plot elements.

The characters in this book talk a lot about the concept of goodness, and we did in our discussion as well. The book doesn�t make any conclusions about what goodness actually is; each character offers their own definition. By sitting on a corner with her cardboard sign, is Norah searching for goodness, or is she trying to be good? Is she bringing goodness to a busy Toronto intersection? She has been traumatized and reacts by making this public protest on the street, but in reality her family is paying for her to stay in a nearby shelter. They visit her often and make sure she has warm clothes to wear while sitting on her street corner.

Reta Winters goes about her own search for the meaning of goodness through her novel writing. We thought that perhaps Reta is taking her insecurity about events in her own life out on the characters in her novel. Writing fiction provides her a means of escapism as well as a method for controlling the lives of others, even while she cannot control her own. Ultimately, Winters decides that her characters will �choose their own destiny�, so to speak. Does this signal the end of her attempt to control things in her own life as well? That�s not entirely clear.

We agreed that some of the best-written sections of the book are the letters Reta Winters writes but does not send. These witty, anger-filled missives are rants against men who refuse to acknowledge the place of women in society. Winters points out their failings with little subtlety. This is our chance as readers to view her at her most honest; it is often only in anger that we really let ourselves go. An otherwise controlled character voices her real opinion on men, life, family, and love. These snippets alone make the book worth reading.

Read this book if you�re looking for a relaxing summer escape, if you like trilobites and trombone players, or if you find yourself caught in a struggle to find the answers to life�s deepest questions. Unless won�t give you the answers, but it will point you to others who have found peace just by asking.

Review by Jennifer Hoyer

Underemployment and Unemployment within ethno-cultural communities in Edmonton

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:14:21 +0000

Underemployment and Unemployment within ethno-cultural communities in Edmonton: an Environmental Scan and Database. Report by the Multicultural Health Brokers Coop, December 2009.

(not available online � contact the ESPC library or the MHBC to read this report)

This report takes a look at barriers to employment faced by immigrants to Edmonton. It does this through the eyes of these immigrants by providing their perspectives as gathered in focus groups and surveys.
This report is based on quantitative and qualitative data from Edmonton�s ethnic communities. The data identifies several key issues in this group:

Unemployment for immigrants is more than seven times the provincial rate.

Trained professionals have difficulty gaining employment.

Non-native English speakers have more difficulty finding work than native English speakers.

Information about employment prior to immigration is inadequate.

Despite all these barriers, attitudes towards employment in Canada, once it is attained, are mostly favourable.

Some interesting observations can be made from the data compiled. Upgrading education after arrival in Canada does not guarantee employment; only 49% of individuals who upgraded reported that they were employed. Learning English after arriving to Canada also does not guarantee employment. Only 30% of those who worked on their English skills reported that they found employment, although this strategy appears to be the most effective one used by the majority of respondents in their search for employment.

The focus group participants identify several priorities for action for helping immigrants attain employment. Immigrants would like mentorship opportunities, professional associations that will do advocacy on their behalf, and better communication of relevant information.

Participant recommendations include suggestions of specific activities employers and the government could implement to reduce barriers.

They would like employers to focus on:

Job placement and mentorship programs

Human resources attraction processes

Information

Retention practices

They provide suggestions for the government in the areas of:

Assistance for new citizens

Collaboration and partnerships

Systemic supports

Policy

Immigrant participants also recognized the need for community based solutions and individual motivation.

Six strategic priorities are provided for the Alberta Government to align its programs with the �Foreign Qualification Recognition Plan for Alberta� and �Building and Educating Tomorrow�s Workforce�. These are:

Enhance ability of newcomers to obtain employment through occupation or industry specific employment services.

Increase opportunities for newcomers to obtain Canadian education.

Improve English skills of newcomers.

Educate newcomers about Canadian work cultures in specific industries and/or occupations.

Facilitate network building and information sharing.

Educate employers so that they are more open to employing immigrants.

The report authors identify several limitations to their data gathering. All data used in this project was self reported, and many of the survey questions could have been misinterpreted. No effort was made to attain a representative sample of immigrants in Edmonton, and results cannot be generalized to Alberta because the makeup of Edmonton�s immigrant community is different than that throughout the rest of the province.

The study�s results give an interesting and insightful breakdown of Edmonton�s immigrant community. Their possible inaccuracy due to limitations is regrettable, but the study�s findings are still useful. This data could also provide a starting point for future research in this area.

Read this report if you work with immigrants, if your organization has any potential to hire immigrants, or if you are involved in policy making and strategic planning with regards to immigrant programs.

Review by Jennifer Hoyer

Imagine Canada's Sector Monitor

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:59:47 +0000

Imagine Canada�s Sector Monitor

David Larsby and Cathy Barr, Imagine Canada

In late April 2010, Imagine Canada released Volume 1, Number 1 of a new publication: the Sector Monitor. They state in the introduction that the goal of this report is to �provide relevant and timely information on the issues facing the charitable and nonprofit sector.

The report is based on feedback received in surveys from charities and nonprofits across Canada. Based on this information, Imagine Canada has created a baseline measurement for tracking trends identified across the sector. Some of the trends highlighted in this report include:

Almost half of Canada�s charities are having difficulty fulfilling their mission because of the economic downturn.

22 percent of Canada�s charities admit that they are at risk of shutting down.

More than a quarter of leaders expect to have difficulty covering expenses within the next year.

Leaders of charities and nonprofits are optimistic that things will get better.

The report provides a breakdown of data between operating charities and foundations. Responses were used to create a measure of organizational stress, breaking data down further into categories of organizations experiencing high stress, some stress, and no stress.

Responses reveal an wide range of coping mechanisms across the sector, from increasing revenue to reducing benefits and increasing unpaid overtime. On the whole, organizations have attempted to maintain programs as much as possible.

The Sector Monitor promises to be great new thermometer for the health of the sector. The first issue provides timely information and easy to read summaries of key trends. Its success will rest on what information can be gleaned in future reports and how this data is used to track trends. Organizations interested in participating in the work of the Sector Monitor in the future can visit the Imagine Canada website.

Read this report if you are a leader of a nonprofit or charitable organization, or if you are interested in the impact of the economic recession on this sector.

Click here to read the Sector Monitor!

Review by Jennifer Hoyer

Economic Recessions and Homelessness

Mon, 31 May 2010 16:20:02 +0000

Nick Falvo points out that economic recessions take their toll on homelessness long after the first hit of the recession. In this paper from a presentation at the 44th Annual Conference of the Canadian Economics Association held May 28-30, 2010, he describes the traditional impact of economic recessions on homelessness. He also takes a more detailed look at the impact of the current recession on homelessness in Toronto.

Calm Before the Storm: The Great Recession�s Impact on Homelessness (PDF - 299K, 23 pages)
http://www.carleton.ca/3ci/3ci_files/Documents/Falvo_CEA_26may2010.pdf
By Nick Falvo, Carleton University
Paper Presentation to the
44th Annual Conference of the
Canadian Economics Association

Mending Canada's Frayed Social Safety Net: The Role of Municipal Governments

Wed, 12 May 2010 17:58:32 +0000

Municipalities Step in to Fill the Gaps: a review of Mending Canada's Frayed Social Safety Net: The Role of Municipal Governments. Report from Federation of Canadian Municipalities, 2010.

More and more people are falling through the cracks in Canada�s traditional social safety net. According to Basil Stewart, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), there are �more people on long waiting lists for affordable housing; making do with welfare payments that don�t cover all of their basic needs; and struggling to get work, find childcare or afford recreation programs.� This has lead to an increased homelessness and more working poor families.

The recent recession is to blame for this,combined with the federal and provincial retreat from social supports, which shift the social services burden to municipal governments. This is thoroughly discussed in a report released by the FCM further highlighting the limited municipal finances and resources to support the growing burden.

Municipalities provide many social services including social housing, emergency shelters, public transit, subsidized childcare, recreation programs, and libraries. The growing reliance on our municipalities has put a strain on them to fill the gaps in the fraying social safety net. However, the demand for social services is outpacing the municipal capacity to respond. The limited municipal resources and finances will inevitably result in difficult and unfavourable trade-offs.

The FCM report is the sixth theme report in a series of reports on quality of life issues and indicators in Canada�s urban communities. It discusses the growing need for social services in 24 urban communities that make up the Quality of Life Reporting System (QOLRS). Many interesting statistics are explored including incidence of low income families, unemployment rates, community affordability, households in core housing need, and social housing wait lists and wait times.

The main findings in the report relating to poverty, income inequality and vulnerability throughout Canada include the following:

Canada�s three largest municipalities have the highest proportion of

families with income below the Low Income Cut Off (LICO)

The gap between the rich and the poor is increasing

An increase in the number of working poor families in most QOLRS communities

An increase in unemployment rate across all QOLRS communities

While unemployment rates fell between 2001 and 2006, vulnerable

groups (immigrants, aboriginals, persons with activity difficulties/limitations, and female lone parents) continue to be less attached to the labour market and are more likely to have low incomes

Specific findings for the Edmonton area include the following:

A 126 percent unemployment rate increase, from 3.4 to 7.7 percent in

October 2008 and October 2009, exhibiting the greatest unemployment rate increase compared to other census metropolitan areas.

Edmonton appears to be the second largest percentage change increase

in number of employment insurance beneficiaries from 2008 to 2009.

Edmonton�s economic and population growth over the last five years

has led to a shortage of affordable housing. There is an estimated housing gap of 20,000 emergency, transitional, and long-term housing units, and approximately 20,000 affordable housing units are needed.

The City extended their capacity to deliver affordable recreational

programming by managing the local school board�s facilities for use after hours. This has lead to over 100,000 bookings a year.

In conclusion, the report urges municipalities to continue to work with their communities and urges upper level government to reconsider the retreat from social supports. It is important for all levels of government to respond to this growing problem in order to share in helping Canadians and their communities through difficult times.

Review by Darlene Paranaque

Homelessness in Calgary: Homelessness Management Information System

Tue, 04 May 2010 21:10:46 +0000

As part of their 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, Calgary is creating a Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) to pull together data and resources related to the issues. As described on the Calgary Homeless Foundation website, "The HMIS will be an electronic system that collects consistent information about Calgary's homeless population throughout the community of care. It is absolutely essential to the effective implementation of any 10 year plan to end homelessness."

Read more on the Calgary Homeless Foundation website.

This sounds like a great new resource to watch out for, and I'm sure other municipalities will want to learn from its implementation.

Visit the Calgary Homeless Foundation home page.

New Poverty Measures for the United States

Tue, 04 May 2010 20:59:12 +0000

The United States has been looking at new ways of measuring poverty. While they haven't discarded their old framework, a new one has been developed and is being used in tandem with the old measure. Watch for ongoing research in this area over the coming months.

A new report from the Center for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) gives details on the new Supplemental Income Poverty Measure.

From the news release:

This report proposes a new framework for measuring poverty and basic economic security in the United States. Instead of being limited to the �extremely-low-income-only� approach the current poverty line and administration�s proposed Supplemental Income Poverty Measure (SIPM) represent, this framework should utilize measures of low income and other forms of economic hardship related to low income.

Read the release and CEPR's corresponding article.

View the PDF

datadotgc.ca

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:32:55 +0000

Are you on a hunt for government data? Look no further than datadotgc.ca.

From their website:

Unlike the United States and Britain, Canada has no open data strategy. This must change. Canadians paid for the information gathered about our country, ourselves and our government. Free access to it could help stimulate our economy and enhance our democracy. In pursuit of this goal, this website is a citizen-led effort to promote open data and help share data that has already been liberated.

Check out a great article on this new website in This magazine.

Openparliament.ca

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:24:14 +0000

Openparliament.ca is keeping tabs on Canada's government for you! Check out this new website for easy access to parliamentary records. Search for information related to a specific topic or to your favourite Member of Parliament...it's all here.

For a great writeup on this new site, check out the article in This magazine.

South Simcoe Green Economic Transition Project

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:13:59 +0000

South Simcoe County, Ontario, has just launched the Green Economic Transition Project. The project will provide a centre for innovative research and training that will initiate, support and facilitate green community and business practices, ensuring a healthy and sustainable economy in rural South Simcoe.

For more information visit the project website and read their news release. You can also find out more on the ResearchImpact blog from their partners at York University.

Models of the Mind: Understanding Child Mental Health

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 20:09:26 +0000

The Frameworks Institute has put together a video based on their research on public perceptions of mental health. The video includes excerpts from interviews with the public, as well as conclusions the researchers came to about the implications of various public perceptions. They make several good points about the implications of certain public opinions for the support of public mental health services.

Watch the video here (you'll need to have QuickTime installed on your computer), or visit the Frameworks Institute homepage to find out more about their work.

Canada's Economic Crisis through the lens of the National Film Board

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:50:31 +0000

The National Film Board of Canada has launched the GDP project to take a different look at Canada's economic crisis. The GDP/NFB website combines the NFB�s expertise with the internet in a combination of short films and photo essays. It documents the economic crisis as it has played out in different communities and sectors across the country. To date the site features over 100 pieces of media.

Some of the themes explored are finance, farming, natural resources, labour, arts & media, real estate, community action, manufacturing, goods & services, and transport.

Take a look at the website at gdp.nfb.ca

Canadian Research Centres on Violence Prevention

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 22:28:32 +0000

The Canadian Government has announced $6 million to support three new research centres across Canada focused on violence and health.

The three centres are:

Centre for Intercultural Research on Prevention of Gender Violence: Dr. Neil Andersson of the University of Ottawa and his team of researchers will focus on migrating minorities through a novel approach that links Aboriginal and immigrant groups in cities with their home communities. They will look at the positive roles of parenting and cultural origins can play in preventing violence.

Centre for Research Development in Gender, Mental Health and Violence Across the Lifespan: Dr. Harriet MacMillan of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and her team will work closely with knowledge users and community members to develop strategies to prevent or reduce child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and subsequent mental health problems.

Centre for the Study of Gender, Social Inequities and Mental Health: Dr. Marina Morrow at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, and her team will use innovative research, knowledge exchange, and training activities to improve our understanding of why social disparities exist, and how they contribute to problems such as violence and addiction.

Read the press release here.

From the USA: Nonprofit Finance Fund Survey

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:15:34 +0000

The Nonprofit Finance Fund conducted a survey of American nonprofits to garner their opinions on whether 2010 will be more or less difficult financially than 2009. Their questions are interesting; click on the Full Survey Results for a complete idea of what is expected.

Will things look the same north of the border? What do you think?

Community Information Database

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:10:20 +0000

I haven't had the time to explore all the features on the Community Information Database, but it appears to be a great resource. For those of you with experience using the CID, feel free to share your opinions tips!

From their website:

The Community Information Database (CID) is a free internet-based resource developed to provide communities, researchers, and governments with access to consistent and reliable socio-economic and demographic data and information for all communities across Canada.

The CID was developed by the Government of Canada�s Rural Secretariat in collaboration with the provinces and territories, other government departments, and community groups.

The CID provides:

Access to over 500 pieces of data about your community or region, including: population, education, income, employment, families, and much more

An interactive map for displaying and accessing data

A tool for you to learn more about rural Canada
Thanks to Social Policy Caf� for pointing me to the CID.

Raising the Global Floor: adult labour rights around the world

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:10:25 +0000

McGill's Institute for Health and Social Policy has created www.RaisingtheGlobalFloor.org to serve as an information source on labour and work policy data around the globe.

From their website:

With the support of the Ford Foundation and the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Raising the Global Floor measures governmental performance around the world in meeting the needs of working women, men, and their families.

Good to a Fault

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:50:35 +0000

Marina Endicott�s Good to a Fault follows the story of Clara Purdy, a single middle-aged woman whose life changes drastically after a car accident with a family of six. Their car destroyed, this group of transients has no place to live. When illness complicates their lives, Clara welcomes them into her home and cares for them as her own family. She struggles with her motivation for this act of kindness; is she doing good in a spirit of generosity or out of her own selfishness? In the end, does it really matter?

If you�ve had a chance to read Good to a Fault, chances are good that you continued to think about the story after the last chapter was finished. In my opinion this is because the characters in the story are very dynamic; they get stuck in your mind. I began our discussion by asking everyone around the table who their favourite character was.

We all had different answers: the baby, because he�s the only character we don�t hate at some point; Mrs. Pell, for comic relief; Dolly, because of her unique escapism techniques. Clary was interesting to follow throughout the book because her character was so well developed. We struggled with Darwin � is he realistic or not? He is originally portrayed as detached and irresponsible, but when the tough times come he sticks around. He pulls people together when relationships break down. At the end of the story he almost seems stable; is that too hard to believe?

One of the greatest things author Marina Endicott does with her characters is set them up as a potential stereotype � deadbeat dad, priest, do-good spinster, grumpy grandma � and then break apart the neat little box we�d put them into. It turns out that the do-gooder can�t always see the right way, the deadbeat sometimes makes his way home, and the priest doesn�t always have the answers. These are the things that left us thinking about the novel after we finished it.

When Clary goes out of her way to take in the children left stranded by the accident, does she overstep the boundaries? We discussed how her tightly scheduled life made her unaware of other peoples� boundaries; when she goes out of her way to help in an extraordinary situation, she ends up reaching far beyond the bounds of what is expected and perhaps even acceptable. She ends up pushing too far, cutting herself off and exhausting her resources, but somehow things continue on even after she hits rock bottom.

By the end of the book we can see that Clary has learned a thing or two about boundaries. She pulls herself out of an unhealthy job situation, asserts herself in a budding relationship, and learns how to quietly rebuild relationships that have been destroyed. She doesn�t have a perfect handle on things yet, and we get to watch her struggle to define her own boundaries and recognize those of others.

This book made us think about class struggles. Are the boundaries and comfort levels of each character shaped by their social class? Does our social status influence the way we view others and our attitude towards helping our neighbor? Do we look down on the people we help? One of the characters draws our attention to the distinction between �low income people� and �people living in low income�, reminding us that income does not define us; we are all still �people� at heart.

We discussed issues of child custody in our own province today. Great weight is given to �family values�, to the extent that an incapable parent may still be viewed as the best person to care for a child. What would have happened to the children in this story if Clary had not stepped in? Would their grandmother have been able to care for them? Their absentee father? Are they better off at the end of the story with a mother who is weak and not capable of providing them with as much as Clary could?

The story concludes with a picnic, in a chapter titled �ascension�, where all the characters come together after their various disagreements. We discussed the title of the chapter and how it might relate to a new start for the characters. This too-good-to-be-true meal on the beach, for which everybody actually shows up, is a brief moment of �peace on earth� before everyone drifts their separate ways again. Broken relationships are reconciled and new ones are kindled. The characters move on to different places in their lives. After everything they�ve put us through, we are given a hint of hope for their futures.

"Mega-Events" and housing

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:22:30 +0000

An interesting new report from the UN on mega-events and housing:

Report of the Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, and on the right to non-discrimination in this context, Raquel Rolnik

This report looks at events such as the Olympics and the World Cup and their potential positive and negative implications on housing in host communities. The findings in this report may be especially relevant locally as the City of Edmonton looks at the possibility of hosting EXPO 2017.

Download the report in PDF

Valorizing Immigrant�s Non-Canadian Work Experience.

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:38:33 +0000

Valorizing Immigrant�s Non-Canadian Work Experience.

Report from Canadian Council on Learning, 2009.

As a result of Canada�s low birth rate, and the retirement of an aging population, immigrant workers are becoming increasingly important in Canada�s labour force. This report explores foreign work experience and its role in the assessment and recognition of immigrants� qualifications for Canadian jobs.

The identified barriers that immigrants face when searching for work in Canada include (1) lack of recognition for foreign credentials, (2) language barrier, and (3) the lack of valorization of foreign work experience. Unfortunately, most programs and initiatives today are only designed to address the first two.

This becomes a major problem, placing immigrants in a Catch 22 situation where they are unable to get a job without Canadian experience, and are unable to get Canadian experience without a job.

This report further examines foreign work experience through innovative practices, challenges, and government support

Innovative Practices to Valorizing Foreign Work Experience

One innovative practice includes the preparation, organization, and conduct of interviews. Organizations such as RBC, Assiniboine Credit Union, and Manulife train or coach immigrant applicants in cross cultural communication techniques to explain and understand how foreign experience relates to the Canadian labour market. This approach requires thatimmigrants learn about the cultural context of the Canadian workplace, the Canadian labour market, and the operations and informal culture of the industry sector; and recruiters and managers learn about the different effects of cultural differences on communication.

Innovative practices also include bridging programs that integrate immigrants� foreign experience into the assessment of their knowledge and skills, the demonstration of competencies, resume preparation and job searches, and customized internships and placements. These bridging programs are evident in a few organizations including The Immigrant Skilled Trades Employment Program (ISTEP), Workplace Integration of Newcomers (WIN), and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

Challenges

One of the prevailing challenges is the lack of recognition by employers of the value of work experience acquired outside Canada. This is often due to the inability of employers to understand how foreign work experience may relate to the Canadian workplace and contribute to it. This causes many employers to simply refuse foreign work experience as valid experience for employment.This report also argues that the �diversity advantage� that immigrants with foreign experience can bring to our economy to enhance our international competitiveness is utilized by few employers; some who may even argue that it does not exist.Addressing this problem will require investments of time, effort, and money to provide effective communication and well-designed education and training.

Government Support

Many innovative practices for valorizing foreign work experience have been exercised by the Immigrant Settlement Agencies (ISAs), with support from Citizenship and Immigration Canada�s Immigrant Settlement and Adaption Program and some provincial governments. As well the federal government�s Foreign Credential Recognition (FCR) program in late 2003 with a budget of $68 million stimulated a variety of initiatives.

These initiatives have resulted in an increased openness among employers to understand the experience and needs of immigrants, and to take unaccustomed risks in recruitment, hiring, and workplace integration practices.

Promising Developments

Although there are many promising developments surrounding the issue of valorizing foreign work experience, it is evident that Canada's employers and governments still face many challenges in creating a smooth transition for immigrants looking for work in Canada. Organizations must begin to recognize and value immigrant experience to not only address the trending worker shortage in Canada, but to also identify the opportunity of hiring immigrants as a �diversity advantage� where they are gaining new skills and experience that will further drive organizations to new strengths and economic competitiveness.

Read this report if you are an organization interested in valorizing foreign work experience, or are an individual interested in immigration work related issues.

Read the report online.

Review by Darlene Paranaque

Room for change: The Champion�s Centre�s Progressive Approach to Alberta�s Homelessness Crisis.

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:35:44 +0000

Room for change: The Champion�s Centre�s Progressive Approach to Alberta�s Homelessness Crisis.

Book by Rush, Halbauer & Hopchin, The Champion�s Centre, 2006.

I�ve always admired people who aren�t afraid of dreaming big, and Klaas Klooster fits that profile well. Recognizing the need for long-term housing solutions for those who are chronically without a home, especially those suffering from mental illnesses, Klooster dreamt of The Champion�s Centre. Room for change recounts the journey of bringing that dream to reality, and it is an inspiring and eye-opening tale.

The Champion�s Centre was founded in Ponoka in 2002. It �combines ecologically and financially valid concepts of compressed housing for the disabled, those that are homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless.� The Centre houses over a dozen men in individual units, and provides them with services such as a hot meal, cleaning, and personal encouragement. The Centre also incorporates small businesses into its premises; this model provides funding for the organization and gives part-time work opportunities to residents who are capable of taking on the responsibility.

A second Champion�s Centre was founded in Medicine Hat in 2006. Since this book was published a location was opened in Brooks and plans for an Edmonton Centre have been set in motion.

The Champion�s Centre model is unique with respect to other group homes. The Centre receives some of its funding from the government and other community organizations, but it also generates its own support through its on-site businesses. As a result, tenants are able to live for substantially less than if they maintained an independent residence.

This book is an engaging read, providing narrative accounts from staff, volunteers and residents at The Champion�s Centre, as well as from staff at other temporary shelters. They discuss some of the obstacles and rewards they meet in their day-to-day work, and they reflect on the necessity of having many types of people involved in this kind of project. While visionaries like Klaas Klooster provide a dream for new initiatives, others bring forward practical know-how related to maintenance and support raising. Klooster reflects on the value of having community support for a project like this and relays some advice on how to garner it.

The book also provides a discussion of the ties between homelessness and mental illness, giving a brief summary of several of the mental illnesses that contribute to homelessness. The point is made that �while humanity may still lack the power to eradicate mental illness, it certainly has the power to eradicate homelessness.� The Champion�s Centre has focused on providing housing for those with mental illnesses because of the high prevalence of mental illness among people who are without a home.

Read this book if you work with the homeless or recently housed; if you are interested in the link between mental health and housing; if you need inspiration for bringing your dreams to fruition.

Visit The Champion's Centre website

Review by Jennifer Hoyer

Winter 2010 Provincial Outlook Economic Forecast

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:52:54 +0000

This just in from the Conference Board of Canada: the Provincial Outlook Economic Forecast: Winter 2010. What's in the cards for Alberta?

From the Document Highlights: "Alberta�s energy sector is set to bounce back, while the resource sector will fuel a rebound in Newfoundland and Labrador, as both provinces emerge from the recession."

Do you agree? Leave a comment below!

Advocacy Helps!

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:08:42 +0000

Proving the return on investment into advocacy and organizing groups can sometimes be difficult. A new report from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy looks at the value of these organizations.

From their press release:

Americans received extraordinary benefits from the policy advocacy and community organizing efforts by nonprofit organizations in their area...Research on nearly 70 nonprofits from New Mexico, North Carolina, Minnesota and Los Angeles County over a five year period showed that these groups combined generated nearly $14 billion worth of benefits for their diverse communities, and many other non-monetary gains. The return for every dollar invested in these groups ranged from $89 to a staggering $157.

The latest study on 15 Los Angeles County nonprofit organizations found that from 2004-08, area groups generated nearly $7 billion in benefits for local citizens...These benefits were the direct result of community involvement in public policy.

Read Strengthening Democracy, Increasing Opportunities: impacts of advocacy, organizing, and civic engagement in Los Angeles.

Sinking and Swimming: a framework for looking at unmet needs

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:30:24 +0000

The Young Foundation has released Sinking and Swimming: Understanding Britain's Unmet Needs. While the geographic scope of this report isn't entirely relevant to us, their framework for looking at unmet needs makes this publication a useful model. The authors examine the interconnectedness of various needs and the ubiquitous "downward spiral", and they delve into the implications of this interconnectedness on policy development and action. They point to common patterns that can help decision-makers allocate resources. In this way, Britain's situation is not far from our own.

From the website:

This is a study of who is sinking and who is swimming in Britain today. Based on new analysis of statistical data, case studies, surveys and hundreds of conversations with people across the country, the study shows where the most acute needs are and how they interrelate. It looks at why some people can cope with shocks and setbacks and others can't. And it draws on the implications for policy, philanthropy and public action.

View the report in PDF.

Thanks to Docuticker for the heads up.

Alternative Federal Budget from the CCPA

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:26:14 +0000

While our Members of Parliament are just heading back to work, and we won't see the Federal Budget until tomorrow, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has already given us their Alternative Budget.

From the Press Release:

Canada faces its worst job crisis in a generation and the federal government needs to step forward with a solution in this week�s budget, says the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).

Along with the release of its annual Alternative Federal Budget, the CCPA proposes a six-point job plan to get Canada working again. �The global recession wiped out 486,000 full-time Canadian jobs within a year and those jobs aren�t coming back on their own,� says CCPA Senior Economist Armine Yalnizyan. �To make matters worse, 810,000 Employment Insurance (EI) beneficiaries may run out of benefits within the next few months without a job in sight, which would be a disaster.�

The CCPA jobs plan would:

1. Protect the Jobless: Reform EI to ensure over a million and a half jobless Canadians don�t tumble into poverty or end up on welfare.
2. Sustain Stimulus Spending: Commit $15 billion a year, focused on paying down a huge accumulated deficit in social and physical infrastructure investments.
3. Revive Canada�s Manufacturing Base: Invest $5 billion over three years to rejuvenate the industrial base of this country.
4. Create the Green Jobs of Tomorrow Today: Make Canada an environmental leader with a $5 billion plan over three years to green our economy.
5. Get Youth Working: Double summer employment efforts to ensure Canada�s youth don�t sit another year out on the sidelines.
6. Strengthen Consumer Confidence: Unleash a poverty reduction plan to help boost fledgling consumer confidence and get Canadians spending locally.

�It took seven years to regain the full-time jobs lost in the 1990-91 recession,� says Alternative Federal Budget Coordinator David Macdonald. �Our plan would bring unemployment back to pre-recession levels by the end of 2011 and demonstrates there is a better way to reach fiscal balance through smart investments and smart taxation.�

Download the Alternative Federal Budget 2010 in PDF.

Thanks to PovNet for the tip.

Downturn, Recovery and the Future Evolution of the Labour Market

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:57:13 +0000

New from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce: Downturn, Recovery and the Future Evolution of the Labour Market.

This 12 page report analyzes employment statistics from Canada's recent economic recession and also looks ahead to changes in the labour market. The Chamber of Commerce suggests that an aging population combined with globalization and technological changes in the way we do business will contribute to labour shortage in the coming years. They provide suggestions on how to deal with this, from tapping underutilized workforces to providing new education and training opportunities.

Download the report in PDF from the Chamber of Commerce website.

Do you agree with the CoC analysis? Leave your comments below!

Successful Projects by Canadian Nonprofits

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:52:11 +0000

Are you starting a new project and unsure of where to begin? Do you need a few examples of similar initiatives to guide you on your way? Check out the Promising Practices Catalogue from Imagine Canada.

From their website: Search the Promising Practices Catalogue to learn about successful projects by nonprofit organizations and community groups in Canada. Discover models of practice, solutions to real world problems and new approaches to delivering services, building community and doing good work.

About Imagine Canada: Imagine Canada looks into and out for Canada�s charities and nonprofits. They deliver research that puts the sector on the map and raises its profile in the minds of Canadians. Imagine Canada delivers tools, resources and networking opportunities directly to nonprofits and charities to build and strengthen the sector.

Comprehensive Bibliography on the Cost of Poverty and the Value of Investment

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:10:59 +0000

If you're doing any research on the cost of poverty and the value of investment, this comprehensive bibliography from the National Council of Welfare (NCW) is the place to start. It collects reports and articles related to this topic on an ongoing basis, and is divided into theme areas including Policies and Programs, Housing, Education and Health.

The bibliography will be updated on an ongoing basis. It can be viewed in HTML on the NCW website or downloaded in PDF.

211 Edmonton Unmet Needs Report: Q4 2009

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:10:36 +0000

211 Edmonton has released it's Unmet Needs Report from the fourth quarter of 2009. According to the report, housing continues to be the highest priority, with one in five calls relaying unmet needs dealing with this issue. Material goods and transportation ranked next on the list.

Download the Report in PDF, or visit the 211 website to learn more.

Canadian Homelessness Research Network

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:59:47 +0000

Top researchers from across Canada have collaborated to give us the Canadian Homelessness Research Network (CHRN). If you haven't visited their website, you should.

From their website:

Working in collaboration with a range of key stakeholders and institutions (in the non-profit sector and in government), this group is committed to enhancing the impact of research on the homelessness crisis. That is, our focus is on establishing effective mechanisms for knowledge exchange and mobilization in the area of homelessness research in Canada.

Among other projects, CHRN is now administering the Homeless Hub.

Check out their website at http://homelessresearch.net

2007 Poverty Profile from the National Council of Welfare

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:04:14 +0000

The National Council of Welfare has released its 2007 Poverty Profile in the form of short bulletins; four are now available on their website.

From the website: Poverty Profile is a regular publication of the Council that is based on survey data from Statistics Canada. It includes detailed information about poverty rates and numbers, depth of poverty, duration of poverty, common sources of income for poor people, income inequality in Canada and poverty and the paid labour market.

Check out their website and read bulletins on poverty by family type, poverty trends by province, and children living in poverty.

National Council of Welfare: Welfare Incomes 2008 now available

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:59:39 +0000

The National Council of Welfare has just made its 2008 data on Welfare Incomes available. These reports take a look at the incomes of different household types broken down by province, and make comparisons with previous years.

From their website: With the recession starting in 2008, more and more Canadians are having to deal with one of the 13 different social assistance systems, discovering how complicated, cumbersome and stigmatizing most are. Bulletins No. 1 through 4 give you a snapshot of the welfare incomes situation in 2008 for 4 types of families, and a fifth document provides detail on the methodology.

Read more on their website, and look at the reports in HTML or PDF.

Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations: Alberta 2010 Budget investment in community groups

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:13:10 +0000

From the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO) website:

With the release of the 2010/ 2011 Provincial Budget, the Government of Alberta has demonstrated an intent to balance the need for continued investment in Alberta with our current economic climate. The Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations especially recognizes and appreciates the government's efforts to protect some of the most vulnerable members of our society - the homeless, seniors, and the disabled.

In this budget, the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations identifies a trend of diminishing investment in communities and community groups. This trend is most obvious in the loss of over $35Million from the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit, a cut of 15 percent, and continues in planned decreases to community based funding within other ministries. The result of the government's declining investment in the nonprofit sector exacerbates the fiscal challenges stemming from the economic downturn and threatens the sector's ability to deliver the services Albertans rely upon.

...

Read more on their website, and check out the comparison chart in PDF.

CMHC Study of Redevelopment-Regeneration of Social and Affordable Housing

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:49:30 +0000

CMHC is initiating a research study on social and affordable housing redevelopment and regeneration projects. The study asks about projects which are either completed, in process, still in the planning stage, or are needed; large or small, and which include design changes, redevelopment, intensification and other approaches to improve the physical and/or social conditions of the housing.

This research will be of interest to all those who are concerned with housing, whether social housing or the private sector, including housing agencies, planners, community health and other professionals, and community-based groups.

The first step in the research involves an on-line survey which will: (1) identify exemplary redevelopment-regeneration projects; and (2) identify future potential social and affordable housing projects that require or would benefit from redevelopment-regeneration. Case studies will then be conducted for up to eight exemplary redevelopment-regeneration projects.

Input is needed from a wide variety of organizations and professionals who have general OR in-depth knowledge of specific redevelopment-regeneration projects.

Your assistance in completing the survey, ideally within the next 1-2 weeks, would be greatly appreciated by CMHC.

If there is more than one exemplary project which you/your organization is aware of, ideally, CMHC would like to receive one survey for each project.

The research is being conducted by SPR Associates Inc. who have been contracted by CMHC to carry out the study. Both CMHC and SPR guarantee the confidentiality of all information provided by participants. At the end of the study, a final report will be made available to all participants.

To proceed directly to the on-line survey, please click on either of the web-links below:

English: https://www.surveycentral.ca/cmhc/r-rprojects.htm

Fran�ais: https://www.surveycentral.ca/cmhc/rrprojets.htm

Contact at ted.harvey@spr.ca or 1-800-363-0832 (Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET), if you have any questions about the survey.

If you have any questions about the overall study, contact CMHC's project manager for this research, Ms. Janet Neves, Sr. Policy Analyst, FPT Relations, at jneves@cmhc-schl.gc.ca or (613) 748-2300, ext. 3237.

Child Care is a Right

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:40:32 +0000

From the project website:

In partnership with the CCCABC (Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC), the CCAAC is proud to announce our new project (2010) �Child Care is a Right�. The child care movement began as a central issue of the women�s rights movement so it�s natural that we would return to our roots and begin to explore child care from a women�s, children and family rights position.

The core of our work will be to explore Canada's international treaty obligations to women, children and families as they pertain to child care. We are focusing on the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and related General Comment #7, the Convention to Eliminate Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Goals of the project include:

�conducting legal research to clearly draw out the implications of BC�s obligations under international treaties to protect children and women�s rights for child care;
�undertaking public education about a rights based approach to women�s and children�s rights based on the research � with child care as the example; and
�advancing concrete options for legal and other reforms that support BC�s compliance with its international obligations

For more information and further reading, visit the website.

Children of My Heart

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:39:12 +0000

Canadian author Gabrielle Roy wrote Children of my Heart about her years as a young schoolteacher in 1930s southern Manitoba. As a collection of short, unrelated stories it offers brief glimpses of life in rural prairie communities. Roy is young and inexperienced, and the immigrant children she teaches are equally unsure about their place in the classroom. Through the eyes of a schoolteacher she shares what she learns about them and the struggles they face.

My instinct would describe this book as a depiction of life in poor immigrant communities throughout western Canada. Children of my Heart often comes up in conversations on poverty, and none of the characters would be described as �well off� by our standards. Another book club participant quickly pointed out, however, that these communities likely didn�t view themselves as �poor�. If everyone in the community was living this way, their poverty was the norm. We asked ourselves what might set apart social groups in this setting. While their socioeconomic status put them all at the same level, the community was instead divided by ethnic groups and families. They also looked down on families who didn�t ask for help from their neighbours and thereby isolated themselves; the man who is too busy to drive his son to school through winter snows and too proud to ask his neighbour for a ride is viewed with less respect than the friends who share in both work and celebration.

Our conversation turned naturally towards education, as Children of my Heart takes place mostly in schoolrooms. These were often one-room schoolhouses, or classrooms with several grade levels. We realized that, while education today often caters to the weakest students, the classrooms we visited with Gabrielle Roy were designed for academic achievers. Weak students fell through the gaps; if they couldn�t keep up there was no time or specialized curriculum to help them out. We had different opinions on which system would be more helpful. In an isolated, depression-era community only the strong would be able to survive, so it might be appropriate that the schools in this book encouraged �survival of the fittest�. However, this harsh environment would never provide students with �survival training�, leaving more vulnerable members of the classroom without a lifeline.

We repeatedly came back to the same complaint: we wanted to know more. The narrator introduces us to a world of fascinating characters, but we meet them briefly and then move on to another community and another classroom. We rarely follow the pupils outside the schoolyard; brief visits to dinner tables and chicken coops are thrilling, and we would love to know what�s going on in the lives of Andr�, Vincenzo and Clare after they wipe off their slates and pack up their lunch pails. Our knowledge of the narrator is also limited. We see her as a schoolteacher, but surely she does other interesting things with her life in the evenings. What kind of food was she eating in boarding houses run by immigrant women? Was there any kind of social life in isolated prairie communities? If there were a sequel that would fill us in on the rest of these details, we would read it in an instant.

The last story in this collection has raised eyebrows in the past, and it didn�t disappoint in our group. The author recounts a troublesome student, 16-year-old M�d�ric, who finally devotes himself to his studies under her encouragement. As they spend more time together a new relationship flourishes; the exact nature of this relationship is debatable, and the narrator�s caginess reveals that perhaps she is unwilling to admit feelings even to herself. We realized, however, that we only questioned the appropriateness of this relationship because of the characters roles as teacher and student. At 16 and approximately 19, their story is otherwise a typically na�ve coming of age. Perhaps one reason this story stands out for us in the collection is because it is by far the longest and the most in-depth: this is where we get more than a passing glimpse into their lives, and we finally spend more time with the characters we�ve been waiting to get to know.

Children of my Heart is a great read for a cold winter night. Wrap yourself up in a blanket, pour a cup of tea, and settle in for a good story.

CRRU Childcare Privatization Project website

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:09:35 +0000

CRRU (Childcare Resource and Research Unit) has created the privatization project website to provide information and encourage discussion on the privatization of child care in Canada. Visit privatization.crru.ca to read the latest news and research about this issue, or to link to related websites or relevant case studies. This project is designed to be ongoing, and the website will be updated as information becomes available.

Report from the Health Quality Council of Alberta

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:30:39 +0000

On January 25, 2010, the Health Quality Council of Alberta released its Urban and Regional Emergency Department Patient Experience Report 2009.

Survey data combined with emergency department data was used to analyze patient experience and wait times, and to monitor changes in the performance of emergency departments. The report serves as a follow-up to a 2007 report from the Health Quality Commission of Alberta and makes comparisons between the two years, allowing for recommendations on specific areas in need of improvement.

For more information on this report visit the Health Quality Council of Alberta's website, or download the full report in PDF.

Community Health and the Built Environment

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:22:14 +0000

The Community Health and the Built Environment (CHBE) project, an initiative of the School of Public Health, has been working with four communities in Alberta to identify barriers and opportunities to healthy living within their neighbourhoods.

The communities of North Central Edmonton, St. Paul, Medicine Hat/Redcliff and area, and Bonnyville have worked with a team of researchers to create healthier and more accessible communities. Residents have learned ways to express aspects of their neighbourhoods that enhance their quality of life and to identify areas for improvement.

The CHBE team has been asked to present their model and research findings at the next Alberta Rural Municipalities meeting as a possible model for other communities to follow.

To read more about this project visit the project website or read their news release.

Ontario's new Social Assistance Review Advisory Council

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 17:26:40 +0000

Ontario has selected a group of experienced community leaders to help shape a review of the social assistance system and suggest ways to better support vulnerable Ontarians transition to greater independence.

The Council will submit recommendations to the Minister of Community and Social Services regarding the scope and terms of reference for a review of Ontario's social assistance system, and will advise the Minister of Community and Social Services regarding possible short-term changes to social assistance rules.

Stay tuned for updates on the work of this group. Visit their website for more information.

Financial Literacy: Strategies to meet the needs of low-income Albertans.

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:32:15 +0000

Financial Literacy: Strategies to meet the needs of low-income Albertans. Report from Social and Enterprise Development Innovations, June 2009.

Stretched to the Limit: Economic Impact Survey, Alberta�s Nonprofits & Charities

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:23:42 +0000

Stretched to the Limit: economic impact survey, Alberta�s nonprofits & charities by the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations. Results from October 2009.

Statistics Canada: Satellite Account of Non-profit Institutions and Volunteering

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 18:29:51 +0000

Statistics Canada released their report on the Satellite Account of Non-Profit Institutions and Volunteering 2007, on December 21, 2009. This report shows that activity in the non-profit sector continues to outpace Canada's economy on the whole, and concludes that non-profits are important not only for the well-being of Canadians but also play a key economic role.

For more information check out the Statistics Canada website, where you can download your free copy.

New Senate Report on Poverty in Canada

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:36:45 +0000

On December 8, 2009, a group of senators published the report In From the Margins: A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness. They present the results of a two-year cross-country study which heard from 170 witnesses, including people living in poverty, universities, think tanks, provincial and local governments and community organizations.

The report concludes that current programs targeted at ending poverty are broken. The authors call for the federal and provincial governments to work together on a national housing and homelessness strategy.

To read the press release click here, or go straight to the report. You may also be interested in Carol Goar's article in the Toronto Star.

Measuring Community Progress

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:48:02 +0000

Vibrant Communities Canada has just released two papers which review different approaches to measuring �less poverty in communities� and �more vibrant communities�. They are inviting feedback on both papers; to view the draft versions or find out more about the project click here.

Economic Impact Survey: Alberta's Nonprofits and Charities

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:42:39 +0000

The Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations has released findings from its survey of nonprofits and charities in Alberta. They indicate that Alberta's nonprofits and charities have been adapting to the recession, but have little capacity to adjust to increased demand or reduced funding.

To read more about this project or download a copy of their report, visit calgarycvo[dot]org.

Read our Research Review on this report.

CPRN Closes its Doors

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:35:58 +0000

We�re sad to see Canadian Policy Research Networks close its doors after 15 years of work; their last day of work will be December 23, 2009. You�ll be missed!

2008 Report on Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:30:25 +0000

It�s all about the kids: the Childcare Resource and Research Unit has made their report on Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada 2008 available free online.

Check out their website at www[dot]childcarecanada[dot]org to take a look.

Alberta Nonprofit & Voluntary Work-force Council Workforce Initiatives Inventory

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:22:52 +0000

The Alberta Nonprofit & Voluntary Work-force Council is work-ing on a Workforce Initiatives Inventory, a forum for nonprofit organizations to share information about non-profit workforce initiatives throughout Alberta.

For more information, or to be included in the inventory contact the Alberta Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Workforce Council at mgrogan[at]calgarycvo[dot]org.

KnowMo

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:05:25 +0000

The Addiction and Mental Health Research Laboratory has launched KnowMo, a website dedicated to Albertans interested in accessing the best scientific evidence on addiction and mental health issues. Know Mo aims to be the knowledge mobilization hub for addictions and mental health information in Alberta.

Check them out online at www[dot]knowmo[dot]ca

Women�s Poverty and the Recession

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:42:29 +0000

Report by Monica Townson, 2009. Published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives.

Available in the ESPC library.

Doing Better for Children

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:31:33 +0000

Book published by the OECD, 2009. Available in the ESPC library as book or PDF.

Three Day Road

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:13:15 +0000

On November 4, the ESPC Book Club met to discuss Joseph Boyden�s first novel, Three Day Road. Boyden tells the story of two young Oji-Cree men who enlist with the Canadian Forces to fight in the First World War. They distinguish themselves as formidable snipers while dealing with culture shock, racism, and moral issues related to warfare.

Our discussion began with some reflections on the two main characters, Elijah and Xavier. Xavier has been raised in the bush by his aunt Niska, a traditional healer; he is well-acquainted with survival tactics and has supported himself and his aunt by hunting and gathering. Elijah was raised in the residential school system and has developed a completely different set of survival skills. His impeccable English enables him to talk himself out of any situation, but he only learned traditional hunting and survival skills after befriending Xavier later in his childhood.

These different upbringings set the two characters apart. Xavier�s reverence for life even on the battle field is very evident, perhaps as a result of the years he has subsisted by taking the lives of wild animals only as necessary. By contrast, Elijah is proud of his learned marksmanship skills and views killing as a sport. Elijah also has an easier time separating himself from his aboriginal identity when interacting with other Canadian soldiers. His mastery of the English language obviously facilitates this, but the ability to blend into �white� society is likely another skill Elijah learned for survival in the residential school system. Xavier has no shame about his Cree heritage, but Elijah reflects the impact of the residential school; he manifests the sense of worthlessness and shamefulness in being Native that has been impressed upon him for many years.

It is fascinating to look at the differences between two characters who have grown up so close to each other yet experienced vastly different upbringings. When Elijah and Xavier mingle with the rest of the Canadian troops they are painted with the same brush because of their common ethnic roots, but they are in fact worlds apart from each other culturally. I was forced to wonder how many times I lump all Aboriginal peoples into the same category without stopping to consider the unique situations of different peoples and groups.

Boyden weaves a disturbing theme through the novel with the story of the windigo killer. It was recognized among this group of First Nations that, in times of hardship and starvation, people might be driven to eat the flesh of the deceased. This often led to craziness, or �going windigo�. A member of the tribe was set apart as the �windigo killer�, to be called upon in such situations to kill the offending persons and prevent them from further damaging the community. Xavier�s aunt Niska has inherited this role from her father and recalls instances where she and her father were called on to carry out this task. We noted in our discussion that the people who were driven to cannibalism had always, for one reason or another, left the community and found themselves alone when they committed cannibalism. By contrast, even in times of extreme starvation, members who remained in the community found ways to support each other and eke out a meagre subsistence. According to the tradition of the windigo killer, the needless consumption of human flesh drives people crazy.

In a similar vein, when Elijah and Xavier are cut off from community in the trenches of Western Europe, they make questionable decisions when dealing with their circumstances. Growing up in the residential school system, Elijah has never had the support of a real community; in the battlefields he holds himself accountable to no one. As Elijah and Xavier strive to prove themselves the best snipers, their consumption of human flesh moves into the realm of horrific.
When contemplating the idea that community can save us from making bad decisions, we asked ourselves whether First Nations today have any sense of community. We have done so much to damage this; when they try to live communally they are often evicted. Regulations and societal norms concerning the number of residents under one roof have undermined their ability to band together in community. In this sense, we have found a way to be racist without seeming it.

Some of the other themes we discussed include language, drug use, the different ways the characters in the novel manifest their guilt, and similarities between residential school systems and foster care. Joseph Boyden has given us an inspiring and thought-provoking read.

Do you like a good books? Looking for some people to chat with about a good read? Stay tuned for the next meeting of the ESPC book club!

Immigrant youth and crime: stakeholder perspectives on risk and protective factors

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:06:37 +0000

Report by Marian J. Rossiter and Katherine R. Rossiter, 2009. Prairie Metropolis Centre.

Did you know?

46 to 74 percent of immigrant youth whose first language is not English fail to finish high school.

Immigrant youth are recruited into gangs and illegal activity as early as the age of 10, and continuing to the ages of 18-20.

Immigrant and refugee youth are not perceived to be in conflict with the law more than their Canadian peers, but they are more vulnerable to gang recruitment.

If the basic needs of immigrant youth are not met they will seek alternative means, which may lead to involvement in organized crime. This report examines key factors at play in the lives of immigrant youths who become involved in crime, gangs, and violence in Edmonton.

Prime risk factors identified are:

Family � poverty, lack of healthy family relationships, mental and physical health

Individual � pre-immigration violence, addiction, health issues

Peer � social exclusion, discrimination, inter-ethnic conflict

School � lack of ESL and curriculum adaptation; bullying; interrupted formal education

Community � lack of role models and leadership opportunities within their ethno-cultural community; lack of safe and affordable housing

Many of these risk factors will compound on each other to create extremely volatile situations.

4 major policy recommendations are made by the authors:

Enhance integration by providing adequate funding for settlement, mental health, and multicultural services to facilitate adaptation.

Government must ensure that the socioeconomic circumstances of immigrant families allow them to meet their basic needs. Programs for safe housing and appropriate employment are necessary.

Communities must have comprehensive support networks for immigrant youth and their families in place to provide youth with information about social and health services, education, employment, and other resources.

Schools are in an ideal place to meet the needs of immigrant youth. A process of needs and risk assessment should be set up, followed by adequate ESL support and necessary curriculum adaptation. Culturally and ethnically diverse staff populations are in a position to act as role models. Zero-tolerance methods for dealing with bullying and other transgressions should be replaced with restorative measures. Immigrant students should be supplied with career counselling, goal-setting guidance, after-school programs aimed at helping them adapt and integrate, and funding for further education.

Coordination between multiple levels of government and diverse sectors of the community is essential for reducing the risk of immigrant youth becoming involved in criminal activity.

This paper is useful for anyone working with immigrants or at-risk youth; educators.

Review by Jennifer Hoyer

Creating Vibrant Communities

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:02:59 +0000

Book edited by Paul Born, Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement. BPS Books, 2008.

The percentage of Canadians living on low incomes fell from 29 to 13 percent between 1961 and 1977, but has not substantially decreased in the last three decades. At the core of the Vibrant Communities mindset is the realization that poverty reduction is the means to improve overall quality of life in a community.

Rather than focusing on supports for those living in poverty, the founders envisioned communities in which it would be impossible for poverty to exist. The basic themes of the Vibrant Communities approach are:

Poverty reduction

Comprehensive thinking and action

Multi-sector collaboration

Community asset building

Community learning and change (rather than short-term intervention)

Vibrant Communities began as Opportunities 2000 in Waterloo, Ontario. As a four year initiative involving eighty-six community organizations in forty-seven poverty reduction projects, Opportunities 2000 ultimately helped 1600 families. This book includes two background papers on the driving forces behind Vibrant Communities, as well as ten case studies of communities across Canada � including Edmonton - that have followed this path.

Vibrant Communities Edmonton has developed a strategy focused on three areas: workforce development, family economic support, and community investment. The Job Bus was designed to provide transportation to work so that employees could find and keep jobs. The Make Tax Time Pay campaign sought to make low-income families aware of services available from the Alberta Child Health Benefit. The Home Program was created to help low-income individuals overcome the obstacles in their path to being homeowners.

The British Columbia Capital Region Quality of Life Challenge focuses on sustainable incomes, affordable housing, and community connections. As part of the Employer Challenge, HR Options for Action educates employers about ways they can improve the lives of their low-income workers. Mentors help those moving towards sustainable incomes make good choices through the Mentorship Challenge. Collaboration between many organizations established the Regional Housing Trust Fund to address housing affordability and availability.

In the Niagara Region, Opportunities Niagara offers services such as brokering and coordination, social marketing, technical assistance and coaching, and improved access to resources, while facilitating collaboration between community organizations. Target areas in this region include adequate employment, affordable housing, and accessible transportation.
In New Brunswick, Vibrant Communities St. John is examining low-income neighbourhoods and targeting the issues that make it difficult for residents of these areas to move out of poverty. VCSJ has focused on children and youth, providing early childhood development opportunities for low-income families. Other targeted areas are education for employment, safe and affordable housing, and neighbourhood change. VCSJ recently received five-year program funding from the municipal government for the neighbourhoods they have prioritized.

Vivre Saint-Michel en Sant� is focusing on social exclusion and poverty in this east-end Montr�al neighbourhood. They continue to work for more affordable housing and lobby for better access to services in the areas of culture, sports, recreation and commerce. In collaboration with the Cirque du Soleil and the local school board a program for promoting arts and culture among youth has been established. As part of an effort to train residents for employment in local businesses, a development worker is visiting local employers to match up needs with resources.

This book is useful for anyone interested in community development; those interested specifically in poverty reduction strategies; fans of Vibrant Communities Canada. Visit tamarackcommunity[dot]ca or vibrantedmonton[dot]ca.

Review by Jennifer Hoyer

The Letter Opener

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:55:48 +0000

Class Matters: Cross-Class Alliance Building for Middle Class Activists

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:44:15 +0000

Reviewed by Anette Kinley in December 2008 Research Update

The Costs of Poverty

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:37:56 +0000

Review in December 2008 Research Update of:

The Cost of Poverty: an analysis of the economic cost of poverty in Ontario. Report by Nathan Laurie, Ontario Association of Food Banks, November 2008.

The Costs of Child Poverty for Individuals and Society: a literature review. Report by Julia Griggs and Robert Walker, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, October 2008.

Estimating the Costs of Child Poverty. Report by Donald Hirsch, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, October 2008.

The Economic Costs of Poverty in the United States: subsequent effects of children growing up poor. Report by Harry Holzer et al., Center for American Progress, January 2007.

Immigration and Integration in Canada in the Twenty-first Century

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:36:18 +0000

Review by Jaylene Ellard in December 2008 Research Update

Rhetoric for Radicals: A Handbook for 21st Century Activists

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:32:56 +0000

Reviewed in December 2008 Research Update

More Than Bricks and Mortar: A rights-based strategy to prevent girl homelessness in Canada

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:18:54 +0000

Reviewed in October 2008 Research Update

We Can�t Afford to do Business This Way

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:16:29 +0000

We Can�t Afford to do Business This Way: A study of the administrative burden resulting from funder accountability and compliance practices

Report by Lynn Eakin, Wellesley Institute, September 2007.
Reviewed in October 2008 Research Update

Our Choice For a Better Ontario: A plan for cutting poverty in half by 2020

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:14:33 +0000

Our Choice For a Better Ontario: A plan for cutting poverty in half by 2020.

Report by the Ontario Association of Food Banks, September 2008.
Reviewed in October 2008 Research Update

Conceptualizing Optimum Homeless Shelter Service Delivery

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:11:24 +0000

Article by Jennifer L. Robinson and Stephen W. Baron;Published in the Canadian Journal of Urban Research (CJUR), Summer 2007. Volume 16, Issue 1; p 53-75. A copy of the journal is available in the ESPC Re-source Library.

Article Reviewed by Anette Kinley in October 2008 Research Update

The Dynamics of Child Poverty in Sweden

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:02:21 +0000

Report by Matthew Lindquist and Gabriella Sjogren Lindquist, Swedish Institute for Social Research, 2008.
Reviewed by Cheryl Melney in February 2009 Research Update

The Child Care Transition: a league of early childhood education and care

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:01:08 +0000

The Child Care Transition: a league of early childhood education and care in economically advanced countries

Report by UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, 2008.
Reviewed in February 2009 Research Update

Caregiver Community Consultation � A Report on the Findings

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:58:56 +0000

Report by Alberta Disabilities Forum, 2008
Reviewed by Jaylene Ellard in February 2009 Research Update

Living Green: Communities that Sustain

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:48:54 +0000

Book by Jennifer Fosket and Laura Mamo, 2009
Reviewed in July 2009 Research Update

Cracks in the Pavement: Social Change and Resilience in Poor Neighbourhoods

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:37:24 +0000

Book by Martin Sanchez-Jankowski, 2008

Reviewed by Cheryl Melney in April 2009 Research Update

The Senior Cohousing Handbook: A Community Approach to Independent Living

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:56:20 +0000

Reviewed in April 2009 Research Update & featured in Summer 2009 fACTivist newsletter

Poverty Reduction Policies and Programs

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:19:59 +0000

Series of provincial and territorial reports by various authors, edited by the Canadian Council on Social Development, 2009.

Reviewed in July 2009 Research Update

Did you know that, unlike in most parts of Canada, poverty rates in rural Nova Scotia are higher than those in urban Nova Scotia?

Did you know that 22% of Yukoners have reported having financial difficulties securing food?

Did you know that 50% of children of Aboriginal descent in Saskatchewan live in poverty?

This series of reports takes an in-depth look at poverty, poverty reduction policies, and community action on poverty in 9 provinces and 2 territories (remaining provincial/territorial profiles are forthcoming). The reports are each written by different authors, and highlight trends and statistics, explain the historical context, and examine current initiatives.
The Alberta report examines our province�s historic boom-bust economic cycle and patterns of poverty. It looks at government responses to poverty: the development of a social safety net, subsequent erosion of supports, and more recently, the challenges posed by the latest economic boom. The Alberta profile also takes into account the growing role of the voluntary sector in addressing poverty, and questions what this might mean for poverty reduction in the province.
We know that many of the provinces and territories have similar struggles to those we face in Alberta when it comes to poverty and the attempt to eliminate it. This series of reports shows how other jurisdictions across Canada are dealing with poverty � both at the local and provincial levels. Unique programs, innovative solutions, and strategic partnerships are being creatively implemented from coast to coast to coast.
For example:

The Newfoundland and Labrador report documents how the consistent work of community groups and government, together with a depressed economy after the collapse of the fisheries shaped the political, social, and economic context in which the province�s Poverty Reduction Strategy � one of the first in Canada � was created. The Poverty Reduction Strategy followed years of collaborative effort marked by both victories and losses for anti-poverty advocates. While there is still a long way to go in terms of dealing with poverty in Newfoundland, the report notes that a lot of progress has been made since the implementation of the provincial strategy in 2006: more people are working, fewer are reliant upon Income Support, and the number of people living below LICO is falling. What can Albertans learn from the experiences of Newfoundlanders?

The BC report similarly looks at the history of poverty and poverty policy responses in the province. It looks at how frequent political shifts and the boom/bust economic cycle in the province have affected social programs and the well-being of communities. It notes that while there are some initiatives on behalf of the government to address poverty, several population groups are now experiencing increased risk of poverty. Like in Alberta, government seems to have taken a backseat; and it has been civil society actors that have played � and continue to play � the central role in poverty prevention and reduction in BC.

This resource is useful for anybody interested in learning more about poverty and poverty reduction programs across the country. Each provincial/territorial profile is written by local experts, and the references contain information about many of the groups and individuals that work both behind-the-scenes and on the front-lines in poverty reduction. You can download the individual reports from the website of the Canadian Council for Social Development (although beware, there have been some troubles with this website of late), or you can access hard copies in our library.

Some Great Thing

Thu, 14 May 2009 22:17:08 +0000

On May 7, the ESPC Book Club met to discuss Some Great Thing, a novel by Canadian author Lawrence Hill.

Lawrence Hill�s debut novel covers a lot of ground: family relationships, growing up, racism, language tensions, politics, the role of the media, and the welfare system. Some Great Thing tells the story of how one young man, Mahatma, tries to find his place with family, community, and the world.

When we meet Mahatma at the beginning of the novel, he is an apathetic, unmotivated university graduate looking for work who takes a job at the Winnipeg Herald on somewhat of a whim. Mahatma seems to be just floating through life, but we learn early on that his father, Ben, has very high expectations. Ben had assembled a binder of stories about to teach his son about Black history, struggles to overcome oppression, Martin Luther King and Ghandi, but Mahatma didn�t care. Ben had struggled against racism and oppression as a railroad porter living in Winnipeg, and wanted to convey to his son the importance of hard work, dedication, and living life with purpose. Mahatma didn�t particularly care about that, either. �Go do some great thing�, his father had told him. Through describing Mahatma�s work as a journalist, the author portrays a fractured community, its many complex relationships, and Mahatma�s own struggle to come to terms with his father�s expectations.

The Book Club discussed the role of the railroad porter in Canadian society in the mid 1900s. Black railroad porters straddled a social divide of race and class. Through strong union efforts, Black porters were able to earn more money than most other Black men, and porters were well-respected by train passengers, yet they still faced racism, discrimination, and poverty. We discussed how Ben tries to share his life and occupation with his son, and how his high hopes for Mahatma influences their relationship. We speculated that, like many children of parents dedicated to a struggle, Mahatma expresses his individualism by disconnecting from his father�s struggle. Throughout the novel, however, Mahatma matures and begins to appreciate his father�s experiences. The Book Club discussed how the events in the book change Mahatma and Ben�s relationship.

Working for the Winnipeg Herald, Mahatma struggles to balance his own growing sense of responsibility to be a good journalist with the demands of his newsroom editor to deliver dramatic and at times unethical stories. The role of the media is one of the central themes of the novel, and the Book Club talked briefly about Mahatma�s conduct as a journalist, and the contrasting roles of Mahatma�s journalism and that of Yoyo, the Cameroonian journalist visiting Winnipeg.

It is because of the French-English tensions in Winnipeg that many of the book�s conflicts and incidents occur. The author presents a community that cannot come to terms with the reality of two languages � language incites riots, provokes violence, and maintains a sharp divide between those who speak English and those who speak French. The Book Club reflected on the different tone that language debates have today than they did in the 1980s; we also discussed the way in which media can fan the flames of linguistic hostilities � both in reality and in the novel.

Yet another key piece of Some Great Thing is the narrative of Jake Corbett, the welfare activist. Jake doggedly works to bring attention to an unfair deduction made to his monthly welfare cheque, dedicating his whole life to the task. The Book Club had a lot of questions about the role of the Jake-Corbett-story and what it represents in the novel. Is Jake�s specific complaint a realistic one? Why is he alone in his struggle � are there no anti-poverty groups in Winnipeg that would have been working alongside him? Does the author portray him as a crackpot or as a hero � and to what effect? Rather unrealistically, Jake goes on to become somewhat of a celebrity in social justice circles outside of Winnipeg, and travels abroad to speak about his cause � what was the author�s intention with this side narrative, and what does it say about how the author perceives poverty and injustice?

What do you think? Does the author do justice to all of the themes that he introduces in Some Great Thing? Is his treatment of racism, gender, language, politics and the media accurate or unfair? Are the characters in this book dynamic, or do they remain unchanged throughout the story? Do the relationships ring true, or do they fall flat? Although we weren�t able to come to agreement on these questions, we were able to agree that Some Great Thing presents a lot to talk about.

Our next pick is The Letter Opener, another debut novel by a Canadian writer, Kyo Maclear. It looks to be a fascinating read, and sure to be another great debate. I hope you�ll join us!

Lullabies for Little Criminals

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:45:45 +0000

On March 5, the Book Club discussed Lullabies for Little Criminals, by Heather O�Neill. Winner of Canada Reads in 2007 and finalist for the Governor General�s Literary Awards, Lullabies has been making waves since its release 3 years ago. It tells the story of Baby, twelve and growing up fast, as she navigates life on the streets in Montreal. Her dad�s a druggie, Baby is moved between cheap apartments, friends� houses, and the occasional foster home, and over the course of 330 pages we are brought along as she is sucked in, childishly hopeful, to a life of drugs, prostitution and crime.

Baby is open-minded, adventurous, and friendly, but she wants love and affirmation from her father, and when she doesn�t get it, she looks elsewhere. Having grown up comfortable with life on the street, it is only natural that she turns to the eccentric and odd-ball characters that she finds there to fill in the many blanks left by Jules� careless parenting.

The Book Club discussed how Jules�, as a father, is well-intentioned but neglectful. For example, to teach Baby a lesson, he locks her out of the house. Without a place to stay, and fearing the worst � that her Jules must not love her at all anymore � she is driven straight to Alphonse, a drug-dealing pimp. Alphonse provides for Baby and makes her feel loved, and in return, Baby does whatever he asks. Alphonse, too, is a product of his neighbourhood. He seems to think that his relationship with Baby is the real thing, although that doesn�t prevent him from abusing her, or arranging tricks for her most nights of the week. Jules doesn�t want Baby to use drugs, or �whore around�, but his actions leave her with few other choices. What cause, then, whose fault?

Although it seems that Baby feels acutely that there is much she is missing, her life is nonetheless �normal� to her. The Book Club discussed what kind of future a character like Baby could have. Is it possible to change the trajectory of one�s life? Would Baby escape a life of drugs and prostitution? What is the legacy of a childhood like hers?

We know that many children are caught up in vicious cycles of prostitution, addiction, poverty, and crime. Child prostitution is an all too familiar reality, and the Book Club spent some time discussing the relationships between pimps, gangs, drugs, and prostitution � and some of the solutions that are being implemented here in Edmonton.

But we know Baby is headed for trouble long before she turns her first trick, before her pimp gets her hooked on heroin. Because of the childhood that she had, because of her precarious life on and off the streets, this kind of fate seems inevitable. What are the roots of these types of situations? Could this story have been different? We discussed the intervention that might have enabled Jules to provide a safer and healthier life for Baby. If Jules and Baby�s mother had been supported as teen parents instead of shunned, would things have been different? If they had received income support, help with parenting and child care, provided with adequate housing, been supported in finishing their education and possibly working � how would their lives have changed?

Although Baby and Jules are characters in a fictitious book, their story is one that is real and familiar to many. Lullabies for Little Criminals forces us to ask ourselves, �How? Why?� Who is responsible to make sure that children do not have to sell their bodies for love? How do we make sure that this responsibility is fulfilled? Do we assign blame to an individual, to a policy, to a situation, or to our government? Are we implicated?

On May 7, we�ll be discussing Some Great Thing by Lawrence Hill. He�s the author of the recently acclaimed Book of Negroes. Join us, it�s bound to be another great discussion!

One Native Life

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:32:32 +0000

by Richard Wagamese

The Glass Castle

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:11:23 +0000

What a lot to talk about!

The ESPC Book Club met for the second time on September 4, and discussed the riveting memoir by Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle.

The story follows the Walls family as they �skedaddle� from one bargain accommodation to the next. Jeannette fights with the neighbours who make fun of the family�s garbage heap; rummages through school garbage cans to find lunch; and helps her father make their beds out of rope and cardboard.
So what is this book really saying to us? Jeannette eventually �prevails�. That is to say that she becomes � after years of poverty, hunger, and some might say, neglect and abuse � an independent New York woman with a glam apartment and accessories to boot. She also becomes a best-selling author � so she�s probably rich, too. And she does it all on her own.

What messages are communicated by The Glass Castle about social justice? In this story, poverty is a choice. From these characters, we learn that independence and gritty determination are enough to get a person around any obstacles, no matter their starting point. Here, it seems that one is not bound or constrained by social class; rather, poverty, wealth, and everything in between is a direct result of one�s individual choices. Who�s to blame for the kids who had to eat out of school garbage cans? Certainly not the community, or the state, for their lack of hot lunch or breakfast programs. No, it is Jeannette�s depressed mother, who�s spent the last of the grocery money on a chocolate bar, who is at fault. Devastations and triumphs have less to do with community, more to do with individual choice.

The circumstances in this book ought to make us think about the role of individuals, families, communities, and our government in creating supports and services that are appropriate to allow people to live healthily, free from poverty, and in dignity. Unfortunately, the author is such a magnificent storyteller that some of these deeper questions are likely missed as we follow the Walls family from one incredible adventure to the next.

What do you think?

In addition to discussing the theme of poverty as a choice, the Book Club talked about resilience, family bonding, paths out of poverty, the role of the parents, consumerism and freedom from consumerism at our last meeting.

Our next book club pick takes a different approach. We�ll read The Bean Trees, by Barbara Kingsolver, which looks at the relationship between hardship and solidarity with community. Join us!

My Home Street Home

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 21:04:53 +0000

The ESPC Book Club just wrapped up our first book club session, where we discussed homelessness in Edmonton as described in the novel, My Home Street Home.

All in all, it was a great first start for the ESPC book club. For round two, we�ll be reading The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. Location and date TBA � but get reading, because we�ll be meeting at the end of the summer!