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

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

Origins: two sources that have influenced each other 1-Evolution of forms of community response to their problems. Innovation by local stakeholders and actors 2-Transformation by public action divided between two approaches: instrumentalization and adaptation- ownership, which is more effective than fidelity 3

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

Descending-exogenous logic Ascending-endogenous logic Ownership tendency Autonomy tendency Instrumentalization tendency Complementarity tendency C-D

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

Types of Leadership Expertise-based leadership Procedural leadership Community leadership Community development

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

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

10 Thank you for your attention

Sources Bilodeau, A. et al. (2004). «L’exigence démocratique de la planification participative : le cas de la santé publique au Québec», Nouvelles pratiques sociales, vol. 17, n° 1, Bisset S (2008). Health program implementation, a socio-technical networking process. A case study of a school-based nutrition intervention. Montréal : Département de médecine sociale et préventive, Université de Montréal. Thèse de doctorat. Bourque, D., Comeau, Y., Favreau, L. et L. Fréchette (dir.), (2007). Organisation communautaire, fondements, approches et champs de pratique, Québec, Presses de l’Université du Québec, 534 pages. Bourque, D. (2008). Concertation et partenariat : entre levier et piège du développement des communautés, Québec, collection Initiatives, Presses de l’Université du Québec, 142 pages. CSBE (2001). L'appropriation par les communautés de leur développement, Québec, Conseil de la santé et du bien-être, 52 pages. INSPQ (2002). La santé des communautés : perspectives pour la contribution de la santé publique au développement social et au développement des communautés Revue de littérature, Québec, Institut national de santé publique, 50 pages. Lachapelle, R. (dir.) (2003). L'organisation communautaire en CLSC. Cadre de référence et pratiques, Regroupement québécois des intervenants et intervenantes en action communautaire en CLSC, Québec, Presses de l'Université Laval, 293 pages. MSSS (2008). Programme national de santé publique , mise à jour 2008, Québec, ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, Direction générale de la santé publique, MSSS, 103 pages. 11