Transcript Introduction to Community Economic Development

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Why CED
Definitions
Features of CED
Values inherent in CED
The How of CED
The Results and Challenges of CED
Summary and Conclusion
 To make it easier for more people to
understand how they can get involved
in building capacity in their community.
 To develop a common language for our
work – so we, practioners of CED, can
all work together better.
 Rise in social,
economic &
environmental
problems.
 Downloading of
responsibilities by
higher levels of
government.
 People’s need to be
involved in
improving their
community.
 Untapped local skills,
resources,
knowledge .
 Local “stick-to-itness”
 Power of community
collaboration.
 Stop the leaks in the local economy
▫ Out migration of people and resources
 Increase the Inflow – build on assets
▫ What can we leverage
 Secure the plugs
▫ Take control of local resources
 Strengthen the bucket
▫ Invest in infrastructure or people.
 Technique
▫ e.g. a way of organizing a meeting
 A single program of an organization
▫ e.g. a community business or a skills
training project
 A person
▫ e.g. someone starting an enterprise
“Action by people locally to create economic
opportunities and enhance social conditions in
their communities on a sustainable and
inclusive basis particularly with those who are
most disadvantaged”.
CED is a community based and community directed
process that explicitly combines social and economic
development and is directed towards fostering the
economic, social, ecological and cultural well being of
communities.
CED has emerged as an alternative to conventional
approaches to economic development. It is founded
on the belief that problems facing communities –
unemployment, poverty, job loss, environmental
degradation and loss of community control – need to
be addressed in a holistic and participatory way.
 Devolves decision-making to those
most affected by those decisions.
 Weaves together economic, social
and environmental goals.
 Focuses on more than one issue.
 Uses more than one technique
 Is long-term in nature.
1. If nobody is going to help us then we
gotta help ourselves.
2. If we are going to help ourselves then
we have to start with what we got.
3. If we are going to work together then
we have to weave together each
others motivations and interests.
4. Once we have a plan – then – we
gotta do it.
 Positive social transformation and change.
▫ Social and economic justice;
▫ Poverty reduction
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Participants as partners not clients.
Individual/collective empowerment and self-help.
Equal opportunity and equal access to resources.
Sensitive and understanding of particular needs.
Having a different understanding of risk.
Positive, Practical, Progressive, Pragmatic,
Persistent.
 There is no ‘one’ strategy for building
community capacity – the possibilities
are endless.
 The following ‘basic functions’ appear in
a large number of CED initiatives
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Research, planning and networking
Community ownership and equity
Human resource development
Access to Capital (equity, debt, grant)
 A single purpose organization
▫ Cooperatives
▫ Social Enterprises
 The Community Development
Corporation (CDC)
 The Integrated Service Delivery
Organization
 The Convenor organizations
▫ Associations and Networks
 The Infrastructure Organization
 Organizations that
focus on one issue
e.g. housing
 And/or use one or two
functions e.g. training
 And do so consciously
making the links to
build a local integrated
solution.
Enviro-Safe Cleaning
Worker Co-op
(Patrick and Musaghi)
 Organizations that bring together
many functions under one-roof
▫ E.g. Networking, research & planning,
advocacy, loan fund
 Organizations that offer
myriad of services that are
strategically linked to each
other and to local needs
 These organizations
usually focus on labour
force development.
 Organizations that bring together and help
coordinate the work of many CED and local
organizations to revitalize the community
 Organizations that support the
efforts of CED groups through the
following methods:
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Technical Assistance
Funding
Research
Policy
Networking
 There is a growing body of evidence that the
CED approach is effective in:
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Ensuring solutions fit local needs and priorities
Improving the lives of marginalized residents
Strengthening the capacity of local institutions
Expanding the local economy
Generating return to the taxpayer
 Amount/Type of funding that is
available
▫ Government silos
 Lack of supportive policy framework
▫ Nationally defined programs
 Short-term expectation
 Maintaining a meaningful voice for
marginalized residents
 Thinking & acting comprehensively
 Working collaboratively
 Building sufficient skills, networks and
financial resources in the organization
 Balancing social, economic and
environmental priorities
A deliberate, systematic and comprehensive
approach to revitalizing communities and
improving the lives of marginalized residents
primarily through local efforts.
There are several types of CED institutions and
strategies.
There is a growing body of evidence that CED
works. There are both external and internal
challenges that prevent greater results.
Is a national organization where all the
different types of CED organizations come
together.
The network has hundreds of members, reaching
thousand of organizations across the country
Community based organizations: Aboriginal,
youth; women’s groups; cooperatives;
immigrant associations; urban; rural.
Public and Private sector: Universities;
foundations; consultants; financial institutions;
federal, provincial and municipal governments
Every province and territory is represented.
Member led, democratically governed
 Supports practioner development and peer
learning among it’s members.
 Advocates policy to all levels of
government and key sectors to strengthen
support to community led efforts.
 Promotes CED as an alternative model.
Committees and Working Groups
 Policy
 Practioner and Sector Strengthening
 Membership
 Research
 Emerging Leaders
 Human Capital
 Community financing.
Staffing
The network currently has 16 staff
working regionally and nationally.
Offices
BC, Manitoba, Ontario, PEI and a
national office in Ottawa
Partnership with the Social Economy
Organization of Quebec (le Chantier de
l’economie sociale)
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Website
CCEDNet’s policy brochure
Monthly e-newsletter
CED Resource List
Case Studies
Policy research documents