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 adaptationownership, which is more effective than
fidelity
3
Current dynamic
Community development divided between
two intersecting approaches
1- Instrumentalization of communities in order to
implement public/private program objectives and
methods
2- Ownership by actors and the public of the local issues
where the responses are created jointly with the
necessary contributions and controlled by the
programs
In the field: hybridization of the two approaches in a
paradoxical dynamic
Descending-exogenous logic
Ownership tendency
Autonomy tendency
Instrumentalization tendency
Complementarity tendency
Ascending-endogenous logic
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
Community
development
Community leadership
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
Thank you for your attention
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