State of the INNER CITY Community, Research and Social Change

10th Annual 2014 CANADIAN CENTRECCPA FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES MANITOBA Community, Research and Social Change: “Its more than a collection of stories: looking back State of the Inner City Report 2014 on State of the Inner City research collaboration” by Shauna MacKinnon isbn 978-1-77125-176-1 “It Takes a Community to Support a Family: December 2014 community based supports for families and the child welfare system” by Molly McCracken and Julia Higgins This report is available free of charge from the CCPA Cover art by Markus Houston, a local Aboriginal artist website at www.policyalternatives.ca. Printed living in . Used with permission for the State copies may be ordered through the Manitoba Office of the Inner City Report. [email protected] for a $10 fee. We would like to thank the funders of this year’s Please make a donation. Help us continue to offer State of the Inner City Report. We acknowledge the our publications free online. generous financial support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada through We make most of our publications available free the Manitoba Research Alliance grant: Partnering for on our website. Making a donation or taking out a Change - Community-based solutions for Aboriginal membership will help us continue to provide people and inner city poverty. with access to our ideas and research free of charge. You can make a donation or become a member on-line at www.policyalternatives.ca. Or you can contact the Manitoba office at 204-927-3200 for more information. Suggested donation for this publication: $10 or what you can afford.

Unit 205 – 765 Main St., Winnipeg, MB R2W 3N5 tel 204-927-3200 fax 204-927-3201 email [email protected] It’s More Than a Collection of Stories By Shauna MacKinnon

In 2005, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alter- ment and we’ve aimed to remind funding agen- natives (CCPA) – Manitoba began a journey with cies, and in particular governments, that they inner-city organizations that has evolved into a have an important role not only as funders, but research collaboration that marks its tenth year as policymakers. with the release of this report. Throughout this Within the context of these broader aims, period, several hundred individuals, from di- the State of the Inner City Report continues to verse backgrounds and experiences, have been have four interrelated objectives. One, to cele- involved in the State of the Inner City (SIC) Re- brate the community-based development work port project in various ways. Previous to this and those committed to improving the quality CCPA Manitoba had been actively engaged in of life in the inner city. Two, to shift attitudes community collaborative research for many about the inner city by dispelling myths and il- years and had developed a reputation for con- lustrating strengths. Three, to identify service ducting research in areas of importance to the gaps and policy inadequacies, and four, to pro- inner city. A significant level of trust had already vide policy and program solutions identified by been established, making it possible to explore those working on the frontlines. new ways of conducting research and sharing The SIC project uses a participatory action inner city stories. research framework that puts community in the But the State of the Inner City Report has al- driver’s seat while also emphasizing the impor- ways been more than a collection of stories. As tance of creating tools that can be used to ad- outlined in our first State of the Inner City Report vocate for policy change. CCPA-Mb researchers titled “The Promise of Investment in Communi- work closely with community-based organiza- ty-Led Renewal,” a central purpose has been to tions to identify research priorities and to devel- share the many stories of strength and persever- op methods of inquiry that are consistent with ance that are common in Winnipeg’s inner-city their values and practice models. As the past di- neighbourhoods. But the aim has been broader rector of Winnipeg’s Ma Mawi Chi Itata Centre than this. We’ve wanted to demonstrate what can and a key SIC community partner describes it, be done when governments and other funding “We tell the researchers what the issues are and agencies invest in community-based develop- what research we think we need. They come back

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 3 to us with some ideas and together we make it lation continues to fare poorly compared with happen…I feel like I’m driving it.” the non-Aboriginal population on several social This sense of community ownership is a cen- and economic indicators (Fernandez, MacKin- tral benefit. The SIC gives voice to a community non and Silver, 2010). The growing number of that is otherwise not heard and provides tools Aboriginal people in Winnipeg is in part due that can be used to advocate for improved poli- to relatively high birth rates of urban Aborigi- cies and programs. The SIC makes it possible to nal people, but it is also a function of Aboriginal highlight the achievements of community-based people relocating from First Nation communities organizations (CBOs), which is important gener- to seek education and employment opportunities. ally given that poverty is so hidden and govern- Many live in poor Winnipeg inner-city neigh- ments are not always appreciative of, nor ideo- bourhoods, where residents in general experience logically sympathetic to, the positive benefit that lower incomes, higher rates of unemployment, adequately financed CBOs can bring to commu- a higher incidence of single parenthood, lower nity. While they understand the usefulness of levels of educational attainment, housing inse- research, CBOs do not have research capacity curity, a higher level of crime-related violence, and are busy with the day-to-day, front-line work and greater dependency on welfare. Aboriginal that they are mandated to do. The SIC can help people from reserve communities often gravitate by providing researchers while also contribut- to the inner city because this is where they find ing to the capacity-building goals of inner-city family and friends from their home communi- organizations by hiring and training community ties, and because rent is generally lower in the researchers. These individuals gain new skills, inner city than elsewhere in Winnipeg. All too and as described later in this chapter, for some often they become trapped in a cycle of poverty, the experience has been transformative. caught up in oppressive systems, and lose hope. Although the State of the Inner City Report But while this hopelessness and despair is clearly project marks its 10th year, the work that we de- evident in the inner city, community-based or- scribe and celebrate began much earlier and the ganizations have refused to give up and there initial idea of doing the SIC was in part inspired is a strong spirit of hope, reclaiming of culture, by historical challenges and the individuals com- neighbourhood revitalization and community mitted to inner-city development long before 2005. building taking place. The inner-city communities that are the fo- cus of this research have had a long history of struggle (Loxley 2012; Silver 2006). While pov- The Political Context: Past and Current erty exists in pockets across the city, it has long The initial interest in this project resulted from been concentrated in Winnipeg’s inner city. An earlier research with community- based organi- increasing number of new immigrants, and in zations and an awareness that much of the work particular refugees, have more recently added in recent years has been made possible due to an to the diversity of the inner city, however the advantageous political climate. If history is any ‘face’ of the inner city continues to be dispro- indication of what the future might hold for com- portionately Aboriginal. Winnipeg generally has munity-based organizations, the current level of a large and fast growing Aboriginal population support will inevitably come to an end. Through- —the highest among census metropolitan areas out the 2000s inner-city organizations have been in Canada. And while Aboriginal people live in in a more positive financial situation than was all areas of the city, they are disproportionately the case throughout the 1990s. This is the case located in the inner city. The Aboriginal popu- because the provincial New Democratic Party

4 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA (NDP) government has been committed to sup- a provincial Conservative government (Garry porting inner-city work. Documenting the good Filmon) and Mayor Glen Murray, moved away work being done will help organizations make from the previous geographic, poverty reduction their case in the future with governments that focus. While the inner city and downtown were might be less amenable to investing in the inner not excluded, fewer resources were available as city. This is important because history tells us that government priorities changed. The focus of the investment in Winnipeg’s inner city has always Winnipeg Development Agreement (1995-2001) very much depended upon the political landscape. was more generic, with new objectives focused broadly on creating safe and productive envi- ronments, creating skills, work experience and Support for Inner City Development in the education (labour market focus) and job creation 1970s and 1980s (private sector focus). Urban revitalization through comprehensive, The focus on inner-city development returned geographic focused strategies began to replace in a new tripartite agreement signed in 2004 un- more narrowly focused sectoral approaches in the der the leadership of a federal Liberal government mid 1970s (Layne 2000). This shift in philosophy (Paul Martin), Provincial NDP (Gary Doer) and had a particularly strong impact in Winnipeg Winnipeg Mayor Glen Murray. The 5-year, $75 in the 1980s with the introduction of programs million tripartite agreement known as the Win- such as the Core Area Initiative, a multi-year nipeg Partnership Agreement expired in 2009 tripartite agreement signed between Canada, and the federal Conservative government under Manitoba and Winnipeg. The initial Core Area the leadership of Prime Minister Stephen Harper Initiative was signed by a federal Liberal govern- has shown no interest in continuing the tradi- ment, a provincial New Democratic Party (NDP) tion of entering into cost-shared urban develop- government and a municipal government led by ment tripartite agreements with the Province Mayor William Norrie. The 5–year, $96 million and City of Winnipeg. It should also be noted agreement (1981 – 1986) was geographically fo- that the Provincial government had a key role in cused on the inner city and downtown and em- shaping the parameters of the previous Winni- phasized both poverty reduction and physical peg Partnership Agreement, bringing the focus revitalization. A subsequent agreement, Core back to inner-city development, a focus that was Area Initiative II (CAI-II) was signed in 1986 be- lost when the Provincial Conservative govern- tween a Conservative federal government (Brian ment was in power in the 1990s. This shift in fo- Mulroney), a provincial NDP government (How- cus from a narrow to broad geographic focus is ard Pawley), and Mayor Norrie. The Core Area not surprising given the historical and very clear Initiatives provided the funding necessary for ideological/ geographical divide in Winnipeg. creative community-based development pro- Political power in Manitoba has historically jects including community-based education and moved from the right leaning Conservative par- training initiatives, infill housing, and inner city ty to the left leaning NDP. Members of the NDP neighbourhood renewal projects (Layne, 2000). have consistently been elected in the inner city Midway through the CAI II, Manitoba elect- and therefore these neighbourhoods have been ed a Conservative government led by Premier best off when the NDP is in power. After eight Garry Filmon. The CAI II ended in 1992 and it years out of office throughout the 1990s, the NDP was three years before another tripartite agree- was elected in 1999. One of the first initiatives ment was signed. The new agreement, signed by the NDP government introduced, after a decade a federal Liberal government (Jean Chretien), of cuts under a Conservative government, was

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 5 an inner-city initiative called Neighbourhoods opment long before the year 2000. For example, Alive! (NA!). NA! and the Winnipeg Partner- The Community Education Development Asso- ship Agreement gave a much-needed injection ciation (CEDA) was formed in 1979 by inner-city of support for inner-city community develop- parents who wanted a stronger voice in issues ment. Neighbourhoods Alive! was initially limited concerning the education of their children. The to project funds for community projects, but in Native Women’s Transition Centre, also estab- part as a response to the advocacy efforts of the lished in 1979, continues to provide safe transi- community, it soon expanded to include multi- tional housing for vulnerable Aboriginal women year core funding for Neighbourhood Renewal and children. The North End Women’s Centre Corporations in targeted neighbourhoods. Af- has provided services to women and families in ter a long stretch of deep cuts to social spend- the North End since 1984. ing in the 1990s, the federal Liberal government The Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre Inc. was began to again contribute to inner-city devel- formed through grass roots efforts in 1984 by opment through various project funding later a group of mostly female Aboriginal leaders in in the 1990s and through the WPA. However, Winnipeg’s inner city. Their aim was “to reclaim much of this funding was eliminated when the Aboriginal people’s inherent role and responsi- federal Conservatives came into power. While bility as the caregivers for Aboriginal children the funding environment remains far from per- and families in Winnipeg” (Ma Mawi Wi chi Ita- fect, the current provincial government has been ta, n.d.). A few years later Ma Maw Wi Chi Itata instrumental to the boost of energy, enthusiasm Centre Inc. took a leading role in establishing a and creativity we have seen in the inner city over safe home for Aboriginal youth. Ndiniwemaa- the past 15 years. ganag Endaawaad was established in 1994 and In part, the State of the Inner City research has since grown to provide a range of services for project has evolved from the belief that docu- Aboriginal youth. Andrews Street Family Cen- menting inner-city stories to demonstrate the tre was formed in 1995 with a mandate “to be a positive impact of investment over the past 15 family resource centre that builds on its com- years will be useful to organizations. It can arm munity’s strengths and encourages its individu- CBOs with evidence that shows they are making als, children, elders, families and youth to reach a difference in the lives of inner-city residents their full potential through support, friendship while also serving to have a positive social and and positive experiences.” economic impact for all of Manitoba. The hope These organizations survived and thrived in is that this evidence will ensure that the experi- spite of severe government cutbacks in the 1990s. ence of the 1990s will not be repeated and that Others did not. governments of all stripes will see the benefit The early 1990s were difficult times for many of investing in the inner-city development work and in particular for those living on the that has evolved since that time. edge—surviving from pay cheque to pay cheque. By 1992, Canada was deep into a recession. Like in many cities, Winnipeg’s unemployment rate Inner-City Development in the 1990s had risen to levels not seen in several years. In There is a long history of community-based re- 1992 the unemployment rate in Winnipeg was sponse to inner-city challenges in Winnipeg. 11.3 percent compared with 7.9 percent in 1990 Some of the organizations that participate in (Statistics Canada 1996). the State of the Inner City Report project were In keeping with the general shift to neolib- actively engaged in inner city community devel- eralism that began to take shape under the lead-

6 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA figure 1 Cartoon

source: Retrieved from CHO!CES archives, , November 2014 ership of the federal Conservative government guably a problem of the ’s in the 1980s, the governments of Canada and own making through restrictive monetary policy Manitoba were focused on retrenchment, de- and contradictory fiscal policy (Stanford 1999). regulation and privatization of public services. The neoliberal solution was to cut spending, and Governments at all levels made severe cuts Manitoba’s Conservative government followed to health and social services in the name of def- suite by drastically reducing program spending icit reduction. This focus on deficit reduction between 1992 and 2000 (Figure 2). continued with a federal Liberal government, Provincial cuts and sweeping federal policy elected with a majority in 1993. Finance Minis- changes made life difficult for many in the 1990s, ter Paul Martin, as depicted in the above politi- but in particularly for individuals and families cal cartoon featured in the Winnipeg Free Press living in poverty. The inner city was hit partic- is 1995, continues to be known for 1995 “deficit ularly hard. Many community-led initiatives busting budget” that led to major cuts to trans- became easy targets and much of the progress fers and programs. Government debts and defi- made prior to this time was setback as a result. cits were indeed rising in the 1990s although ar- For example, in 1992 a provincial Conservative

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 7 figure 2 Program Spending as percent GDP Manitoba

21

20

19 rcent GDP

Pe 18

17

16 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 source: Investing in People: The 1999/2000 Budget of CHO!CE. CHO!CES Coalition for Social Justice and Canadian Centre for Policy Alterna- tives Manitoba.

government eliminated funding to several com- daycare was a safe place for them…. [now] I just munity-based organizations in Winnipeg’s inner don’t have the money.” Another individual spoke city. The social justice coalition, CHO!CES, high- of the effect program cuts had on her attempts lighted these and other cuts to non-government to return to school: “I grew up on the streets. I organizations in the publication titled The Real stole for food. I know how my children’s lives will Deficit (1993) while also featuring stories of in- turn out if we don’t get an education and jobs.… ner-city residents who were negatively affected. they have to open their eyes and see what they’re Similar to the current actions taken by the fed- doing is wrong.” (CHO!CES 1993). eral Harper government, the Filmon government Many community-based organizations con- cut funding to organizations advocating for the tinued to survive throughout the 1990s but their most marginalized, including the Manitoba An- ability to do creative and innovative work was ti-Poverty Organization, Aboriginal and Métis greatly reduced as program funding disappeared. Friendships Centres across Manitoba, and the As described by one long-time inner city CBO Ex- Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. The Manitoba ecutive Director, “we were in maintenance mode… government also cut important social services just barely surviving and doing what we could to and supports. For example, childcare subsidies help inner-city residents with very limited resourc- for low-income families were reduced, financial es.” (personal communication, November 2014 ) supports to assist low-income, multi-barriered Community-based organizations persevered individuals return to school were eliminated, and residents began to mobilize in an effort to and social assistance benefits were reduced. As stem the deterioration they were seeing in their described by one inner city resident, who felt she neighbourhoods. They looked to neighbourhood had no choice but to pull her four children from revitalization strategies in other jurisdictions and childcare as a result of program cuts, “ I know new organizations began to emerge.

8 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA Neighbourhood Renewal Corporations – Corporations (NRCs) in designated neighbour- A New Era for Community Development hoods and communities across Manitoba. The Practice NDA initially supported the West Broadway As noted, disinvestment in the 1990s led to seri- Development Corporation, Spence Neighbour- ous inner-city decline in the 1990s. Winnipeg’s hood Association and the North End Renewal North End became known across Canada as the Corporation in Winnipeg as well as the Bran- Arson Capital of Canada (CBC, 1999). Winni- don Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation and peg’s reputation for violent crimes grew, neigh- the Thompson Neighbourhood Renewal Cor- bourhoods began to deteriorate and public and poration. It has since expanded to include the private housing stock was left to decline. Com- Daniel McIntyre/St. Matthews Neighbourhood munity residents began to mobilize in response. Renewal Corporation, The Central Neighbour- The West Broadway Development Corporation hoods Development Corporation, and Chalm- (now West Broadway Community Organiza- ers Neighbourhoood Renewal Corporation in tion (WBCO) was established in 1997 with the Winnipeg as well as Neighbourhood Renewal aim to revitalize a struggling neighbourhood. Corporations in Portage la Prairie, Flin Flon, The Spence Neighbourhood Association SNA( ) Dauphin, The Pas and Selkirk. In addition to the was established in 1997 by volunteers seeking NDA, NA! provides project funding through the to improve conditions in that neighbourhood. Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Community In response to troubling trends and inspired by Initiatives Fund, and in more recent years has ex- community development corporations in other panded support for smaller localities outside of jurisdictions, The North End Community Re- the inner city, through the Localized Improve- newal Corporation (NECRC) was established in ment Fund for Tomorrow (LIFT). 1998 to promote social, economic and cultural Although far from perfect, NA! and govern- renewal in the North End. ment investment in general has made a significant But these organizations struggled to survive difference in Winnipeg’s inner city. By the mid- in their early years, with few resources. Soon af- 2000s we were beginning to see these benefits ter being elected in 1999, the provincial NDP gov- and felt that documenting this progress, while ernment set its sights on supporting community also identifying continued gaps, was essential renewal efforts. In 2000 the Neighbourhoods to the development process taking place. With Alive! (NA!) Initiative was introduced. Initially this in mind, the State of the Inner City Report NA! was limited to a project fund that commu- project began. nity organizations could apply for to assist them with their community development work. While grateful to have this dedicated source of funds, The State of the Inner City Report: NRCs called upon the government to do more. Research and Action Toward Social Justice They proposed that NA! be expanded to emulate From the onset, the State of the Inner City Re- a similar program established in Saskatchewan port has been a project driven by the same val- which provided neighbourhood-based organiza- ues that guide community development work in tions in Regina and Saskatoon with multi-year Winnipeg’s inner city, aiming to contribute to the core support to fulfill their neighbourhood re- capacity building efforts that our community- newal mandates. To its credit, Manitoba respond- based partners are engaged in. For this reason, ed accordingly, establishing the Neighbourhood how we do our research is as critical as what we Development Assistance (NDA) Fund, a multi- do. It is our view that documenting the inner- year funding stream for Neighbourhood Renewal city journey is best told through the voices of

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 9 those who live and work in the neighbourhoods, efforts community-based organizations CBO( s) and that policy prescriptions should be rooted undertake upon completion of the SIC report. in their experiences. The more tangible ‘deliverables’ (as our funders Although our research is directed by our com- like to call them) have been the publications and munity partners, the process that we follow is tools produced. To date we have produced ten an- no less rigorous than other research. We obtain nual State of the Inner City Reports, two videos ethics approval for our research through the Uni- and several supplementary and summary docu- versity of Winnipeg Senate Ethics Committee, ments designed to be accessible to community and various drafts are reviewed and modified residents and program participants. prior to publication. A common theme through Our reports have been broadly disseminated all State of the Inner City Reports is that they to policy makers, CBOs and the broader commu- identify community strengths while acknowledg- nity. Our various reports have been downloaded ing continued challenges and proposing ways in from the CCPA website over 100,000 times. Our which public policies and programs might bet- videos are available on YouTube, and we regular- ter respond. ly use them as education tools in the classroom, Through an annual process that can involve a at academic conferences, invited lectures, and series of meetings, participants define a topic or government professional development events. theme that will shape the direction of research for As noted, an important aspect is that we include that year. The sense of ownership is established in each and every report, public policy recom- at this stage of the process because community mendations that we believe respond to the social rather than researchers determine the focus. and economic challenges that we explore. This Beyond specific research objectives, the SIC is a central component of our research because has always been viewed as a capacity building it responds to our community partners’ inter- project. University students and community res- est in research that will make a difference in the idents are often involved as research assistants lives of inner-city residents. supervised by experienced university and com- The research materials we produce are also munity researchers. Inner-city residents are of- used by organizations as education and advoca- ten trained and employed to conduct interviews, cy tools and as we have found, they sometimes and assist with transcription. Some community make their way to unexpected places. For ex- partners take a more active role in developing ample, in the 2006 State of the Inner City Re- research tools and participating in research de- port titled “Inner City Refugee Women” Lessons sign and implementation while others choose to for Public Policy, we explored the challenges of take a less active role. Community partners are refugee women, primarily from African coun- viewed as “the experts” in that they are working tries, struggling to adapt to life in Winnipeg’s on the frontlines and know the issues and obsta- inner city. Women shared with us the tension cles best. We encourage them to identify ways they felt—on one hand grateful for the refuge that governments and other funders can better Canada provides, but on the other hand learning respond to their needs and objectives. All part- to accept that their new home is not the paradise ners are given the opportunity to review draft they dreamed it would be. As described by the reports and provide input into final publications. women we interviewed, they continue to face As further described in the following pages, many obstacles. When we completed this pro- some of the most important outcomes of the ject the Somali women who guided our project project have been the intangible contributions and worked as research assistants, asked us if we to the lives of participants and to the advocacy could translate the summary document (which

10 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA we call ‘research for communities’) into Arabic. This is largely due to our commitment to a par- We did so, assuming it was for other refugees in ticipatory community-based model that some- our community for whom Arabic was a first lan- times results in the participation of local resi- guage. However, when we presented the trans- dents with complicated lives. While some of our lated document to the women, we learned that community researchers move smoothly through they had other motives. The women told us that projects, embracing newfound skills and devel- they would send the research summaries to their oping confidence along the way, others involved families in Somalia. They said that this was im- have needed more support and encouragement, portant to them for two reasons. First, because and this can be time consuming. In some cases, they were proud of the work they had done and unforeseen circumstances have led communi- they wanted their families to see it. More sur- ty researchers to “drop out” and we have found prising to us was the second reason. The wom- ourselves at times scrambling midway through en had shared with us how overwhelming was projects to fill in the gaps. While we acknowl- the pressure they felt to send money back home edge our model is by no means perfect, we feel to help support their families remaining in So- that the challenges and tradeoffs that are inevi- malia. They explained to us that their families table in projects such as this are overshadowed back home had an impression that life in Cana- by the benefits to individuals, organizations and da came with wealth and stability. They tend not communities. Our partners do too. After com- to understand that in relative terms, refugees in pleting the fifth State of the Inner City Report we Canada often struggle financially and are unable suggested ending the project. Our community to help families they left behind as much as they partners insisted that we continue. Many have would like. The guilt that the women felt weighed told us that it is the first time that they have felt heavily, and they believed that sharing their re- research to be of direct value to them, and they search might help their families in Somalia to continue to believe the exercise is worth doing. understand that life in Canada, while better in Having now completed ten State of the In- many ways, is complicated and at times very ner City Reports, we find it useful to reflect back difficult. They hoped that if their families -bet on how the project began; why it is widely em- ter understood this, it might relieve some of the braced in our community; some of the impact pressure and guilt. For researchers involved in it has had; and why we believe that the project this project, this was a pivotal lesson in the value is important to keep alive. of fully engaging communities in the research process. We would not have thought that what was for us a fairly simple gesture (translating a Building Capacity Through the State of the short document) could have such an important Inner City Report: The “How” and the “Who” impact for our community partners. The success of the State of the Inner City Re- port project can be attributed to the communi- ty-based participatory framework that we use. What We’ve Learned This model is particularly appealing as it is both The past 10 years have been extremely gratify- consistent with the CCPA Manitoba’s social jus- ing for those involved in this project. We have tice mandate, and the transformative community learned a lot, and have developed a particular development principles that guide our commu- kind of ‘expertise’ in conducting communi- nity-based partners. Fundamental to our model ty-driven research with what we describe as a is that we study issues identified by the commu- “critical edge”. But it has also been challenging. nity. While there are many examples of partici-

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 11 patory research that is community “based,” our of systemic forces. As described by Indigenous model is better described as community “driv- scholar Linda Tuhawai Smith, governments and en.” Our aim is less about producing research for social agencies have failed to relate indigenous academic publication, although we do this too, problems with historical experience, and there- than it is about producing research that can be fore decolonizing research is essential to the re- widely disseminated and in accessible forms that framing of issues to acknowledge historical con- the community can use. While the level of par- texts (2006, 153). ticipation in the research process may vary from The impact of colonization in Manitoba has project to project, we aim as much as possible been considerable. Indigenous Manitoba re- to have a high level of community participation searcher Michael Hart, as cited in Silver (2002, throughout the research process. 27) describes the deep damage caused by inter- The project was developed in the spirit of a nalized colonization: “Aboriginal people start full participation community-led and communi- to believe that we are incapable of learning and ty-based research paradigm and it is highly de- that the colonizers’ degrading images and beliefs pendent upon the well-established trusting re- about Aboriginal people and our ways of being lationships that have been nurtured over a long are true.” Reversing the damage of colonization period. It is notable that the majority of partici- is a critical step toward transformation and it is pants have been women, and Aboriginal women central to program models of many inner-city in particular have played a leadership role. CBOs. It is from this philosophical basis that that this project has developed and we are care- ful to ensure that each of our research projects The Aboriginal context is designed with this in mind. Careful attention Given the high concentration of Aboriginal res- is given to all aspects of the research process in- idents in the the inner city, the organizations cluding identification of projects, research de- that they represent provide services primar- sign and data analysis. ily, although not exclusively, to this population. Our aim is that the research process remains Some have built their programming around an true to the inclusive, empowering, anti-oppres- anti-oppressive theoretical framework and they sive and transformative objectives of our partner integrate a strong cultural component into their CBOs. But this is no small feat. Engaging inner- programs. Teaching participants about the ef- city residents in the research process requires fects of colonization and oppression is funda- that we understand the controlling relationships mental to their transformative goals. imposed by various “systems” that marginalized The demographics of Winnipeg’s inner city individuals often experience. Many of our com- led us to agree very early in the research process munity researchers and those that we interview that a framework from which to proceed would exemplify this experience. Many are living their need to recognize the historical context of the lives under the watchful eye of representatives of Aboriginal experience. Many of our communi- the state including child welfare authorities, the ty partners know all too well that healing from criminal justice system and welfare authorities. the damage caused by colonization and oppres- These systems have significant power over their sion is slow and painful work. Further, oppres- daily lives. This has implications for research sion through racism, sexism and classism con- because establishing trust becomes more com- tinues to be systemic, therefore healing occurs plicated, yet essential, if participants are to feel within a context of recurring injury. As a result, safe enough to fully share their stories and be our research is grounded in an understanding empowered through the process. We believe that

12 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA our community researchers have been extremely funders. In our third year we worked with our important in this regard as they bring shared ex- partners to develop a research model to gather perience and sensitivity to the interview process. information about the experiences of inner-city It has been our experience that conducting residents participating in various community- research guided by a paradigm that acknowl- based programs. Their insight was critical to edges the importance of cultural identity and the design that evolved, and the project provid- an understanding of the role that colonization ed significant insight into the benefits of par- and oppression has played in shaping lives, can ticipation for individuals, their families and the contribute to consciousness raising, empower- broader community. In our seventh SIC Report ment, renewed cultural identity, individual eman- our community partners took our research to a cipation and ultimately, transformative change. deeper level, choosing to focus on the ideologi- Broadening involvement of the community in cal model that has resulted in a scaling back of the research process, building egalitarian rela- public support and growth in poverty and in- tionships with participants through ongoing col- equality that deeply affects their communities. laboration, training and hiring community re- The report—Neoliberalism, What a Difference searchers, sharing findings in various forms, and a Theory Makes—reflects the politicization of requesting feedback from research participants, participants as they began to consider the limi- are important elements of our research design. tations of community development work in the Our community-led process is consistent with absence of strong state support, in particular the the anti-oppressive orientation guiding our CBO absence of strong federal government support. partners, and in keeping with transformative and In keeping with Smith’s decolonizing research participatory research models and decolonizing framework, which stresses that “intervention methodologies. We learned of this importance is directed at changing institutions which deal early on. For example, in our first State of the In- with indigenous peoples and not at changing ner City Report we looked at housing issues in indigenous peoples to fit the structures” (Smith the inner city because the community told us 2006:147), the SIC project aims to be interven- that the lack of affordable and decent housing tionist at the structural level. We are not inter- was a critical issue for families and individuals. ested in blaming individuals living in the in- And we know that without safe, reliable hous- ner city for their poverty-related problems, but ing it is near impossible for individuals to move rather in examining the context within which forward. This housing theme has continued to they live, how community development activi- be present in subsequent years and our research ties contribute to their lives, how state policies is being used by community groups advocating have failed them, and where those policies might for policy change and has been effective in steer- be changed to address the issues that emerge ing the province toward a renewed investment through the research that we conduct together. in social housing. In fact, the provincial govern- ment’s investment in social housing, especially since 2009, has been exemplary. Research Methods Emerge Through Beginning in our second year, our commu- Participation nity partners expressed an interest in examining In keeping with community-based participatory the difficult to measure outcomes for individuals research, we believe that our community research and families participating in community-based partners must be involved in the decision to se- programs. This theme emerged as a result of their lect the methods that fit best with their research frustration with the reporting demands of their objectives. The role of the ‘outside researcher’ is

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 13 to provide information about various methods of the individual ‘story’ will be lost if not told in and tools and to assist community members in the context of historical, social, economic and the research process. While we use both quanti- political injustice. tative and qualitative methods, consideration is The idea of giving voice to the oppressed as always given to choosing methods that allow us a necessary stage of emancipation and transfor- to tell the story that needs to be told while also mation was central to Paulo Freire in his classic engaging the community in the data gathering work, Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1970, 2006). process and analysis. We consider this to be im- Freire noted that “if it is in speaking their word portant because it provides a capacity building that people, by naming their world, transform it, component that can have lasting benefit for the dialogue imposes itself as the way in which they community. While we have found quantitative achieve significance as human beings” (2006, data to be useful, it is insufficient for this pro- 88). From an anti-oppressive/decolonization ject. As noted by Aboriginal research partners perspective, dialogue is an essential precursor in one SIC research project, it is the stories that of action and reflection, or “praxis.” Narrative have the most meaning (MacKinnon & Stephens, research can provide an opportunity for mean- 2007). Quantitative data do not capture the rich- ingful dialogue that leads to praxis, especially in ness of the stories, or the experiences and per- the context of community-based participatory ceptions of those most affected by policy. Quan- research that is aimed at building capacity and titative data also do not capture the impact of moving from research to action. Stories must structural forces that are at the root of poverty be situated within the context of broader condi- and social exclusion. tions (poverty, colonization) to draw a connec- It is notable that while government and oth- tion to structural problems. If we are to move er funding agencies continue to emphasize the individuals from self-awareness to empower- collection of quantitative data demonstrating ment, researchers must “redefine informants measurable outcomes, they too know the value to be those with whom they study, and redefine of hearing individual stories. In fact it is often their own activities far beyond the production the stories rather than the measurable outcomes of a document describing events experienced, that are used in funding agency promotional ma- recorded, and analyzed” (Le Compte, 1993, 14). terials and fundraising campaigns. When conducted through a critical framework, such as we do, narrative research can be an ap- propriate methodology to complement quan- Moving Beyond the ‘Story’ for Broader titative measures, to ensure that in our efforts Social Impact to quantify through numbers and statistics, we Sally Westwood (1991) emphasizes the value of don’t lose sight of the uniqueness of the individual narratives to research that is transformative. She experiences behind the numbers, and to ensure notes that research that is transformative requires also that we don’t lose sight of the historical, so- that those involved are not simply offered a voice cial and political factors that have contributed “but a speaking position through the narrative to each individual’s experience. mode” (p.4). Just as research that focuses solely on quantitative methods will miss an important opportunity to provide a potentially empower- The Benefits: Individual, Community and ing experience for interviewees, and the depth of Policy Outcomes knowledge that transpires through hearing the As outlined earlier, the overarching benefits of voices of the ‘researched,’ the potential impact the State of the Inner City Report project are

14 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA quite broad. A central purpose is to document the pants are beginning to see a shift in policy focus journey taking place in Winnipeg’s inner city at as demonstrated in recent provincial government a time when there is relatively significant politi- investment in repair of existing social housing cal support (provincially) for community-based after several years of neglect. The province has initiatives. Community-based organizations cur- also responded, for the first time in more than rently receiving state support are vulnerable, and twenty years, to calls for the development of new this has become increasingly apparent with se- social housing units. rious federal cuts in recent years. Research that In 2009 our report was titled It Takes All Day demonstrates the effectiveness of community de- to Be Poor, a term coined by a community part- velopment work will provide organizations with ner to describe the complexity of life for people important evidence to justify continued state living in poverty. In this project we used a vari- commitment to their work. This will become ety of methodologies to illustrate the complex increasingly important should a Conservative lives that many people living in poverty endure. government be elected in Manitoba, as the cur- In 2010 our report titled We’re in it for the Long rent NDP government, in addition to their own Haul included the story of Community Led Or- continued commitment, has filled many of the ganizations United Together (CLOUT), describ- funding gaps left by the federal Conservatives. ing the collaborative model the eight member For example, in the absence of federal and mu- organizations use to serve youth and families. nicipal interest in renewed inner-city focused tri- As noted, in 2011 our community partners asked partite agreement, the Provincial NDP has taken us to examine the political and economic con- the lead in a scaled down partnership in the form text within which they are providing services. of the Winnipeg Regeneration Strategy (WRS). They observed that in spite of all of their efforts, The WRS is a provincial strategy in response to poverty seems to be getting worse. They wanted the lack of a tripartite agreement. Although the to know why. federal and municipal government have signed We returned to our focus on program evalua- Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and tion in the paper titled “Who’s Accountable to the have come to the table with some in-kind contri- Community”, featured in the eighth State of the butions, poverty related projects funded through Inner City Report published in 2012. This project the WRS are almost entirely provincially funded evolved through discussions with several com- with the exception of some municipal contribu- munity organization’s Executive Directors who tions through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to- described their frustrations with the expecta- ward affordable housing units downtown. tions of government and other funding agencies, State of the Inner City research is also ben- and the unacknowledged power imbalance that eficial to community organizations that become results in the absence of reciprocal accountabil- consumed by their own mandates, and as a result ity. We have currently taken this research fur- drift away from collective efforts. This project ther, working with community organizations to brings them together to share their experiences, develop guiding principles for evaluation that successes and challenges. For example, dialogue community organizations can use collectively with community organizations led to a housing and independently to ensure that government focus in several State of the Inner City Reports, and funding agencies evaluation expectations including the 2008 Putting our Housing in Or- align with community priorities. der. This research continues to be used by com- The above provides some examples of how munity groups advocating for policy change and community organizations are using this research renewed investment in social housing. Partici- project to help them in their work. There is also

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 15 evidence of how the SIC has benefited many indi- lationships with participants through ongoing viduals who participate as community researchers collaboration, training and hiring community re- as well as those who share their stories with us as searchers, sharing findings in various forms, and participants in interviews, focus groups, sharing requesting feedback from research participants, circles, and other projects. Our commitment to have made this project an important part of the hire and train community members as research development process that continues to evolve in associates has proved beneficial for individuals. Winnipeg’s inner city. CBOs are on the frontline For example, one community researcher, a refu- and they know best what the issues are. gee from Somali, later enrolled in the University of Manitoba Bachelor of Social Work program and has since graduated. Another was hired as a Year Ten and Still Going Strong community helper at an inner-city agency after In 2012 we completed our eighth report called having completed her work with us, which was Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges. Our partners also her first paid work experience. University identified two priorities. As described earlier, students who have worked with us have gone on they wanted to talk about the current process to further their education as Masters and PhD of accountability between CBOs and funding students, and others have gone on to work in agencies, especially governments. Their aim is CBOs. While we provide community research- to improve current practice in such a way that ers guidance, we also allow them freedom to be governments are accountable back to commu- creative. For example, Jil Brody, a social work nities in addition to CBOs being accountable student and the principal researcher in the 2009 to governments. The second focus they asked Report titled It Takes All Day to Be Poor, was giv- for was to look at ways to build relationships en freedom to take a general idea discussed at a between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal and community meeting (to explore journaling as a inner city and non-inner city youth. This they method to capture the day-to-day experiences believe is the hope for our future. We moved of people living in poverty) and developed an in- forward with this idea by bringing thirty youth novative project that provides valuable insight from various backgrounds together with Abo- into the complexity of poverty. riginal elders, to learn about each other and Others have benefitted in ways far more pro- dispel some lingering myths as a first step to found than we would have imagined. For exam- healing our city which remains very much di- ple, in the report titled “Is Participation Having vided racially and geographically. As request- an Impact?” an inner-city resident who we hired ed by our community partners, we produced and trained as a research assistant said this about a film in addition to a report. The film is -cur her experience: “Participating in this project gave rently being used to advocate for the develop- me my voice back.” ment of an ongoing project emulating the 2012 As noted, community-based organizations experience with youth and elders. In 2013, the benefit from the project in several ways. In sum, State of the Inner City Report again picked up it provides an opportunity to come together to on the theme of engaging youth, integrating a identify issues of shared concern, investigate the photo-voice project. issues, identify policy solutions, and use the tools In addition to this chapter reflecting on the that are produced to advocate for improved poli- history and purpose of the SIC, community part- cies and programs. ners identified child welfare as a priority for the Broadening involvement of the community 2014 report, which is the focus of the paper ti- in the research process, building egalitarian re- tled It Takes a Community to Support a Family.

16 canadian centre for policy alternatives ­— MANITOBA The SIC – A Celebration of Inner-City Work gathering each December, it is the shared love of The final and equally important purpose of the our community, our pride in the work that we do SIC has been to celebrate the work of inner-city and our appreciation for the tireless, dedicated CBOs. Since our project began in 2005, we have people who do it that is what we are gathered to held an annual celebration at the Circle of Life celebrate. For those of us who are primarily re- Thunderbird House, a sacred Aboriginal meet- searchers, great satisfaction comes from knowing ing place in the centre of the city. We profile our that our research is useful to the community. In work and tell our stories; we share food, hugs, the words of a long-time, community leader who laughter and tears. And we leave knowing that previously dismissed research because, she said in a few months we will get together again to “we have been researched to death,” the State of begin the process for the next year. But while the Inner City Report project is important be- the release of the report is the impetus for our cause it produces “research that belongs to us.”

Community, research and social change: State of the Inner City Report 2014 17 References

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