What Have We Learned: Services Theme

Greg Halseth and Laura Ryser

NRE Spring Workshop 2006

Taschereau, QC

29-30 April 2006

Outline• Introduction• Context• Site Profiles

– Results overview– Shifting relations– Future research questions

• Innovative and Voluntary Service Providers– Results overview– Shifting relations– Future research questions

• Discussion

Context I• What we did• Site Profiles

2005:24 sites

2003: 22 sites

2000: 20 sites

1998: 25 sites*

•Education•Health•Protection Services•Legal Services•Financial•Communication•Elderly/childcare

•Government•Community •Transportation•Recreation•Shopping•Economic Development•Housing

Context II• Innovative Services and Voluntary Organizations

•Mackenzie, BC•Wood River, SK

•Tweed, ON•Springhill, NS

2003: 40 organizations

2005: 36 organizations

•Structure•Demographics of organization•Clientele•Logistical operations•Changes to service delivery

•Networks and relationships•Social capital/social cohesion•Funding•Organizational profile•technology

Social Capacity Framework• Assets

– Economic Capital– Human Skills and Abilities– Social Capital– Natural Resources

• Processes– Market– Bureaucratic– Associative– Communal

• Valued Outcomes– Economic prosperity– Social and political inclusion– Environmental stewardship– Social and self-worth– Health– Safety/security– Social cohesion

*Outcomes can become new assets and liabilities

Rural Services Rural Services

Greg HalsethGreg Halseth

Canada Research Chair, Canada Research Chair,

Rural and Small Town StudiesRural and Small Town Studies

University of Northern British ColumbiaUniversity of Northern British Columbia

Services and CapacityServices and Capacity

Services function within each of 4 types of Services function within each of 4 types of capacity “relations”:capacity “relations”:

bureaucratic - public sectorbureaucratic - public sector market - private sectormarket - private sector associative - voluntary sectorassociative - voluntary sector communal - family and kinshipcommunal - family and kinship

• Shifting service provision eras has also Shifting service provision eras has also shifted capacity relation emphasis shifted capacity relation emphasis

• Assessing service changes is part of rural Assessing service changes is part of rural capacity analysiscapacity analysis

Rural Services – ‘messages’Rural Services – ‘messages’

•Service changesService changes

Reductions at site levelReductions at site level Still within regionStill within region

Critical change in scaleCritical change in scale

Health Services in SitesHealth Services in Sites

19981998 20002000 20032003Service – Service – All SitesAll Sites % Yes% Yes %Yes%Yes % Yes% YesDoctorsDoctors 45.845.8 50.050.0 33.333.3NursesNurses 45.845.8 ** 33.333.3DentistsDentists 33.333.3 35.035.0 23.823.8OptometristsOptometrists 12.512.5 ** 19.019.0PhysiotherapyPhysiotherapy ** 15.015.0 23.823.8n=n= 2424 2020 2121

Source: CRRF NRE Site Profiles 1998, 2000, 2003.Source: CRRF NRE Site Profiles 1998, 2000, 2003.* Information not collected for service that year.* Information not collected for service that year.

Only one-third of NRE study sites have a nurse or doctor

0 20 40 60 80 100

Optometrists

Dentists

Physiotherapy

Doctors

Nurses

Percent of NRE sites with health services

Withinsite

Only one-third of NRE study sites have a nurse or doctor

0 20 40 60 80 100

Optometrists

Dentists

Physiotherapy

Doctors

Nurses

Percent of NRE sites with health services

Withinsite

In site orwithin 30minutesof site

Education Services in SitesEducation Services in Sites

19981998 2000 2003 2000 2003 Service – Service – All SitesAll Sites % Yes% Yes % Yes % Yes % Yes % Yes Pre-school / kindergartenPre-school / kindergarten ** * * 47.6 47.6 Elementary schoolElementary school 76.076.0 70.0 61.9 70.0 61.9 High schoolHigh school 40.040.0 35.0 23.8 35.0 23.8 Continuing EducationContinuing Education 41.741.7 45.0 23.8 45.0 23.8

n=n= 2525 20 20 21 21

Source: CRRF NRE Site Profiles 1998, 2000, 2003.Source: CRRF NRE Site Profiles 1998, 2000, 2003.* Information not collected for service that year.* Information not collected for service that year.

Only 62 percent of NRE study sites have an elementary school

0 20 40 60 80 100

High school

Continuing education

Pre-school / kindergarten

Elementary school

Percent of NRE sites with educational service

Within site

Only 62 percent of NRE study sites have an elementary school

0 20 40 60 80 100

High school

Continuing education

Pre-school / kindergarten

Elementary school

Percent of NRE sites with educational service

Within site

In site or within 30minutes of site

Availability of services.

• By type of relations they most closely align with:– 35 services under market relations, – 72 services under bureaucratic relations

(various health services)– 16 services under associative relations– 12 services under communal relations

Market based services• Services available in site, adjacent, or within 30 minutes in All Sites:

– Grocery store– Gas station– Liquor store– Campgrounds

• Services available within 30 minutes in at least half of All sites:

•Banks•ATM machines•Insurance offices•Real estate office•Accounting offices•Farmer’s market•Second-hand stores•Private athletic club•Pharmacy

•Credit unions•Micro-financing groups•Industrial park•Bakery•Taxi•Automobile Repair•Cinema•Chamber of Commerce•Local bus. dev. corp.

•Security alarm services•Lawyer•Notary•Inter-community bus station•Freight train•Curling rink•Bowling lanes•Golf courses

Market Services Special notes by region – services available within 30

minutes in all sitesWestern Canada

•ATM machines•Auto repair shops

•Farmer’s market•Curling rink

•Bakery•Campgrounds

•Gas station

Ontario

•Banks•Grocery store

•Credit unions•Farmer’s market

•ATM machines•Liquor store

•Insurance offices•Bakery

•Industrial park •Real estate office •Farming/fishing/other industrial association

•Accounting office

•Auto repair shop•Pharmacy•Campgrounds

•Second-hand stores•Security alarm services•Bowling lanes

•Private athletic club•Inter-comm. bus station•Golf courses

•Chamber of Commerce•Curling rink

Quebec

•Credit unions•Gas station

•Insurance offices•Campgrounds

•Farmer’s market •Bakery

Atlantic Canada

•Banks•Farmer’s market•Pharmacy

•Credit unions•Bakery•Campgrounds

•ATM machines•Gas station

•Insurance offices•Auto repair shop

Market Services Special notes by region – services available within

30 minutes by less than half of sites

• Western Canada– Cinema– Private athletic club– Business Development Bank of Canada– Security services– Passenger train

• Ontario– Business Development Bank of Canada

• Quebec– Micro-financing groups– Private athletic club

• Atlantic Canada– Micro-financing groups– Security services– Passenger train– Freight train

Availability of services.• Between 2003 and 2005

– Market relations services declined 0.39% – Bureaucratic relations services declined 1.82%

– Associative relations services increased 2.54%– Communal relations services increased 1.82%

• Metro adjacent sites increased/decreased faster• Leading sites increased/decreased faster

– ie: associative relations increase more evident in leading (8.13%) compared to lagging sites (-0.92%).

Services Profile – Future Research Questions

• Regional governance models to fit with regional structure of service provision– Also regional ‘community’ and ‘public

participation’ models

• Local patterns of service substitution– ‘bottom up’ replacements

• Continuing metro adjacent/non-adjacent trends and implications for diversifying rural policy approaches

Sustaining Innovative Service Providers & Voluntary

Organizations

Sustaining Innovative Service Providers & Voluntary

OrganizationsLaura Ryser and Greg HalsethLaura Ryser and Greg HalsethRural and Small Town StudiesRural and Small Town Studies

University of Northern British ColumbiaUniversity of Northern British Columbia

CRRF - Twillingate - 2005CRRF - Twillingate - 2005

How do they sustain themselves?How do they sustain themselves?

•Human resourcesHuman resources

•Financial resourcesFinancial resources

•PartnershipsPartnerships

•CommunicationsCommunications

•Sources of informationSources of information

•Organizations with paid or Organizations with paid or compensated leaders / board members compensated leaders / board members less likely to face:less likely to face: Lack of new leadershipLack of new leadership Little participation by membersLittle participation by members Volunteer burnoutVolunteer burnout

Human ResourcesHuman Resources

Discussion IDiscussion I•Challenges with Human ResourcesChallenges with Human Resources

Lack of members, volunteer burnout, little Lack of members, volunteer burnout, little participationparticipation

•To cope with human resource To cope with human resource challenges:challenges: Range of recruiting strategiesRange of recruiting strategies Some offering paid positions / Some offering paid positions /

compensationcompensation Fewer of these organizations concerned with Fewer of these organizations concerned with

human resource problemshuman resource problems

Discussion IIDiscussion II•Financial resources:Financial resources:

Relying more on revenue from local Relying more on revenue from local funding sourcesfunding sources including revenues from services including revenues from services

provided, membership fees, and provided, membership fees, and community fundraisingcommunity fundraising

Board of directors important condition Board of directors important condition to obtain fundingto obtain funding

Discussion IIIDiscussion III•Partnerships are increasingPartnerships are increasing

New ways to deliver servicesNew ways to deliver services Enhances legitimacy to funding Enhances legitimacy to funding

agenciesagencies

•Groups with partnerships received Groups with partnerships received more private and government more private and government fundingfunding

•Benefits:Benefits: Networks, new products & services, Networks, new products & services,

and new expertiseand new expertise

Discussion IVDiscussion IV•Groups with partnerships use a Groups with partnerships use a

range of communication toolsrange of communication tools

•Key communication tools to build Key communication tools to build and maintain organizationsand maintain organizations Face-to-face contactFace-to-face contact Print materialsPrint materials Internet technologyInternet technology

Discussion VDiscussion V• Building Organization StabilityBuilding Organization Stability

Most organizations have a stable structural Most organizations have a stable structural frameworkframework

StaffStaff Office spaceOffice space Board of directorsBoard of directors

Gender distribution amongst leadership positions Gender distribution amongst leadership positions and board of directorsand board of directors

Men and women bring difference experiences and Men and women bring difference experiences and networksnetworks

Boards of directors were prominent requirements Boards of directors were prominent requirements to obtain fundingto obtain funding

Organizations utilized many strategies to recruit Organizations utilized many strategies to recruit new members and employeesnew members and employees

Discussion VIDiscussion VI• Developing Relationships, Networks, Developing Relationships, Networks,

Knowledge, and Expertise through Knowledge, and Expertise through Information SourcesInformation Sources Organizations using a wider range of sources of Organizations using a wider range of sources of

informationinformation Prominent sources: family and friends, Prominent sources: family and friends,

management, general media, the Internet, management, general media, the Internet, customers, staff, and federal and provincial customers, staff, and federal and provincial government departments government departments

Provides opportunity:Provides opportunity: To interact with diverse groupsTo interact with diverse groups To develop new relationshipsTo develop new relationships To acquire new knowledge and expertiseTo acquire new knowledge and expertise

Organizations that received funding from Organizations that received funding from government ‘grants’ and ‘programs’ more likely to government ‘grants’ and ‘programs’ more likely to use a wider range of information sourcesuse a wider range of information sources

Discussion VIIDiscussion VII•Using Communication Tools to Improve Using Communication Tools to Improve

Relations Locally and Non-LocallyRelations Locally and Non-Locally Key communication tools: face to face or Key communication tools: face to face or

word of mouthword of mouth More organizations are using print More organizations are using print

materials and Internet technologymaterials and Internet technology Most organizations felt the Internet was Most organizations felt the Internet was

becoming an increasingly important toolbecoming an increasingly important tool To improve access to informationTo improve access to information To improve relations locally and non-locallyTo improve relations locally and non-locally

Process Shift I

• Shift from communal/associative services to bureaucratic services

• Surrogate = Board of Directors

Process Shift I• ie: Looked at how the organization

communicates with its clients• In 2005, organizations with BoD used more

comm tools • Also tended to use most of the range of

comm toolsBut,• Between 2003 and 2005, organizations

without a BoD increased their use of comm tools faster (average 20.61% increase) than those with BoD (average 2.64% increase).

Process Shift I• Sources of Revenue• In 2005, organizations with a BoD used a wider

range of funding sources• Between 2003 and 2005, organizations without a

BoD were more likely to reduce their use of a range of funding sources (-9.79%) compared to organizations with a BoD (2.58%).

• Partnerships• In 2005, organizations with a BoD had more

local and non-local partnerships• Between 2003 and 2005, organizations with a

BoD increased partnerships (9.8%) compared to organizations without a BoD (15.65% decrease).

Process Shift I• Shift from communal/associative organized

services to market organized services– Surrogate = vol to paid leadership

Communication with clients• In 2005, few differences between organizations

with paid vs voluntary leadership in use of the range of comm tools

• Between 2003 and 2005, voluntary led groups were more likely to increase their use of the range of comm tools (+12.28%) compared to paid leadership groups (-18.17%)

Process Shift I• Sources of revenue• In 2005, organizations with voluntary leadership used a

wider range of revenue sources• Between 2003 and 2005, there was little difference in

revenue source change between paid leadership (- 9.98%) and voluntary leadership (- 2.74%) groups

• Partnerships• In 2005, organizations with paid leadership were more

likely to have local partnerships compared to voluntary leadership groups

• Between 2003 and 2005, organizations with paid leadership were more likely to increase both local and non-local partnerships (+19.05%) compared to those with voluntary leadership (+2.7%)

Process Shift II• Shift from market/bureaucratic organized services to

associative/communal organized services

• Source of revenue

• Between 2003 and 2005, for market/bureaucratic organized services there was a notable increase (+ 22.5%) in revenue from services, but notable decreases from federal grants (- 8.6%) and municipal grants (-11.1%)

• Between 2003 and 2005, associative/communal organized services produced a net decrease of revenue sources (-5.55%), most notable in community fundraising (-15.7%) and private donations (-13.6%)

Process Shift III

• Social cohesion

• To explore some of the implications of opportunities to interact (social cohesion) and the performance of different groups, this section examines issues of revenue and information access

Process Shift III - Social cohesion• Sources of funding / Communication with Clients

• In 2005, groups using any of the range of comm tools:– 32.8% to 57.3% used market based relations as a source for

funding• Revenue from services provided accounted for 57.3%

– 19% to 28% used bureaucratic based relations as a source for funding

• Less than one-third made use of bureaucratic relations sources

– 32.8% to 38.0% used associative/communal relations as a source for funding

• Membership fees / personal funds were most important

• Associative/communal relations were more important than bureaucratic relations, but less important than market relations as sources of funding

Process Shift III - Social cohesion• Sources of Information / Comm with Clients

• In 2005, groups using any of the range of comm tools:– 67.2% to 79.5% used market relations as a source for

information– 67.2% to 79.5% used bureaucratic relations as a

source for information– 42.6% to 79.5% used associative/communal relations

• Family and friends were the most important

– 32.3% to 62.6% used market relations (economic actors)

• Lowest of any of the categories explored

– 72.8% to 77.4% used media relations as a source for information

Process Shift III - Social cohesion

• Partnerships / Communication with Clients

– Almost all groups using a comm tool had outside partners

– Not all groups using a comm tool had local partners

• Most groups that did not use a communication tool had outside partners (two thirds) and about half had local partners.

Process Shift IV – Consequences of surviving stress

• Questions on the reaction of local organizations to stresses

• The key result: in response to a local stress, the reactions of local organizations did not yield a notable increase in social cohesion

Process Shift IV – Consequences of surviving stress

• Across all sites, 53.6% of respondents said that local organizations were more able to work effectively together

• Countered by 42.9% who said that they were not more able to work effectively together

• The pattern repeats for both metro-adjacency status and leading/lagging status

• Some community differences• In Mackenzie, people reported 66.7% that local

organizations were more able to work effectively together

Process Shift IV – Consequences of surviving stress

• Social capital– questions about levels of trust and confidence

• When asked if the reactions of local groups to a community stresses has yielded increased/decreased trust and confidence in the groups that helped out:– Only 54.2% said yes– 29.2% said it remained the same– 16.7% said it had decreased

Process Shift IV – Consequences of surviving stress

• Results were the same across metro-adjacency status and leading/lagging status

• As with social cohesion, there was a notable difference for Mackenzie, where all respondents reported increased trust and confidence

• Again, reactions to a local stress did not appear to yield a notable increase in social capital

• Contrary to expectations• Useful future research question

Innovative and Voluntary Service Providers

Future Research Questions I• Organizational Stability

– Roles/activities of organization’s leaders– Roles/activities of organization’s board members– Leadership and board membership breadth– Role of partnerships– Role of funding

• Participation– Impacts of compensation– Impacts of skills development opportunities– Impacts of regulatory changes on ‘volunteerism’

• Recruiting activities– Employees– Board members

• Gender– Participation/leadership roles and opportunities– Impacts of other ‘life pressures’

Innovative and Voluntary Service Providers

Future Research Questions II• Funding/Support Strategies

– Shifts in process emphasis/substitution– Sustainability in shifts from bureaucratic/market to

associative/communal

• Partnerships– Process study of time/efforts needed to create robust

relationships– Details on what partners ‘bring to the table’– Recipe for success

• Communication tools– Cost effectiveness– Service effectiveness