Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Integrated Article

Degree

Master of Health Information Science

Program

Health Information Science

Supervisor

Oudshoorn, Abe

2nd Supervisor

Broad, Gayle

Affiliation

Algoma University

Co-Supervisor

Abstract

In response to social and economic decline in the downtown area of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, over thirty diverse community organizations collaborate to deliver services out of the Neighbourhood Resource Centre (NRC). This study seeks to uncover how the objectives of the NRC are being interpreted and enacted by community organizations, and how the organizations navigate diverse desired outcomes to create a logic model. Through participatory action research, the study sought to answer the research questions through field observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. An analysis of the data yields that, through collaboration and engagement the NRC has strengthened the neighbourhood while promoting belonging, as well as, the NRC enacts continuous evaluation, which allows participants to overcome barriers and get on the same page. This study belongs to a growing body of literature that seeks to understand how logic models are developed across diverse collaborations and will contribute to future research on collaborative planning and evaluation.

Summary for Lay Audience

Neighbourhood resource centres, community centres or neighbourhood hubs have the ability to connect neighbours and provide opportunities for personal interactions. The presence of these centres in neighbourhoods that are facing higher rates of poverty has the ability to contribute more than just opportunities for mixing with one another. In the case of the Neighbourhood Resource Centre (NRC) located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the NRC is comprised of over 30 different organizations that offer a range of health and human services to neighbours in the city’s downtown. This research is attempting to understand how the goals of the NRC are being understood and acted upon by different members, as well as how NRC members plan how things should turn out to create a common logic model. A logic model is a visual representation of how a complex program or system works by looking at activities, inputs, outputs, and outcomes. In order to better understand the NRC, researchers invited members of the NRC to participate in interviews, focus groups and be observed during their meetings. After looking at the results of the study, the following findings are suggested: 1) individuals delivering services and programs must work together to strengthen neighbourhood development, 2) the NRC promotes belonging within the neighbourhood, 3) members must work to overcome barriers, 4) the NRC provides many opportunities for reflection and evaluation, and 5) the development of this logic model has allowed NRC members to get on the same page. This study is a part of a growing body of research that seeks to understand how logic models are developed across different collaborations. It is our hope that this project will contribute to future research on planning and evaluation processes.

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