NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area, Sahtu Settlement Area, Dehcho Region, North Slave Region, South Slave Region

Tags: social sciences, socio-economics

Objective(s): To continue developing a comprehensive listing of social economy organizations in Northern Canada, to undertake a survey of these organizations to determine the characteristics of these organizations including locations, activities, size, employment, membership and structure; and to update the database of social economy organizations in the NWT

Project Description: The objectives of this research project are: • to continue developing a comprehensive listing of social economy organizations in Northern Canada; • to undertake a survey of these organizations to determine the characteristics of these organizations including locations, activities, size, employment, membership and structure; and • to update the database of social economy organizations in the NWT. Rajiv Rawat, the coordinator for SERNNoCa in the NWT at the Institute for Circumpolar Health Research will continue to coordinate the data collection under the direction of the principal investigator - Dr. Chris Southcott. Rajiv will have an assistant, Lianne Mantla assisting with the surveys. An initial list of social economy organizations in the NWT has been developed over the last few years and this will be used in the continued development of a comprehensive database of organizations. They will continue to use the same 3 page questionnaire to obtain information from groups. This is available on the SERNNoCa website at http://dl1.yukoncollege.yk.ca/sernnoca/stories/storyReader$32. The complete list of social economy organizations in the Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, Nunavik and Labrador is also available on this webpage. The questionnaire is also be available for organizations to complete on line at http://sernnoca.circumpolarhealth.org/survey/ The groups that are part of this inventory include voluntary and non-profit organizations, cooperatives, social enterprises and other similar organizations in the Northwest Territories. To obtain the required information a variety of methods will be used including: Website information/internet searches, review of existing documents and reports, email/mail and online surveys, telephone or in person interviews. Permission for involvement in the study will be sought through an informed consent process. All participants will be fully informed of the intention of the study and how the data will be used. Participants will be informed that their involvement is voluntary. The data will be entered into a database and then verified and validated. All the data will be provided to Dr. Chris Southcott for analysis and a draft report prepared. The draft report will be provided online and at the final SERNNoCa workshop in Yellowknife. Communities in Canada’s North are currently facing substantial social and economic challenges. The social economy offers tools to help those communities face these challenges. Northern governments, both Indigenous and public, need research in this area in order to undertake realistic program development and especially to develop economic development policies. The overall intended outcomes of the Social Economy research network of Northern Canada are: • to increase general awareness of the importance and potential of the social economy related activities to the North; • the enhancement of social economy capacity in the region; • to provide greater understanding of alternative forms of social & economic development; • improved performance of organizations and enterprises in areas important to the social economy; • new policy resources for governments relating to the social economy; and • improved training for individuals to assist in the development of social economy organizations. This project is part a larger study involving the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik and Labrador. This project involves developing and maintaining a database of social economy organizations that currently operate within the Northwest Territories. As part of the survey we will look at addressing the research related needs of organizations and through this hope to establish partnerships and collaborations with NWT organizations. The results of this study will be communicated widely to individuals and communities in the NWT. The Social Economy Research Network of Northern Canada will provide information through various written media including regular newsletters, website postings with discussion session. Where possible public information sessions will be held to keep individuals informed and allow for further input into the research. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 23, 2011 to December 31, 2011.