Participative Research in Québec: Social Economy Network

Jean-Marc Fontan February 2008

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Presentation

•  Participative research at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

•  Social Economy Field •  Social Economy participative research

network

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Participative Research at UQAM

A long tradition •  Service aux collectivités (20 years of history) (http://www.sac.uqam.ca/

index.aspx?ID=accueil)

•  Centre de recherche sur les innovations sociales (1986) (http://www.crises.uqam.ca/)

•  Institut de recherche et d’études féministes (1990) (http://www.iref.uqam.ca/presentation/)

•  Le Laboratoire de recherche sur les pratiques et les politiques sociales (1995) (http://www.larepps.uqam.ca/index.php)

•  L’Alliance de recherche universités-communautés en économie sociale (2000) & le Réseau Québécois de recherche partenariale en économie sociale (2005) (http://www.aruc-es.uqam.ca/)

•  Chaire de recherche du Canada en économie sociale (2003) (http://www.chaire.ecosoc.uqam.ca/)

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Four types of social economy entreprises

Social economy Urgent needs Aspirations

Non-commercial dominance (social development)

Collective Kitchens

Early Childhood Centers

Commercial dominance (economic development)

Training Businesses

Parminou (theatre)

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From traditional economy to knowledge economy

Social economy sectors

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FOR 2002

Collective Enterprises

6 254 2 313 3 941

Jobs 65 028 19 948 45 080

Sales 4,3 billion $ 3 billion $ 1,3 billion $

Québec collective entrepreneurship A MAJOR PLAYER

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Social economy development Some key players

Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité (1939) http://www.coopquebec.coop/

Chantier de l’économie sociale (1996) http://www.chantier.qc.ca/

Réseau d’investissement social du Québec (1997) http://www.fonds-risq.qc.ca/

Comité sectoriel de main-d’œuvre de l’économie sociale et de l’action communautaire (1998)

http://www.csmoesac.qc.ca/

Recherche partenariale en économie sociale ARUC-ÉS & RQRP-ÉS (2000 & 2005)

http://www.aruc-es.uqam.ca/

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Le développement de l’économie sociale Quelques acteurs-support

L’Alliance de recherche universités-communautés en économie sociale (ARUC-ES)

Five participative research committees (PRC) •  Recreational and social tourism •  Social housing •  Responsible finance •  Local and regional development •  Services to individuals

Participative research activities : from research-action, to dissemination of findings and training activities

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Le développement de l’économie sociale Quelques acteurs-support

Le réseau québécois de recherche partenariale en économie sociale (RQRP-ES)

•  Outaouais •  Montréal •  Mauricie •  Abitibi-Témiscamingue

160 researchers from several universities working with social economy leaders and entrepreneurs

Eight regional participative research groups in the social economy

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Success Conditions…

•  A collective process from the start •  A clear definition of responsibilities based on specific

strengths and weakness of stakeholders •  A mutual sharing and understanding of advantages,

responsibilities and benefits with a clear commitment of resources Mutual openness to critics

•  Consideration of political and ethical questions related to the research activities

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What kind of results ? 2000-2004 (CURA-SE)

• Mobilization of 50 researchers and 20 organizations

• 17 symposiums • Participation of more than 1 000 people from

outside universities • More than 80 research projects • 75 documents published

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Impact & results

•  New knowledge : practical and theoretical •  Direct impact on the construction of a collective identity around the social economy •  Direct impact on social and political recognition of the social economy in Quebec

•  Contribution to the definition and orientation of public policies •  Innovation

•  In the field of partnership research and research-action •  In the construction of a Community of learning

•  Networking (observatory & transfer ; dissemination) •  In Québec and recently in Canada

•  Internationally: mainly in Europe et Latina America

•  Tools •  On governance

•  On evaluation •  On finance

•  On accounting…

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Keys elements for good results

•  Research organization •  Each project implies the creation of a Research Committee

•  A clear definition of the object of research that integrates the dissemination objectives from the start

•  A strong partnership in the Committee between practitioners and researchers

•  A leadership by the two co-directors of each research-action project with

•  A clear understanding of the work to be done

•  A culture of deliberation based on formal and informal learning •  A good support from the overall structure of research

•  An allocation of resources (time, money, people) for dissemination

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Le développement de l’économie sociale Quelques acteurs-support

THANK YOU

WWW.ARUC-ES.UQAM.CA