The Ottawa Neighbourhoods Social Capital Forum (ONSCF) was established in 2011 to support the building of strong and vibrant neighbourhoods.  The ONSCF has three components:

• Engaging residents in community development projects to improve issues which matter to the residents;
• Creating changes in programs, policies and systems to support the neighbourhood issues
• Evaluating progress and sharing learning

The Social Planning Council chairs the ONSCF and is responsible for the research and evaluation supports.  Achievements have included

• Creation of a common approach to evaluation
• Development of evaluation tools and on-line data portal
• Capacity building for evaluation and understanding the changes being accomplished by the work
• The Community Development Framework (another neighbourhood based community development collaboration) adopting the evaluation framework and tools
• Completion of an evaluation with the Community Development Framework Steering Table, resulting in a decision to establish a strategic focus on food security in neighbourhoods
• Five case studies
• Plus strategic research resources (best practices, needs assessments, neighbourhood profiles).

 Visit www.onscf.ca 

“People tend to feel threatened by evaluations but because of ONSCF, they are actively engaging with the evaluation tools and starting to experience their value.  The question, “What is the change?” is being posed by the ONSCF to stakeholders at all levels without punitive notions, and therefore provides the opportunity to understand what works and what matters in neighbourhood initiatives.”  (ONSCF participant)

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