THIRD ANNUAL METROPOLIS
NATIONAL RESEARCH COMPETITION
~ May 20, 2009 ~
RESEARCH QUESTION
From the point of view of governments and of newcomers and minorities, are government-NGO partnerships the most effective model for delivering services for integration and inclusion in Canada?
RESEARCH THEME
The purpose of this research competition is to provide policy makers with the knowledge and evidence base about the best model to deliver services for the integration and inclusion of newcomers and minorities (ethnic, linguistic, racial and religious) in Canada. Answering this question will have relevance for many policy areas, given that various federal departments are mandated to ensure the successful integration and inclusion of newcomers and minorities in Canadian society.
Canada currently favours a government-NGO partnership model of service delivery 1 . While it is assumed that NGOs’ proximity to newcomers and minorities makes this model the most effective, little research exists at a national scale as to whether the current model is in fact the best option to simultaneously serve the needs of both the government and the end users of these services.
Key dimensions of this question include the following:
- What are newcomers’ and minorities’ preferences regarding delivery of services in integration and inclusion? What aspects of service delivery are important to them? Does the current model meet their needs? How does it affect their integration and inclusion outcomes?
- What are the objectives of the government departments that provide funding to NGOs for integration and inclusion services? Does the current model meet their program and operational needs?
- What is the “market share” for not-for-profit NGOs delivering services that are also offered by the private (for-profit) sector?
- From the point of view of both governments and end-users, are there differences between group-specific organisations and universal organisations with respect to effectiveness in service delivery?
- How does the functioning and effectiveness of the Canadian government-NGO model of service delivery compare with models in other countries with comparable immigration policies?
- Does the current model best serve the needs of both government and newcomers/minorities? If so, what are some examples of best practices within this model? Are there specific services for which the current model works best? If the current model is not the best one, are there better options in place in Canada or elsewhere?
Applicants are encouraged to address some, but not necessarily all, of the above dimensions. They are also welcome to propose dimensions that are not provided in this list. Proposals that are more analytical than descriptive are strongly encouraged. A detailed description of the research methodology should be included in the proposal.
The objective of this research competition is to facilitate the production of pan-Canadian research. Applicants are encouraged, in their proposal, to address variations between large urban centres and smaller or rural communities, and among the various regions of Canada. Applicants must demonstrate in their proposals the adequacy of their research method(s) to answer the research question and to produce research that is pan-Canadian in scope.
1. The Government of Canada funds and administers settlement services in the following six streams: Needs Assessment and Referrals, Support Services, Information and Orientation, Language/Skills Development, Labour Market Participation and Community Connections. Under the rubric of its multiculturalism policy, the Government of Canada funds a number of programs (e.g. Canada’s Action Plan Against Racism) to remove barriers to the full participation of minorities in Canadian institutions.
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