Community Intermediaries Research Project
What are the opportunities and challenges facing community organizations delivering information and services?
The aim of the CIRP project was to investigate the social challenges and needs addressed by Canadian non-profit community-based organizations, the social and community contexts in which they operate, and the information and services they provide to citizens.
These organizations are "community intermediaries"" because they act as links between the various levels of government (federal, provincial, and municipal) and citizens, providing social services and information to their clients and communities.
The primary objective of CIRP is to investigate the opportunities and challenges facing four community intermediaries as they deliver adult formal and informal learning, skills and training services, health information and services, and general community information and community development activities. The CIRP research examines how these community intermediaries are using information and communication technologies (ICT) as well as other means of communication (e.g., in-person visits, telephones, written correspondence, etc.) to deliver government information, services and programs.
The expected impacts of the project include a better understanding of the role played by community organizations in information and service delivery and improved federal policies and programs in this area.
My role on the CIRP project is coordinating the efforts of the National Research Council staff working on the project team, co-supervising the graduate students, conducting fieldwork and data analysis, and drafting project reports and publications.
For more information, visit the CIRP website: www.unb.ca/cirp
CIRP is a partnership of the National Research Council Institute for Information Technology (www.nrc.ca), the University of New Brunswick (www.unb.ca), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (www.hrsdc.gc.ca ) and Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca).
The project was completed in 2006
- Related ProjectS -
Voluntary Organisations and Social Inclusion in the Information Society - (VSIIS)
Voluntary Sector in the Information Age- Related PublicationS -
Community Intermediary Organizations, Community Media and Networking, and the Internet (2007) - read
Community Intermediaries in the Knowledge Society (2006)
» online at: www.unb.ca/cirp
Community Media and Networking and ICT (2006)
» download pdf file (122 kb): 2006-ODonnell-CCA.pdf
Community-Oriented Technology Assessment (2005).
» online at http://iit-iti.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/publications/nrc-48292_e.html
Voluntary and community organizations in Ireland's "information society" (1999)
» download .rtf file (77K): 1999-1.RTF
Towards an Inclusive Information Society in Europe: The Role of Voluntary Organisations. IST Study Report (2001) - read
Closing the information gap (1998) - read
Community Organisations and the Internet: challenges and Opportunities (2002) - read
The Voluntary Sector and ICTs in Ireland and Europe: Access and Policy Issues (2001)
» download PowerPoint presentation (60kb): cop_2001.ppt
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