COMMUNITY LEARNING ASSET MAPPING
Office of Learning Technologies (OLT)
Innovation & Learning for Canadians
COMMUNITY LEARNING ASSET MAPPINGA GUIDEBOOK FOR COMMUNITY LEARNING NETWORKS
In pdf format (1.7 Mb)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| 1. | Setting up the project | ||
| 1.1. | Revisit your CLN proposal | ||
| 1.2. | Determine the right medium for recording your learning assets | ||
| 1.3. | Identify your mapping questions | ||
| 1.3.1. | Questions to define your community | ||
| 1.3.2. | Questions to identify community learning assets | ||
| 2. | Identifying and recording learning assets | ||
| 2.1. | Identify key information sources | ||
| 2.2. | Develop processes for managing and storing information | ||
| 2.3. | Design interview questions to collect new information | ||
| 2.4. | Collect existing information | ||
| 2.5. | Record information | ||
| 3. | Mapping and analyzing | ||
| 3.1. | Record inventory, produce maps and summarize findings | ||
| 3.2. | Integrate the inventory with your action plan | ||
| 3.3. | Celebrate and share findings | ||
Appendix B: Mapping project examples and map sources
Appendix C: Some information sources
Appendix D: Sample confidentiality agreement
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A number of committed people have greatly assisted the development of this guidebook to make it what it is. The Office of Learning Technologies (OLT) would like to express its appreciation to the following people for their contributions:
Denise Beaulne, OLT's Project Coordinator, for taking a lead role in transforming ideas, comments and input from different sources into this mapping guidebook.
Stephanie Lawson and Sarah Klassen-Carswell, cartographers from Actuarial Services, HRDC, and Sarah Henry Gallant, in PEI, for their technical contributions in the area of mapping as well as their valuable contributions to the development of the text.
Satya Brink and Jas Sidhu, from Applied Research, HRDC, for leading the Learning Assets Mapping Pilot (LAMP) project in PEI and for their insight, comments and contributions to the development of the text.
Ellen Shenk, for providing invaluable copy editing services for the final draft of the manuscript.
David Carruthers, for valuable expertise related to mapping, particularly geographical information systems, for his contributions to the text, and for coordinating a Peer Review Committee composed of:
- Dr. Doug Aberley, Adjunct Professor of the School of Community & Regional Planning at University of British Columbia;
- Mr. Stephen Kilburn, President, GeoPraxis Inc., Guelph Ontario; and
- Mr. John Blood, President, Madii Institute, Rogers, Minnesota.
INTRODUCTION
The Office of Learning Technologies (OLT) Community Learning Networks (CLN) 2002 Call for Proposals provided for two distinct project phases. The first is a developmental phase project and the second is a full pilot project. The activities for the developmental phase, along with the requirements in the program guidelines, prepare participants for the full pilot phase project proposal to OLT. The information gathered for the developmental phase will also help participants identify learning assets and opportunities in their own communities.
The CLN developmental phase consists of four major steps:
- Developing partnerships;
- Mapping community learning assets and identifying skills gaps;
- Developing a community learning and skill action plan;
- Developing a comprehensive evaluation plan.
This guidebook for Community Learning Networks is for organizations whose proposals have been approved by OLT for funding in 2003. It explains Step 2 of the developmental phase activities. The guidebook complements the information presented in the Guidelines for Proposals 2002, Annex A Community Mapping by providing more details about the process community organizations should follow in mapping their learning resources.
In 2002, OLT conducted a test project that examined some practical implications of developing this inventory. Called the Learning Asset Mapping Pilot (LAMP) project, it produced maps of learning assets in Prince Edward Island. One of these maps is provided in Appendix B. The maps in Appendix B show how the information you will be gathering can be used. The rest of the LAMP maps are available at OLT.
Community mapping is a type of inventory that starts by identifying and locating what already exists. It looks for opportunities to use and build on these existing resources and is an important beginning step in projects that work for community transformation. In the CLN developmental phase, the assets mapped are the learning assets and opportunities in your community.
Learning can be characterized as formal or informal. Formal learning includes the education acquired through a school or educational program that leads to credits, certification and degrees. Informal learning includes less structured learning such as a mentorship with a local elder or an internship with a local business.
The final product of your inventory can take many forms. Presenting your information on maps is an excellent method because it is visual and easily understood. Other methods include producing databases, inventory lists, catalogues of reports or written reports. You are encouraged to choose the type of inventory that fits with your community and your project.
Mapping assets, resources and capabilities is being used more and more to examine community issues. Laying out the capacities of a community visually shows current capacities and makes possible connections easier to see. We hope that through this process a story will unfold a story unique to your community. OLT is pleased to use this innovative tool and recognizes that we will be learning together. A feedback form at the end of this guidebook will allow you to give feedback and comments.
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDEBOOK
This guidebook is designed to help map your community learning assets Step 2 of the developmental phase project. It is not intended to be an exhaustive reference. Additional helpful information is available in Appendix A.
The guidebook is divided into three parts:
- Setting up the Project looks at aligning project goals and objectives with your original proposal. It deals with building the project team and framing your questions. The section is designed to help develop a focused strategy for your inventory of community learning assets.
- Identifying and Recording Learning Assets helps pinpoint sources of information and describes important considerations in collecting information. It covers information management and storage issues to help you organize information.
- Mapping and Analyzing offers tips on mapping information and writing your report. By this stage, you should have
a great deal of information about your community's learning assets.
Table 1, which follows, details the step-by-step process of identifying community skills and mapping learning assets. This helps you set up the project, formulate questions, identify information sources, collect information and map project findings.
Table 1: Steps to mapping
1. Setting up the Project
- Revisit goals of CLN proposal; clarify and confirm workplan details.
- Determine the form to record your inventory of learning assets; gather your people.
- Identify mapping questions that define your community and identify learning assets.
2. Identifying and Recording Learning Assets
- Identify key information sources
- Develop processes for managing and storing information.
- Design an interview guide to collect new information and begin interviewing.
- Collect existing information.
- Record information.
3. Mapping and Analyzing
- Produce an inventory, produce maps and summarize findings in a report.
- Integrate the inventory with your action plan.
- Celebrate: share findings with project participants and wider community.
1. SETTING UP THE PROJECT
1.1. Revisit your CLN proposal
Before beginning to map community learning assets, review your project goal, objectives, expected outcomes and budget. Your workplan should follow the month-by-month descriptions of tasks in your proposal, including significant events, milestones and major project results. You should be able to complete the work within the maximum six-month duration of the developmental phase project.
Developing a project fact sheet early in the project will explain the goals and purposes of the CLN project, help in consensus building and increase participation. A fact sheet will also be useful for communication and planning. It should include basic project information, such as:
- The community defined general demographic characteristics of the population (education, income, male-female, etc.);
- The geographical location of the community;
- Some community challenges;
- The project goal and specific project objectives;
- The purpose of an inventory of assets;
- Expected project outcomes;
- Support from community leaders.
If you think providing more extensive background information is important, you could prepare a handout, send a mailing to a targeted audience or post this information on a website.
Mapping a community's learning assets provides an inventory of existing learning assets. Learning assets include the knowledge, wisdom or expertise of individuals as well as places where community residents go for learning opportunities. Learning assets can be community programs or local institutions and they can be publicly or privately owned. They simply represent the formal and informal ways that communities make knowledge available to individuals.
1.2 Determine the right medium for recording your learning assets
Your inventory may take several formats, or media. You may record your findings in a text such as: lists, charts, or reports; you may use a pictorial format, such as maps; or you may combine these two formats. Each method has its own advantages, so take care to find the one that best fits your needs. Knowing which format, or medium, you plan to use can help you identify the necessary skill sets early in the project.
Remember that your main purpose is to inventory learning assets, not to produce a map of these assets. If you do want to create a map, try to involve someone who knows the field of mapping or partner with a nearby university or college that has a mapping program. This would give community members,an opportunity to transfer skills and contribute to ownership in your project. Local involvement can also mean that the maps reflect unique community voices. If you create maps, decide whether to use traditional manual methods or digital mapping technologies. You may decide to start with manual maps and progress later on to digital maps.
Appendix B provides examples of ways maps can illustrate your assets. Remember that electronic mapping is a technical and specialized field. If you choose this route, engage someone with experience. Otherwise, it may take too much time and money to finish within the limits of the CLN project.
By now the value of partnerships should be clear. Potential partners are community stakeholders, leaders and persons with experience in education, learning, technology and community development or mapping. Don't forget the partners identified in your original developmental phase project proposal. Partnerships are essential in building community capacity and undertaking community development activities. Ask yourself, "Who else should be here?" Guidance on developing partnerships is available in HRDC's Partnership Handbook, located at: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/asp/gateway.asp?hr=en/epb/sid/cia/partnership/handbook.shtml&hs=cyd
Clearly defined questions that are tied to larger project goals help to focus your work. We recommend that you develop questions around these main themes:
- What are the boundaries of your community?
- Who lives in your community and where are they located?
- What are the skills, professions and learning assets of community members and where are they located?
- What are the learning opportunities in your community and the organizations, institutions and businesses that support them? Where are they located?
1.3. Identify your mapping questions
1.3.1 Questions to define your community
What are the boundaries of your community?
Before identifying community characteristics, you have to clearly identify community boundaries. This will allow you to represent the geographical area of your community on a map.
If your community is a "community of interest" (for example, if it is interested in poverty-related issues) you could work with this community at different levels from local to national? Resources may be available to support this community at many different levels, but we recommend focusing your work on a specific geographic community. Remember, asset mapping is about connecting people to resources and locating strengths within communities.
Who lives in your community?
Develop questions that define who lives in your community. This will ensure consistent information that provides a benchmark for monitoring and recording changes over time. Tailor questions to fit your project goal and community. Following are examples of potential questions:
- How many people live here?
- How is the population broken down by age group?
- What are other major demographic characteristics (such as income, employment / unemployment, social assistance and people with disabilities)?
- What are the major employment sectors and who are the major employers (including home businesses)?
Focus on characteristics that are relevant for your community. Much of this information can be obtained from existing sources, such as Statistics Canada, your regional municipal office or your tribal council office (see Appendix C for additional suggestions).
Where are they located in the community?
Illustrating the geographical distribution of community characteristics can reveal patterns, record change and identify relationships between people and services. Appendix B contains maps that show community distribution .
1.3.2 Questions to identify community learning assets
Skills (a trade such as stone carving), professions (such as teaching) and learning characteristics (such as the level of education completed) are important to record. However, you will only inventory skills and learning characteristics that are relevant for your community and project.
Some characteristics to investigate:
- Level of education completed;
- Skilled trades;
- Professions;
- Business skills;
- Entrepreneurship skills.
You will also want to identify the learning leaders in your community, including teachers, experts, people with special skills and abilities, and other relevant community members.
Some Learning Providers*
Formal Learning Assets
- Apprenticeship training sites
- Community Colleges
- Continuing Education
- Elementary and High Schools
- Language schools
- Private trade and vocational schools
- Universities and their campuses
Informal Learning Assets
- Community Centres
- Community Organizations
- Cultural organizations
- Elders and senior citizens
- Employer training at job sites
- Family Resource Centre
- Home-based businesses
- Interest clubs
- Library
- Local businesses
- Public institutions
- Public Internet sites
- Religious associations
- Self-help or health groups
- Volunteer training
*Not an exhaustive list
Where are they located in your community?
Examining the geographical distribution of these assets in your community can help to identify linkages, new opportunities and relationships.
What are the learning opportunities in your community and the organizations, institutions and businesses that support them?
The exercise of clearly defining mapping questions may also help you to understand how learners use the learning opportunities available to them. The sidebar lists some examples of learning providers, or learning opportunities, that you can record. You may wish to record more.
Think about informal learning in broad terms, and include activities such as cooking classes, first aid courses, workshops or opportunities to learn from community members. The CLN program places a priority on supporting informal learning opportunities, especially where technology can be used as a learning tool.
Informal learning is often experiential and occurs through interaction with others. Consider where in the community groups of citizens learn together. Discover opportunities where knowledge and skills are transferred. Be sure to show any opportunities your community has to use technology for learning. Employee and volunteer training is a good example of this. Appendix D contains a list of information sources that can help you to locate learning assets in your community.
Where are they located?
Identifying where the learning is supplied will provide the geographical distribution of the learning opportunities. A variety of resources can help you place your assets on a map: local knowledge, geographical positioning systems (GPS), postal codes and street names. The next section gives more information on these geotags.
2. IDENTIFYING AND RECORDING LEARNING ASSETS
You may be gathering a tremendous amount of information as you obtain answers to your questions. At this point, you should ensure that you have a lead person to manage this information.
2.1. Identify key information sources
You may need to collect two types of information: secondary and primary.
Secondary information is data that has already been compiled, such as listings in your telephone yellow pages or your local newspaper. You can locate information in reports, books and articles. Be sure to search carefully so that you do not waste time collecting material that is already available. Ideas on existing information sources are given in Appendix D.
Primary information is data that has not been already compiled or consolidated. You could also possibly collect primary information through interviews, surveys, questionnaires or focus groups.
Remember to carefully record all the information you collect (preferably in a database; see Table 2). This will help you to catalogue and analyze information. Your database should include a field to use as a geotag to help place your information on maps (see sidebar).
GEOTAGS
Geotags are information that provide a geographical reference so you can locate your information spatially. Recording where the asset is located is key for mapping your assets. Always record addresses, including the postal code, in your database.
If you use digital mapping, the addresses and postal codes are considered geotags. In manual mapping, you simply locate the addresses on a map and record your assets visually.
2.2. Develop processes for managing and storing information
You may be collecting a great amount of information. Database templates or a spreadsheet will help manage this information in a systematic and organized way. Note, however, that the richness of community interactions during this project cannot be fully shown in databases. Relationships, contacts, story telling and making connections are at the heart of asset mapping and transcend what can be entered into computers.
You will uncover many reports, books, articles and other materials about your community's learning assets. Identify where these materials will be stored and how they will be organized, catalogued and made available to your community. You might want to use a separate database or a spreadsheet of existing or published resource materials to catalogue these publications. Book cataloguing software packages, available free on the Internet, can help with this task. Software cataloguing packages include: Athenaeum Light, Book Librarian Plus, Book Collector, Bookcase, and Wensoftware's Book Library. Look for packages that are easy to use, can be expanded, have web-based functions and can track loans. Any system is, however, only as good as your ability to keep it up-to-date.
Table 2, which follows, gives two templates for recording individual and community organizational assets. You may need more templates additional ones might be for institutions, business and government. These tables are a good way to store information gathered in the project, regardless of whether you plan to produce maps or how you plan to produce those maps.
2.3 Design interview questions to collect new information
Interviews and surveys are common tools used to collect new, or primary, information. You may find the questionnaires used for mapping by the Realizing Every Community Asset Foundation helpful. (http://www.tcfn.org/mapping/mli.htm 
)
In developing questions to collect new information, you might consider the following:
- If you decide to collect primary information, see if your organization or community has a person experienced in this task. Otherwise, consider engaging an expert to help with the methodology.
- Tell participants upfront why this information is being collected and how they can learn about project results. Explain how their information will benefit the project and contribute to the community. This information could be in the fact sheet prepared in section 1.1.
- Develop, without being too rigid, standardized questions that will produce standardized responses. This will simplify coding into a database. Consider using "not applicable" as a possible response.
- Ask consistent questions.
- Ask focused questions.
- Restrict the information you collect, remembering your limited timeframe. Allow people enough time to respond.
- Avoid sensitive questions, such as income, if possible. If you need to collect sensitive data, develop a confidentiality agreement and protocols to protect
both interviewer and interviewee (see Appendix D for a sample confidentiality agreement). Note that including proprietary, or sensitive, information
will limit the uses of your material. - Interview a representative sample of your community's population, including youth, elders, minority groups and people with disabilities. Determine how many interviews will provide a good representation of each demographic group.
- Keep good records, notes and transcripts and organize them for ease of access. Procedures for capturing and transcribing information can formalize this process.
- Collect geotags to help in presenting the information on a map.
- Have fun. Food, drinks and different meeting locations can make each encounter more enjoyable. This will also help you later in building and transforming your community.
Make sure the people who collect the information, understand the project's goals, have background information, if needed, know how to record information and understand how to collect information through interviews. The people who go into your community represent the project; finding the right people to deal with the public can help determine project success.
Table 2: Sample Database Templates for Recording Individual and Community Organizational Asset
2.4. Collect existing information
Recording existing information, or secondary data, is just as important as recording new information. Here are some tips on making requests that are especially helpful for gathering existing information:
- Request only the information that you need. Requesting more can be expensive and cause delays.
- Check sources such as university and public libraries and government web sites for free information.
- Think about the scale and boundaries of your community. Do you need information for a larger geographic area?
- Try to obtain information in a format that fits your project? If you will eventually use a GIS, for example, you don't want to pay for data conversion.
- Always get the full reference and bibliographical source of all the information, both paper and digital.
- Catalogue published materials you acquire in a database, including a brief summary. Organize your publications for easy access.
- Keep good records, notes and transcripts and organize them for ease of access.
- Always collect geotags so that you can use a map in the project or at a later time.
2.5. Record information
Recording information should begin as soon as you gather it. While you may not gather absolutely all of the information about your community, at some point you should have enough to provide answers to your core questions. Evaluating your information against your core questions can keep you on track. Evaluate during the process to see if you need to adjust your questions or find new sources of information.
Identify information gaps and fill them, where possible. At this stage, only look for new information that fits within your time and budget plans. Always make backup copies of your work and store backups both on- and off-site.
3. MAPPING AND ANALYZING
3.1. Record inventory, produce maps and summarize findings
Compare your inventory of learning assets to your questions. Validate your inventory against your core questions, eliminate redundant information and fill information gaps, where possible.
In recording your information on maps, record the question being answered directly on each map. This will focus the map and allow it to tell a story. You may even want to create a series of maps based on themes or mapping questions. Your maps do not have to look like road maps, but may include photos, descriptive text, graphics, charts and other illustrations. Be creative. Appendix B contains maps that illustrate different mapping techniques.
To evaluate your data, first distance yourself from it. This will help you to understand the stories that are being told. Look at the relationships, patterns, connections, dynamic associations and opportunities that emerge from your work. Also note obstacles that need to be overcome and gaps that need to be filled.
Make sure you allow time for project participants to review the information they gave you, checking its accuracy and updating as needed. Showing appreciation to project participants for their help is an important practice. Seeing the final product will encourage greater project participation and may generate a renewed interest in the project. New information may also emerge.
When the inventory and analysis of your work has been completed, you will need to prepare a final report and action plan or a pilot phase proposal.
3.2. Integrate the inventory with your action plan
When you have completed the community learning asset mapping, you should have a rich body of information that describes the learning assets and gaps of your community. Consult the OLT and the signed Contribution Agreement for more information on the requirements and for guidance in preparing the final report of your development phase project. Any maps that you have created, and their stories, should be included in your final report.
Your final report should be integrated into a three-year pilot project proposal for CLN.
3.3. Celebrate and share findings
Celebrate your work with your community. Develop your own method of giving the information you collected back to your community. This might be through an open house, a poster display at your library or posting your results on the Internet. Whichever method you use, try to reconnect with everyone who participated in your project, including information providers and partners.
APPENDIX A. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Publications
Aberly, D. (1993) Boundaries of Home: Mapping for Local Empowerment. New Society Press, Gabriola Island
Beatley, T. & Manning, K. (1997) The Ecology of Place: planning for environment, economy and community. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Berg, P. (1995) Discovering Your Life Place: A First BioRegional Workbook. Planet Drum Foundation, San Francisco
Blood, S.K & Blook, J.K. (2002) Community Transformation Through Relationships. The Madii Institute. Rogers, Minnesota.
Canadian Geographic, "Mapping Home". Mason G. Sept/Oct 98, pgs 58-62
Green Teacher Magazine, "Community Mapping: Creating a Sense of Place". Jane McRae. Issue 55, Spring/Summer 1998. P. 27-39.
Harker, D.F. & Natter, E.U. (1995) Where We Live: a citizen's guide to conducting a community environmental inventory. Island Press, Washington, DC.
Harrington, S. (1999) Giving the Land a Voice: Mapping Our Home Places. Land Trust Alliance of BC, Saltspring Island.
The Local Agenda 21 Planning Guide: An Introduction to Sustainable Development Planning. International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives & IDRC, 1996.
Kretzmann, J. & McKnight, J. (1993) Building Communities From the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's assets. ACTA Publications, Chicago.
Monmonier, M. (1996) How to Lie With Maps. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Penn, Briony. "Mapping the Last Blank Space." Orion, Winter 97/98, pgs 20-24.
Sobel, D. "Mapping From the Inside Out," Orion, Winter 97/98, pgs 14-19.
Thomashow, Mitchell. "The Place Where I Live", Orion, Spring '94, pgs 3-4
Tobias, T. (2000) Chief Kerry's Moose: a guidebook to land use and occupancy mapping, research design and data collection. Ecotrust Canada, Vancouver.
Wood, D. (1992) The Power of Maps. Guilford Press, New York.
Web Sites
Cartographic Concepts
Natural Resources Canada's Carto Corner
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learning_resources/carto/index.html
The Canadian Council for Geographic Education (CCGE)
http://www.ccge.org
Overview of Using a Map and Compass
http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs03501.html
Overview of Map Scales
http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs01502.html
Overview of Geodetic Datums
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/datum/datum.html
Overview of Coordinate Systems
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/coordsys/coordsys.html
Overview of Map Projections
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learning_resources/carto/cart003.html
Cartographic Symbology
http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/learning_resources/carto/symbol.html
Asset Mapping
The Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute
http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/abcd.html
The Madii Institute
http://www.madii.org/
Community Building Resources (CBR)
http://www.cbr-aimhigh.com/index.htm
http://www.cbr-aimhigh.com/main/ccbam_model_summary.htm
Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP): Early Development in Vancouver
http://www.earlylearning.ubc.ca/resources_pub_map.htm
University of Kansas: Community Toolbox bringing solutions to light
http://ctb.lsi.ukans.edu
http://ctb.lsi.ukans.edu/tools/en/sub_section_main_1043.htm
Community Mapping
Common Ground
http://www3.telus.net/cground/
Green Map System (GMS)
http://www.greenmap.com
Aboriginal Mapping Network (AMN)
http://www.nativemaps.org
Ecotrust Canada Information Services and Planning Program
http://www.ecotrustcan.org
Community Mapping Network
http://shim.bc.ca/
The Sustainable Communities Initiative (SCI) Natural Resources Canada
http://www.sustainablecommunities.gc.ca/
APPENDIX B. MAPPING PROJECT EXAMPLES AND MAP SOURCES
The maps in this appendix illustrate different types of information and different ways of locating that information visually. They should give you ideas about the best method to use in recording your information on a map.
Examples of mapping projects
Community Asset Mapping by the Taos Pueblo
The batik pictured here is an asset map created without using a geographic base map. In this map, members of the Taos Pueblo identified assets during a community asset mapping session that was facilitated by the Mádii Institute. This was part of a Managing Information with Rural America initiative funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
The Madii Institute's Neighbourhood Asset Mapping Project
The Madii Institute in the U.S. carried out one of the largest asset mapping projects ever conducted, recording more than 1,750 conversations in the Phillips neighbourhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Each participating group was asked to chart the partnerships, collaborations and relationships formed during the project. The Institute's emphasis was that asset mapping is not just a project in itself, but a way of doing projects in a community. The map that follows shows the NE corner of one of their aggregate maps. Using a base map of the neighbourhood, each group marked current, new and potential linkages in different colours.
The LAMP Project Maps Formal Learning
A map produced by the LAMP project shows some of the formal learning institutions in Charlottetown and the surrounding area.
Éco-Montréal Tiotiake Project
Eco-Montreal:Tiotiake is a collaboration between the Sustainable Development Association, the McGill University School of Urban Planning, and countless organizations and volunteers. Eco-Montreal presents a fresh perspective on Montreal's relationship with its natural environment. This perspective gives visibility to the natural world and to how the city integrates it. Such a vision transcends politics and traditional planning. Ultimately this kind of mapping be of great value and serve as a tool for planning and environmental resource management.
The subtitle Tiotiake, pronounced jo-ja-guay, is of Mohawk origin and was chosen in honour of respect that indigenous peoples hold for the Montreal region. Tiotiake is the name for the Montreal archipelago (group of islands), and means where the rivers, and symbolically, nations unite and divide. Website: http://www.eco-montreal.mcgill.ca/ecomontreal/regmaps/ecosites.html
Maps of Natural and Designed Environments
The Northwest Territories chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society recently took part in the Yellowknife community Green Map project. The Green Map System invites design teams of all ages and backgrounds to create a Green Map by charting urban areas to show the interconnections between natural and designed environments. The resulting printed and digital Green Maps identify, promote and link ecological and social resources. Each map creates a fresh perspective that helps residents discover ways they can get involved with the urban environment. They guide tourists (especially virtual ones) to successful green initiatives they can experience and replicate at home. More information and interactive maps are available online: http://www.cpaws.org/grassroots-chapters/nwt-greenmap.html
Map sources
You can make your own base maps by using sheets of mylar or transparencies to trace the details you need from a road or topographic map of your area. A large format copier will allow you to reproduce your base maps so you can use them as templates for your work. When creating your base maps, be creative and have fun. Play around with your north arrow, scale bar, text boxes, orientation and page layout. Make the maps your own. You may find one of the following two sources of base maps helpful.
National Topographic Data Base (NTDB) Natural Resources Canada
For digital base maps, you can use the 1:50,000 Federal NTDB maps or something of a similar scale. Larger scale maps will be unique to your province or administrative region; call your local government office for more information. The NTDB base maps can be purchased from the Centre for Topographic Information, Natural Resources Canada. http://www.cits.rncan.gc.ca 
Road Network Files (RNF) Statistics Canada
The RNFs provide national coverage of roads, province/territory boundaries and other visible features, such as hydrography, as well as attribute information (for example, street names and address ranges for streets with assigned addresses).
http://www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/92F0157XCE.htm
APPENDIX C. SOME INFORMATION SOURCES
This appendix provides examples of some groups or places where you may be able to locate useful information in your asset inventory process. Again, the choice of which ones you use is dependent on your community and your specific goals for the final product.
Organizations
Key associations and groups could include:
- Business organizations (Chamber of Commerce, trade groups, sector councils).
- Cultural organizations (ethnic, arts, community theatre, art gallery, music, dance).
- Interest clubs/neighbourhood support (antiques, books, bible study, men's, women's, collectors, seniors block clubs, crime watch, friends of library, auxiliaries, United Way).
- Religious associations (churches, synagogues, mosques, temples).
- Self help/health groups (fitness clubs, sports leagues, nutrition, bicycling, gardens, La Leche League, Alcoholics Anonymous, Habitat for Humanity).
- Social action groups (labour unions, human rights, peace, service, political, advocacy, shelters, boys and girls clubs, food banks).
Institutions, public, private and not-for profit resources:
- Parks
- Libraries
- Schools
- Police and fire stations
- Hospitals
- Municipal and regional government services; tribal council offices
- Provincial statistical offices
- Local HRDC offices
You can inventory many of these resources by searching published materials or existing reference guides, including:
- Newspapers
- Local telephone yellow pages
- Magazines
- Business, associations and organization directories
- Internet search engines
Keep in mind that one of the goals of asset mapping is to make connections between individuals, organizations and institutions in your community that relate to your project. Relying on the Internet or the yellow pages will help you to inventory these groups, but picking up the phone and talking with people will provide the actual connections and help you flesh out the real jewels in your community.
Demographic Data
Community Profiles
These profiles contain free information for all Canadian communities (such as cities, towns, villages, Indian reserves and Indian settlements), counties or their equivalents, and metropolitan areas. The 2001 Census data for the 2001 Community Profiles will be available as they are released. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/Profil01/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm
Census Data (1996 / 2001)
Through a partnership with a local academic institution, you may be able to gain free access Canadian Census data for your study area. Contact your local school or university library. You may even be able to obtain raw census data and associated digital geographic boundary files (dissemination areas, census subdivisions, census divisions, etc.).
Statistics Canada: Postal Code Conversion File (PCCF)
The Postal Code Conversion File (PCCF) provides a link between the six-character postal code and an XY geographical co-ordinate. This link allows you to map out the approximate location of the postal code. The database also includes the standard census geographic area (dissemination areas, municipalities, census tracts, etc.) reference for each postal code. The cost of the file is $9,000 for the full version or $200-$3,550 per province or territory. Smaller geographic sub-sets are available at significantly lower rates ($200 to $1,450). Contact your nearest regional reference centre for more information.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/92F0153XCE.htm
APPENDIX D. SAMPLE CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
Try to avoid collecting information that is sensitive in nature, as it will limit what you can do with your data. People are often suspicious when asked to provide personal or confidential information during an interview or survey, and you might find yourself in a situation where information is deemed to be too confidential or sensitive for open sharing. Sometimes, however, collecting sensitive information is almost unavoidable, since some people consider even basic information such as names, phone numbers and addresses confidential. You may be asked by participants how this information will be protected.
A confidentiality agreement can contribute to building trust between the interviewer and the interviewee, and it can protect both parties. Essentially this agreement outlines how the participant's identity or personal information will be protected in your study. Agreements also look at information management and sharing. The following is an example of what can be included in a confidentiality agreement.
Please accept this letter as an agreement of confidentiality to help protect you and the information you provide as a participant in our study.
The goal of our work is to inventory learning assets in our community and to help identify opportunities to engage people in building a stronger learning environment. Your participation in this study and our commitment to you will follow the following principles:
- Information collected from your participation in this project will be kept for the sole purpose of this study and will not be sold or repackaged for use by any third party.
- Your personal contact information, including phone number, will not be made public in reports or other project products.
- We will not be selling commercially any information collected during this study.
- Your identity will be protected by using a random personal identification code (PIC) in all publications or information products.
- If someone would like to contact you to follow up on the information you have provided, we will first contact you for consent before making the introductions.
- Your contact information provided for this study will be password protected on our office computer; only myself and the project coordinator will have access to this password.
If you are in agreement with this letter, please sign below. A copy will be given to you for your records. Thank you for participating in this important project.
| __________________________ | __________________________ |
| Your signature | Participant's signature |
| __________________________ | __________________________ |
| Your name (print) | Participant's name (print) |
| __________________________ | __________________________ |
| Date | Date |
FEEDBACK FORM
Please complete the following form and return to the address given at the bottom. This will help us in evaluating this program and this document.
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Your name
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Your organization (if any)
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Street address
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City / Province / Postal Code
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Telephone number
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1. What, specifically, did you like about this guidebook? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 2. How helpful was this guidebook? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 3. What information would you have preferred to have? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 4. What additional tools or information could have been offered? _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ 5. Please feel free to make any useful comments on the content and the format of this guidebook. _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ |
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| Office of Learning Technologies Place du Portage 140 Portage Street Phase IV Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0J9 |
Tel.: 819-953-0300 E-mail: Use "Contact us" on top of this page. |
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