OPENING PLENARY: Measuring, Monitoring, and Evaluating CSWB Outcomes in Urban and Rural Contexts

OPENING REMARKS – 9:00 to 9:05 a.m.
Land Acknowledgement and Welcome
• Andrew Scavarelli, Director, Ontario Works, County of Simcoe, and OMSSA Board Member

PLENARY – 9:05 to 10:45AM

Many CSWB plans include some form of performance measures and indicators to assess programs and initiatives. Some programs have easily attainable quantitative and qualitative data to demonstrate if conditions are improving, which can offer strong cases for funding. However, there are other upstream initiatives that cannot be measured immediately because they relate to certain intangible aspects of health, vitality, and belonging. These outcomes can take sometimes take years or generations to physically see, and making the case for investment can be challenging.

In this session we will hear from experts in the rural and urban contexts who will share practical knowledge and tools to for measuring, monitoring, and evaluating both short-term and longitudinal initiatives that improve community safety and well-being in urban and rural contexts. Experts and practitioners will also share a nuanced understanding of the complexities and challenges of data collection and how communities can leverage existing information to identify priorities and trends.

Areas of Focus: Evaluation; Metrics; Indicators.