Report
A Review of Evaluation Methods & Tools to Measure the Impact of Crime Prevention Through Social Development
The Peterborough Police Service require better evaluation tools for their Crime Prevention through Social Development (CPSD) efforts. There are four research categories driving this project: general understanding of CPSD; tools and methods for evaluating CPSD; personnel conducting the evaluation with specific emphasis on police; and collaboration between police and other organizations. Research was conducted through literature review and administering a survey to police officials throughout Ontario. The literature review and the survey indicated that there is no existing easy measurement system for CPSD due to a dearth of specific evaluation tools. It was discovered that collaboration is important and that there are potential methodologies that could be applied to evaluating CPSD from a variety of disciplines, but nothing specifically created to measure CPSD was found. Where evaluations were taking place, the personnel conducting the evaluation varied but were primarily municipal officials or civilians/third-party organizations. Collaboration is a crucial component for any CPSD measure. Further research into evaluation tools, creating a CPSD working group for Ontario police services, merging 'hard' and 'soft' policing, conducting longitudinal studies, and creating standardized language are recommended.
Review of the Job Creation Opportunities of Greater Localization of Food Supply and Consumption
Food localization is an economically viable initiative that addresses some wider themes associated with international development, namely, the question of food insecurity and self- sufficiency faced by local economies; and that of sustainable growth models of development, predicated upon the provision of alternative, local sustainable options for economic security. The challenges created by food insecurity and dependence on imports is compounded by the volatility and unreliability of global oil prices, which in turn has an effect on food prices due to transportation and fossil-fuel inputs costs. Localization aims to eliminate these issues by creating independent and self-sufficient community-based economies with structurally adequate forward and backward linkage food supply chains. Localization not only embodies an environmentally conscious model of growth, but it also fosters economic benefits for the economy mainly achieved through the direct, indirect and induced employment impacts originating from the food industry. The purpose of this research is to provide insight into how the employment potential of localization could be assessed, through a viable impact assessment tool. The historic and contemporary trends in Peterborough's food industry justify the economic imperatives for a localization shift. Transition Town Peterborough (TTP)'s 25% shift committee has been conducting research on the economic development opportunities that an increase of 25% in Peterborough's local food supply and consumption over a decade would generate, with specific attention to employment generation. Research undertaken by TTP suggests that the 25% shift will create a net economic benefit of over $400 million per annum for the local economy (TTP 2014). The purpose of this report is to further enumerate on the economic viability of localization for Peterborough, and to address the alleged and potential economic opportunities arising from its implementation, with special emphasis on job creation. This project also discusses impact assessment methodological options to capture the employment effects of localization. The paper begins by an executive summary and introduction, which set the scene for the analysis of the primary research questions and methodology. This is followed by a section on the findings of the research, informed by the methodology and the research questions. The final component comprises a section on recommendations and a conclusion.
Mapping and Capturing Historical Knowledge of the Horticultural Assets at a Local Community Centre
Cafe Producer and Supplier Profiles
The Seasoned Spoon Café is a non-profit, vegetarian, cooperative cafe located in Champlain College on Trent University's campus in Peterborough, Ontario. The Season Spoon Cafe is committed to improving food security of the local community. The Cafe Producer and Supplier Profiles community research project was designed to showcase the Season Spoon Cafe's producer and suppliers through a web-based mapping application developed and embedded on the Spoon's website along with a storyboard created for display at the cafe. These two deliverables highlight the organic, natural, and locally sourced food served at the Cafe and is intended to connect the Spoon's community to a variety of their producers and suppliers. The main findings of this report show that: food sourcing occurs primarily within the desired foodshed; produce (fruits and vegetables) is the dominant type of food producer; and the Seasoned Spoon Cafe sources from a combination of small and large business operations for various products. Community members are encouraged to use these educational tools to meet their food producers and suppliers, and potentially source their household food from them. These actions aim to strengthen local food security of the Seasoned Spoon community.
Understanding the integration of business and biodiversity
Understanding integration of biodiversity into post-secondary curricula
Supporting Activism in Peterborough: Building Relationships to Support OPIRG Working Groups
This paper evaluates the effectiveness of OPIRG Peterborough in supporting its working groups. The conceptual framework is built on a literature review drawing on relevant themes, policy review of PIRGS across Ontario and interviews from working group participants to identify working group dynamics and best practices. Results suggest that communication, training, networking, planning and reflection are areas in which OPIRG both demonstrated strengths and weakness. Recommendations for OPIRG staff and working group members are included. This study extends previous discussion on effective campaigning and relationships between OPIRG and working groups by implementing planning mechanisms within the working groups and offering networking opportunities on a local, provincial and PIRG to PIRG basis.
Measuring Risk in Peterborough
Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death and injury in children and youth in Canada. The Peterborough Risk Watch Network aims to reduce the rate and prevalence of injury for children and youth in the city and county of Peterborough, Ontario. The project aims to locate local injury data sources and create a rubric tool that will be used to evaluate the injury data sources for their potential applicability with injury prevention initiatives. The project involves an environmental scan, personal discussions, and the creation of a rubric assessment tool. The environmental scan involves looking for organizations that deal with children and youth in Peterborough and to see if they possess injury information. The number of injury data sources pertaining to Peterborough children and youth is limited. The rubric assessment tool developed is digital and user friendly. The data sources' usefulness is limited based on the type of information contained does not go into great detail. The future recommendations based on the project outcomes are to investigate a greater variety of organizations for injury data, ensure a greater breakdown of data once collected, and the creation of a centralized child and youth injury data system.