The Province of Saskatchewan’s Hub model is a strong example of a cross-jurisdictional, cross-sectoral, integrated service delivery model that is changing the way human services are delivered to the public. Through its highly flexible–but privacy-conscious–structure, Hubs in Saskatchewan are bringing together service providers into collaborative settings and building relationships. In this model, service providers collaborate, share data, and address common problems. Our investigation of the Hub is aimed at documenting its functioning and investigating perceptions surrounding it and the potential role of philanthropy.
This report focuses on the project’s main goals to:
- Assess the role of open data in evidence-based systems change in a chosen Saskatchewan hub
- Evaluate the ecosystem of stakeholders in a given community
- Examine the entry points for philanthropies themselves into such data-driven ecosystems.
What is the Hub Model?
The Hub began with the Coalition on Community, Safety, Health and Well-Being, developed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) in 2004. In 2008, provincial police leaders set out to establish new policing strategies in partnership with the government of Saskatchewan. Their goal was to address social concerns as a basis for police response to local crime problems (McFee & Taylor, 2014). In 2010, Community Mobilization Prince Albert (CMPA), originating from Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) Chief Dale McFee, conducted a field study of a model in Scotland, connecting it to local, provincial, and federal research and practices. Through the Building Partnerships to Reduce Crime (BPRC) programme in the Government of Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice, this research resulted in a multi-agency approach to social issues, the Hub model and the Prince Albert Hub. Saskatchewan’s Hub ecosystem is an official programme under the Government of Saskatchewan – BPRC’s founding members included the Ministries of: Corrections and Policing, Justice, Social Services, Education, Health, as well as 1 the RCMP and local police departments (Provincial Auditor of Saskatchewan, 2016).
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the following for their valuable input: Social Innovation Exchange (SIX), Community Safety Knowledge Alliance (CSKA), the Government of Saskatchewan (Ministry of Justice, Community Safety & Wellbeing), the Yorkton Hub and the Prince Albert Centre of Responsibility.
This project was funded by the J.W. McConnell Foundation in 2017.