Summary of the Evaluation of the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative
About the program
The Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative (ACSPI) was launched in 2010 and renewed in 2015. The initiative aims to help communities develop integrated approaches to address community-defined safety and well-being concerns.
What we examined
The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the ACSPI. The evaluation covered the period from fiscal year 2018-2019 to 2024-2025 and was conducted in accordance with the Treasury Board Policy on Results.
Evaluation findings
- There is a clear, ongoing need for the ACSPI, evidenced by ongoing safety challenges, and sustained and expanding demand.
- The ACSPI has substantially been implemented as planned; however, progress has been slower and less consistent than expected.
- The ACSPI has incorporated GBA Plus considerations, but its monitoring approach is still evolving, highlighting the need to enhance formal tracking.
- Most communities understand and are ready to engage in safety planning, actively developing community safety plans (CSPs) that address community-identified root causes and implementing activities aligned with their priorities.
- Facilitators generally have the resources and support to deliver community safety planning sessions and work with communities to develop CSPs that address the root causes of safety concerns that they identified.
- Informal collaborations and referrals are occurring and producing positive outcomes for communities by expanding access to resources for Indigenous communities.
- ACSPI resources have not been expended as planned, with consistent underspending driven by administrative delays, community capacity constraints, and the variable pace of community-led delivery.
- The ACSPI's current performance measurement approach is inadequate and inconsistently applied, limiting the ACSPI's ability to generate reliable and outcome-focused data.
Recommendations
- Continue efforts towards modernization of performance measurement systems and data collection approaches. Explore opportunities that would accelerate implementation.
- Update facilitator materials and support, including re-indigenization of the curriculum, facilitator training follow-up, and peer-learning supports.
- Explore options that would increase the implementation of CSPs. These efforts could focus on supporting communities to develop their capacity, along with placing an emphasis on support for communities after developing a CSP, looking for ways to increase administrative and funding flexibility, and strengthening partnerships with and referrals to other programs.
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