More than decision making: How local elected officials navigate support for community-based initiatives
| dc.contributor.author | McLean, Matthew | |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Siemens, Lynne | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-01-19T23:18:34Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-01-19T23:18:34Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026 | |
| dc.degree.department | School of Public Administration | |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Arts MA | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study examines how local elected officials in British Columbia support community-based initiatives (CBIs), defined as community-developed and community-run projects that provide services or benefits to residents. While CBIs are primarily driven by citizen action, elected officials are increasingly involved in supporting this work, yet their specific practices remain underexamined. Addressing this gap, the research explores the approaches elected officials use, the opportunities and challenges they encounter, and the strategies they employ to navigate tensions arising from their dual community leadership and governance roles. Using an interpretive mixed methods design, the study combined a province-wide survey of 44 local elected officials with two focus groups involving eight participants. The survey identified a broad range of support practices, while the focus groups validated findings and explored underlying tensions and decision-making strategies. Despite a modest sample size, participants reflected the demographic and geographic diversity of local elected officials in British Columbia. The study identifies 57 distinct approaches used by elected officials to support CBIs, grouped into categories that include public statements of support, resource provision, relationship building, direct services, providing guidance, championing initiatives and status work. Relationship building emerged as particularly central, reflecting the boundary-spanning nature of the elected role. Findings also highlight key outcomes elected officials seek when supporting CBIs, alongside persistent challenges including time constraints, capacity limits, competing priorities, and concerns about role boundaries. In response, the study offers six practice-oriented recommendations to support more intentional, effective, and sustainable engagement with CBIs. Overall, the research provides an early but robust framework for understanding how local elected officials support community-based initiatives and offers practical guidance to inform future practice and research in this evolving area of local governance. | |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Graduate | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/23068 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | |
| dc.subject | community-based initiatives | |
| dc.subject | local elected officials | |
| dc.subject | community leadership | |
| dc.subject | local governance | |
| dc.title | More than decision making: How local elected officials navigate support for community-based initiatives | |
| dc.type | project |