Exploring the Role of Rural Community–College Partnerships in Sustainable Community Development: A Case Study of Selkirk College, British Columbia, Canada

This study examines how rural community–college partnerships contribute to sustainable community development in rural Canada through an explanatory, embedded case study of Selkirk College, located in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. Three embedded units were investigated: the School of Environment and Geomatics, the School of Health and Human Services, and Selkirk Innovates. Guided by a pragmatic interpretive framework, a mixed-methods approach combined an online survey (n = 33) of community partners with in-person semi-structured interviews (n = 13) of partners and key college personnel. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative survey results and a thematic analysis for qualitative survey and interview data. Deductive reasoning was applied to identify social capital and sustainable community development dimensions, while inductive reasoning was used to identify emergent patterns and themes related to partnership activities and experiences. Findings indicate that partnerships are characterized by strong bonding and bridging social capital and are perceived as helpful in achieving organizational goals, with partners expressing satisfaction with outputs and outcomes. Partnership activities supported workforce development, capacity-building, and informed decision-making. While most partnerships effectively addressed specific ecological, social, or economic needs, evidence of fully integrated sustainable community development across all three dimensions was limited, with partial or strong integration observed in select examples. Overall, Selkirk College’s community partnerships contribute to rural place-based sustainable community development primarily within sector-specific dimensions. However, when considered collectively, these discipline-specific contributions may cumulatively support broader sustainability outcomes, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of current partnership practices.

Author dc:creator

• Perehudoff, Kara

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Breen, Sarah-Patricia

• College of interdisciplinary studies

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Identifier URI

https://doi.org/10.25316/IR-20558

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:null:10613/28996