Albertan Views: Perceptions of Global Poverty

Global poverty is a huge and complex issue! Garnering the support of the general public is a challenge in light of the myriad of social issues present on a daily basis. Thus, the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC), in partnership with the Wild Rose Foundation and Angus Reid Strategies has conducted a province-wide and Canada-wide survey which has examined the public perceptions of global poverty and the role that Albertans (and Canadians) play in addressing this important issue.

ACGC was interested in learning:

• How important Albertans think global poverty is, compared to other social issues.
• How much Albertans knew about global poverty and the agencies and programs involved in addressing this issue.
• What Albertans perceived as effective programs for dealing with global poverty.
• What Albertans thought about their role, the role of government and the role of the international community in addressing global poverty.

Project Description

ACGC in partnership with the Wild Rose Foundation and Angus Reid Strategies conducted a survey in Alberta which would provide Albertans, including the Council and its members with baseline information regarding Albertan perceptions of global poverty and the role that we all play in its eradication.

The Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC) and its member organizations work to engage the general public in Alberta on issues related to global poverty, international development and the cooperation efforts of Northern and Southern partners. This important work is carried out with the goal of increasing public support and involvement in eradicating global poverty and the realization of the Millennium Development Goals. The effect of these public engagement efforts is often difficult to evaluate or measure. This is partly due to the fact that a baseline regarding the Albertan public perception of global poverty and the role that we all play in its eradication has not been established. The work of Albertan organizations will be more effective and have greater impact if programming is informed by research data evaluating the results of current work in the field of public engagement.

ACGC in partnership with the Wild Rose Foundation and Angus Reid Strategies conducted a survey which would provide Albertans, the Council and its members with data regarding Albertan perceptions of global poverty and the role that we all play in its eradication. This innovative study is the first of its kind carried out in Alberta! It is envisioned that the survey will be carried out at various points in the future in order to measure the impact of strategies developed or adapted to address issues identified in this ground-breaking research.

The results of this project will provides Albertans, the Council, its member organizations and other interested agencies with clear data about the level of awareness Albertans have about global poverty, where this knowledge comes from, and how it translates into individual and collective action. This information is extremely useful in the design and implementation of public engagement efforts and, ultimately, for increasing the level of support for international development amongst Albertans. The Council worked with a committee comprised of representatives of member organizations to determine the key messages coming out of the research findings. This committee will also plan and implement a public engagement strategy that can be used by all member organizations.

More Information

Please keep checking in with the website! There is more information on the way! At present you can see the Poll Results, Poll Methodology and the PowerPoint Presentation Part 1 and PowerPoint Presentation Part 2. Soon there will a Tool Kit and other information. If you have any questions please contact Heather McPherson, Executive Director director@acgc.ca.

Alberta News Release

National News Release

Methodologies

Poll Results

Backgrounder

If you require any further information please contract our office and we would be happy to assist you.
director@acgc.ca or contact us
Phone: 780.988.0200
Fax: 780.988.0211