The Regroupement des centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec (RCAAQ) co-chairs with the Réseau DIALOG and the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) a university-community research alliance (Alliance de recherche universités-communautés) (ARUC) on urban Aboriginals in Québec: ODENA- Aboriginals and urban settings in Québec: identity, mobility, quality of life and governance (ODENA - Les Autochtones et la ville au Québec : identité, mobilité, qualité de vie et gouvernance).

Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for the 2009/2014 period, this research alliance is an opportunity to develop knowledge that proves useful to urban Aboriginal communities of Québec and new skills in collaboration- and participation-based research. This innovative project allows for further advancing and renewing our understanding of the social, economic, political and material situation of the urban Aboriginal population of Québec, as well as for eventually developing public policies better adapted to the challenges and issues experienced by urban Aboriginals.

Odena, which means city in Algonquin, is:

• THE UNION between the academic expertise and that of the Mouvement des Centres d’amitié autochtones du Québec
• THE COMMITMENT to promote partnership-, collaboration- and reflection-based research practices
• A SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP based on principles of equality, acknowledgement, accessibility, sharing, evaluation, consensus and holistic vision

The research and action objectives are to:

• DRAW an overall portrait in order to identify new indicators and mechanisms to plan action
• CHARACTERIZE practices and programs in order to model the service offer and strengthen capacities
• UNDERSTAND challenges in order to diversify and consolidate social development interventions
• IDENTIFY the conditions for public engagement and highlight Aboriginal collective action

ODENA, an ARUC that:

• CREATES a convergence of expertise, knowledge and experience with the goal to support social, economic, political and cultural development of urban Aboriginals
• FOSTERS proximity research, continuous sharing of knowledge and direct involvement in social reconstruction initiatives
• REFLECTS the continuous exchange and dialogue between researchers, students and professionals for a co-development of knowledges