 by Marlene Westland, Public Health Co-ordinator, Aberdeen City Community Health Partners |  |
| This case study highlights the aims, objectives and outcomes of a 2 day residential event and a half day follow up providing introductory training and support for local people who are engaged in Aberdeen’s community regeneration agenda. Health issues and reducing health inequalities have been identified through the process of developing Neighbourhood Community Action Plans for the city’s regeneration areas. This project was part of the wider community capacity building agenda of the community regeneration strategy with a particular focus on health issues and had the broad aims of:
Specific objectives included the provision of training aimed at developing skills and confidence in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, and the exploration and sharing of participants’ thinking about community health issues. It was also hoped to draw up a report and an action list on the health issues identified for use in future consultation with the regeneration communities, and to use the events as a means of encouraging and supporting key health staff to engage more effectively with the communities with which they worked. Over 30 people from across the regeneration communities applied to attend. However, as places were limited, 14 people were offered places and 13 people took part in the course from 5 of the 6 regeneration areas. The course was led by a Public Health Co-ordinator and a Health Improvement Officer, both of whom are qualified trainers, with assistance from a number of colleagues from NHS Grampian and the City Council. Douneside House, Tarland, was chosen as the venue because of its location, being “away from it all”, with exclusive use of all its facilities, providing a calming, restful and supportive environment which helped everyone feel more at ease. This proved to be an ideal venue, where we were able to switch off from day to day responsibilities. During the first day of the course we explored:
Day 2 led on to examining community health issues through a fictional case study which highlighted health issues and the agencies which could be involved in addressing them. We then looked at our own communities and identified the health issues. We concluded that many of the issues were common across the communities, that we could learn a lot from sharing information on how these are being tackled and how we can begin to make things happen to improve health and wellbeing in our own communities. Through the work of the two days, we had developed a list of actions that we felt were important to be taken forward and one of the last exercises included considering these and who could and would take responsibility for them. We also agreed that a report of our work over the two days should be written for decision makers and service providers and that we would meet again in three months time to agree this report. The trainers were committed to draw up a draft and arrange the follow up. The Follow Up Event This was held in February and we reflected on the two day course, then reviewed the report and updated the action list. Eight people attended the 4 hour follow up event held in Aberdeen. Reflecting on the two day course everyone felt they had worked hard and had gone back to their own communities refreshed and energised and that we had developed a fantastic definition of what health meant to us. It was agreed that the Draft Report was an accurate record of the work undertaken over the two days. It was good to see how productive the event was and that the report shows how much work we did. On reviewing the section on the community health issue, we found it highlighted the negative aspects and made the areas seem really bad and there were no positive aspects mentioned. This led on to discussion on what was positive and what was health promoting in the areas. Reflections Everyone felt this initiative was extremely successful, was very enjoyable and worthwhile. It brought people from across the regeneration areas together. We recognising that everybody’s issues are priorities for them and that reaching consensus means a bit of give and take. Each of the participants stretched themselves in many ways, from speaking up in the group to realising that everyone’s contribution is important. We came away with a list of actions to take forward on community health issues and we were all signed up to achieving them. We are still reaping the benefits of the weekend. There are now local people who are motivated and confident to become more involved in community health issues. The health staff who took part said that the initiative helped them to develop good working relationships in the communities. Links between health and communities have been strengthened and community health work has since been developed in Torry and Cummings Park. There is now a Health Group in Woodside which is a sub group of the regeneration network. Applications for Community Regeneration and Health Improvement funding have been successfully made and have prompted health issues work in communities. The exercise has been seen as a significant success in terms of engaging members of the regeneration communities in the shaping of plans to tackle the health inequalities in their areas, and in generating a sense of ownership for those plans. Materials generated in the course of the event are being used in further consultation work on health issues. It is hoped both to run further training for those who took part, and to repeat this event for other community members, and we are confident that local representatives can be supported to have a continuing involvement in the planning and delivery of initiatives to tackle health inequalities in their communities. For further information on this project and to receive copies of the full report on this project, please contact Marlene Westland, Public Health Co-ordinator, Denburn Health Centre, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, AB25 1QB, tel 01224 555291, email marlene.westland@gpct.grampian.scot.nhs.uk |
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Last Modified : 12/03/2009
