Community Engagement Community Engagement as Health Promotionas Health Promotion

Ontario Prevention ClearinghouseOntario Prevention Clearinghouse

June, 2004June, 2004

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Community Engagement Community Engagement as Health Promotionas Health Promotion

This presentation was developed by the This presentation was developed by the

Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse. You may copy and use it Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse. You may copy and use it

for non-commercial purposes only.for non-commercial purposes only.

This was made possible with funding support from This was made possible with funding support from

the Government of Ontariothe Government of Ontario

June, 2004June, 2004

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Defining “Health”Defining “Health”

•Health is:– a state of complete physical, mental and

social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. (WHO, 1948)

– created and lived by people within the settings of their everyday life; where they learn, work, play and love” (Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986)

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Defining “Health Promotion”Defining “Health Promotion”

•Health Promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over the determinants of health, and thereby improve their health.

(Western Pacific Region Office’s Regional Framework for Health Promotion, WHO 2002)

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Health

Health Services

Income and Social Status

Employment and

Working Conditions

Biology and Genetic

Endowment

Culture

Social Support

Networks

Education

Social Environment

s

Physical Environmen

ts

Personal Health

Practices and Coping

Skills

Healthy Child Development

Gender BELIEFSVALUES

ASSUMPTIONS

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Health Promotion: ValuesHealth Promotion: Values

•Health

•Social Justice

•Power Sharing

•Ecology

•Social Inclusion

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An inclusive society creates both the feeling and reality of belonging and helps all members reach their full potential.

Michael Fay, Social and Economic Inclusion Project, Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse

What Is Inclusion?What Is Inclusion?

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What Does Inclusion Mean?What Does Inclusion Mean?

The feeling of belonging emerges through caring, cooperation, and trust.

The reality of belonging emerges through equity and fairness, social and economic justice, and cultural as well as spiritual respect.

People build the feeling and reality of belonging by engaging their society to ensure it.

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Different Terms, Similar Different Terms, Similar ProcessesProcesses

• Community engagement

• Citizen engagement

• Civic engagement

• Community mobilization

• Community empowerment

• Capacity building

• Creating social capital

• Social inclusion

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How Community How Community Engagement Promotes Engagement Promotes

HealthHealth

Health Promotion actively engages people in processes that influence and affect the conditions that make them healthy or not.

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Engagement: An Essential Engagement: An Essential Process Of Health PromotionProcess Of Health Promotion

• Encourages people to come together to create social change.

• Builds grassroots capacity for individuals and communities to have more control over the factors that influence health

• Increases amount of social capital available to communities

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Different Ways to Engage Different Ways to Engage CommunitiesCommunities

Determinants

Strategies

Action Areas

Populations

Settings

Issues

Values / Principles

Rita Corbin

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Essential Dynamics of Essential Dynamics of Engaged CommunitiesEngaged Communities

•Shared vision

•Diverse relationships

•Abundant information

(Meg Wheatley-Leadership and the New Science)

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3 Examples of Community 3 Examples of Community EngagementEngagement

•Citizens for Mental Health

•E-dialogue on Foreign Policy

•Vibrant Communities

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Citizens for Mental HealthCitizens for Mental Health CMHA National Community CMHA National Community

Mobilization EffortMobilization Effort2002-20042002-2004

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Citizens For Mental HealthCitizens For Mental Health

Shared VisionShared VisionTo strengthen the capacity of voluntary sector organizations for meaningful participation in national level policy processes.

Diverse RelationshipsDiverse Relationships Engaged approx. 400 citizens in the process of building a vision for a national mental health policy framework.

Abundant InformationAbundant InformationLocal forums, and regional synthesis forums held in five regions. National forum used this information to shape recommendations into a policy framework.

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Electronic Community Electronic Community EngagementEngagement

AA national electronic dialogue about the national electronic dialogue about the values Canadians want to influence foreign values Canadians want to influence foreign

policy.policy.

Jan. 22 – May 1, 2003Jan. 22 – May 1, 2003

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Electronic EngagementElectronic EngagementShared VisionShared Vision A bilingual, moderated discussion forum allowing citizens to

talk to each other and to the government

Diverse RelationshipsDiverse Relationships Direct email postings across Canada to the site in both

official languages. Abundant InformationAbundant Information Ministerial discussion paper; 12 questions on three pillars-

security, prosperity, values and culture; Town Hall meetings, consultations, outreach, expert meetings.

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Vibrant CommunitiesVibrant Communities National Anti-Poverty Initiative National Anti-Poverty Initiative

in 15 Communities Across in 15 Communities Across Canada Canada

2002-20042002-2004

•McConnell Family Foundation

•Caledon Institute of Social Policy

•Tamarack- An Institute for Community Engagement.

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Vibrant CommunitiesVibrant Communities

Shared VisionShared VisionTo test the most effective ways to reduce poverty in Canada at the grassroots level. .

Diverse RelationshipsDiverse Relationships Multi-sectoral, including grassroots people, organizations, business and governments.

Abundant InformationAbundant InformationGrassroots collaboration, Pan-Canadian Learning Community, Teleconferences, regional and national forums.

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Community Engagement: Community Engagement: What Are We Learning?What Are We Learning?

• The process takes time to implement and develop locally. Requires long-term commitment.

• Program supports and resources should be in place and available before any program is implemented.

• To enhance engagement, pay attention to individual needs such as transportation, daycare, meeting set-up, refreshments to increase community participation.

• A multi-dimensional approach is stronger, more resilient and creative.

• Process builds on assets, rather than deficits.

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Electronic Engagement: Electronic Engagement: What Are We Learning? What Are We Learning?

• On-line consultation design should facilitate participation of culturally diverse groups (francophones, youth, interest groups, etc.)

• Politics and events can be managed, never controlled, discussions reflect current reality

• Need active moderation with civil rules, manage expectations, state outcomes

• Government and civil society partnerships in e-consultation can encourage citizen engagement

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IcebergIceberg

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ResourcesResources Ontario Prevention ClearinghouseOntario Prevention Clearinghouse

www.opc.on.cawww.opc.on.ca

Ontario Health Promotion Resource SystemOntario Health Promotion Resource Systemwww.www.ohprsohprs.ca.ca

Association of Ontario Health CentresAssociation of Ontario Health Centreshttp://www.aohc.org/http://www.aohc.org/

Canadian Mental Health AssociationCanadian Mental Health Associationhttp://www.cmha.ca/http://www.cmha.ca/

Tamarack: An Institute for Community EngagementTamarack: An Institute for Community Engagement http://www.http://www.tamarackcommunitytamarackcommunity.ca/.ca/

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More ResourcesMore Resources

GPI Atlantic - Genuine Progress Index for Atlantic GPI Atlantic - Genuine Progress Index for Atlantic Canada: Canada: www.www.gpiatlanticgpiatlantic.org/ .org/

Isuma, Canadian Journal of Policy ResearchIsuma, Canadian Journal of Policy Research (Issue (Issue on Social Capital): on Social Capital): www.www.isumaisuma.net/v02n01/index_e..net/v02n01/index_e.shtml shtml

Social Capital as a Public Policy ToolSocial Capital as a Public Policy Tool http://policyresearch.gc.ca/page.asp?pagenm=rphttp://policyresearch.gc.ca/page.asp?pagenm=rp_sc_index_sc_index

World Bank, PovertyNet site dedicated to social World Bank, PovertyNet site dedicated to social capital capital worldbankworldbank.org/poverty/.org/poverty/scapitalscapital/index./index.htmhtm