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Why is community input and participation so essential?
When experiences and knowledge from the wider community are sought and people work together to address local issues, members feel empowered to create solutions that are meaningful and sustainable.
What are “social determinants of health”?
Broad factors that impact individual and community health are called the social determinants of health. This includes such things as employment opportunities, quality education and safe housing. Making these opportunities accessible to all can enhance or limit overall life circumstances.
How can communities address complex social issues?
Complex social issues are best addressed when community members work together towards common solutions. Recognizing how the different community settings and environments interact and affect the community members is a great start. Collective action on a common goal can lead to sustainable and positive change.
What makes people healthy?
There are different levels that can be targeted when looking to improve peoples’ health. One way is to encourage individuals to change their behaviors. Suggestions like eating a healthier diet or becoming more physically active can be offered to community members. Another way is to create environments that support making the healthy choices. Healthy public policies, such as smoking bans in public places, can have a positive impact on community wellness.
What is community engagement and how can it be done?
Community engagement is a process of meaningfully involving residents to work together to determine priority areas for decision-making and action. Having representatives from different community settings ensures diversity and many perspectives. Finding enthusiastic and passionate people to work with helps to foster change.
How do I start talking to people that could help me?
Take advantage of social media to spread your ideas, connect and recruit. Some common social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also consult community websites or request to write a piece on their blog or newsletter. Find out whether there are existing groups and organizations that champion similar initiatives in the community. Connect with them and get on their agenda!
How do I get the word out?
Take advantage of social media to spread your ideas, connect and recruit. Some common social media platforms are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also consult community websites or request to write a piece on their blog or newsletter. Find out whether there are existing groups and organizations that champion similar initiatives in the community. Connect with them and get on their agenda!
Once I get people together, how do I start the conversation?
If you are ready to hold a community conversation, here are a few suggested questions to ask:
- What do you love about your community?
- What do you want your community to look like five years from now?
- Who are the individuals and groups of people that could work together to achieve this vision?
- If the sky were the limit, what would our healthy, equitable, resilient, and sustainable community look like?
Having timely community conversations will help build connections based on common values.
Why is it necessary to develop a shared vision?
Having a shared vision with mutually agreeable ways of working together, can help sustain connections and positive relationships for long-term collaborations. Common values, shared vision and mission statements can guide planning and action and help identify key partners and stakeholders that can help to move the work forward.
How do I start learning about my community?
Begin by taking a snapshot to help develop your understanding of its strengths, needs and opportunities. You can create a community profile, asset map, SOAR analysis or use the following data collection tools to get started. Strive to understand the community from different angles and perspectives for a comprehensive picture of what exists and what is needed.
How do I get started planning for action?
When starting to plan for activities, always consider where your community is at. Begin by reviewing your team’s assets and what resources (time, knowledge, volunteers, etc.) you have available. Identify community members who are skilled at facilitation who might help lead the way. Having a person manage the main components of a project keeps everyone on track. Everyone is welcome to contribute.
