Transcript Community Engagement - Public health observatory

Community Engagement
CAN 2010
Outline of Workshop
 Introductory Exercise
 Presentation
 Group Exercise
 Summary of Key Learning
CAN 2010
Engagement
 An active relationship with commitment
and respect from both parties
CAN 2010
General Challenges in Practice
 Not enough time given
for Planning and
Preparation –
disillusionment,
resentment, legacy of
mistrust on all sides
 Takes time and
resources to be
meaningful
CAN 2010
Challenges
 Engagement is
about power –
controlling it /
sharing it. Power
relations often
ignored
CAN 2010
Issues of Poverty and Place
 Population may feel stigmatised
 May be different degrees of commitment to area – transient
population
 Community is no longer easy to define. There are diverse
communities, often with competing interests and priorities
 Poor people have learned that their opinions do not count
 People have busy lives. Will only engage on agenda that is
relevant
CAN 2010
Ladder of Participation
Source: The Guide to Effective Participation by David Wilcox
Supporting
Local
Initiatives
Acting
Together
Power
Resources
Time
Deciding
Together
Consultation
Information
CAN 2010
Participation
Information
 underpins all
levels
 Seldom enough on its own
 Take it or leave it approach
CAN 2010
Participation
Consultation
people are offered choices but have no
say in developing outcomes, unless this is
built into process from the outset
CAN 2010
Participation
Deciding Together
• different interests develop options and
engage in fair process to make decisions
• ensures greater ownership
• need to know where you want
to get to
• needs time and commitment
CAN 2010
Participation
Acting together
• agree a way of acting together based on
decisions made
• requires agreement about process for
doing so
• joint action planning
CAN 2010
Getting Started
Who are You? – Think
about own role, reasons
for initiating HIA,
history of involvement
with community, how
you are seen
Who is the Community?
– Diverse communities
and interests. Who are
the stakeholders in this
HIA? How do they
differ?
CAN 2010
Getting Started cont.
 What level(s) of Involvement? Will this be
different for different groups or at different
stages?
 Choose methods that match different levels
of participation
 Anticipate what the process might look like,
barriers, opportunities, resources and time
required
CAN 2010
Screening
 Involvement of
community from outset
- Sub group of existing
structure or form a
group
- it is important that
community person(s)
has overview of whole
community
CAN 2010
Screening
 Tease out relevance of
HIA, Understanding of
Social Determinants of
Health and potential
health impacts, lessons
from other areas prior
to engagement.
 Ensure that language is
accessible
CAN 2010
Scoping
Setting up Steering
Group
1. Who are the main
stakeholders?
- individuals directly
affected, local
activists, community
representatives,
community groups,
community workers.
.
 Consider the degree of
local knowledge, ability to
network, feed information
in and out, hold overview
 Consider more than one
community representative
or combination of worker
and representatives
CAN 2010
Scoping cont.
 2. Put in place supports
that will facilitate
meaningful participation
Ensure that there is an
understanding of HIA and
its boundaries, social
determinants of health,
potential health impacts
Briefing meetings,
language that is accessible,
non stigmatising, out of
pocket expenses (childcare,
travel),
CAN 2010
Consider the working
culture of the group. Does
it facilitate participation?
(Different to up skilling
people to participate)
Negotiate rather than
assume working methods
and agreements.
Build in regular
review
Appraisal – Participative
Qualitative Approaches
 No one way. Diverse groups
need diverse methods. Existing
structures may be able to advise
and or facilitate participation.
 Go to “them” rather than expect
“them” to come to “us” Fit in
with people’s lifestyle
 Create conditions where people
trust and feel safe to participate
– be clear about purpose and
scope of HIA. People can deal
with constraints and need to
decide if they wish to participate
CAN 2010
Appraisal
 Level of impact should determine level of
consultation.
 Use variety of creative media. Think about different
audiences and prepare for different ways of
engaging – drama, three dimension representation
of proposed changes, videos, workshops, citizen
juries, surveys. Start where people are at.
 Non participation is a strong message in itself.
Think about why (revisit issues named at beginning
for clues). Try alternative approaches.
CAN 2010
Appraisal
- Focus Groups – work well
when people know each
other
- Street by street or flat
complex block by block
works well
- Door to Door – Local
people need to do
introductions, time of call
is important and need to
vary call backs
 Public Meetings are least
productive – often
contentious, loudest voice
gets heard, may represent
one interest only. If
holding public meetings,
aim for small, well
structured ones that have
skilled facilitation
 Invite submissions
CAN 2010
Useful Resources
 The Guide to Effective Participation by David Wilcox available at
www.partnerships.org.uk/guide
 Participation in Anti Poverty and Regeneration Work and Research by
Peter Beresford and Martin Hoban at
www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy
 Community Participation Guidelines by the Health Services Executive
2002 available at www.hse.ie
 The Western Health and Social Services Guide to Public Involvement
(Western Health and Social Services Board, Northern Ireland 2005) at
www.whssb.n-i.nhs.uk/index.html
National Standards for Community Engagement at
www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk
CAN 2010