Community-led Health

A community led approach to health improvement is now a significant feature of health improvement and health equity policy and practice, both in the UK and internationally.  It is an approach that is concerned with supporting communities experiencing disadvantage and poor health outcomes to identify and define what is important to them about their health and wellbeing; the factors that impact on their wellbeing and take the lead in identifying and implementing solutions.  It is an approach that clearly sets out the link between social capital and health inequality and community capacity building as a core approach to health improvement/ promotion.

We offer training and consultancy in the following areas:

'An introduction to Community-Led Health Improvement' 

This would be particularly useful for health improvement practitioners.  Training and support can be tailored but will typically cover:

  • the model of health which underpins a community-led approach to health improvement
  • the principles and values that underpin a community-led health approach to health improvement
  • the core outcomes of a community-led approach to health improvement
  • the contribution of these outcomes to health improvement and addressing health inequalities
  • the core methods and processes that underpin community-led health practice
  • the differences between a community-led approach to health improvement and community based approaches
'Health Issues in the Community' (HIIC)

Health Issues in the Community, a national training resource, is designed to help equip health professionals and local people for the real challenges that they face in developing community responses to health issues and becoming more active citizens.  It should be of particular interest to agencies that have a remit for tackling health inequalities, promoting community development approaches to health and developing community participation around health.  Health Issues in the Community can certainly provide a good starting point for local people or workers who want to tackle health inequalities at community level.

'Health Issues in the Community' Tutor Training

Following on from the above course, this 2-day Tutor Training Course aims to equip participants to deliver 'Health Issues in the Community' training to a wide variety of people in a broad range of settings.  Applicants should have a reasonable knowledge of community development and/or delivering training in a community setting.  The Tutor training gives participants an opportunity to find out about the pack content, how to use it, the learning methods that are used and the expectations/ responsibilities of tutors.

Links to CHEX Network

Our training and consultancy on community-led health also links to work being undertaken with the CHEX Network and where appropriate is informed by outcomes from CHEX capacity building seminars.