Action Taken

In response to the needs expressed by participants, Yolanda contacted several community service agencies in the neighbourhood. The people who Yolanda spoke with shared her concerns about the issues raised by the participants in her class. Yolanda collaborated with the other agencies to organize a community-wide forum at the auditorium of one of the local public schools. This event resulted in the formation of an inter-sectoral committee made up of agency representatives and community residents.

Over the next two years, the committee pursued the following activities in response to the needs and priorities identified by community members.

One of the partner agencies provided parents with access to computers so they could develop resumés and upgrade their computer skills
Another partner agency started several ESL classes.
A successful proposal for funding allowed a local day care centre to offer free half-day 'play-days' twice a week for children aged 2-4.
Residents successfully lobbied the city to clean and up-grade playground facilities in two community parks.
The committee applied for, and received, a community services grant to offer a summer camp for preschool children.
The local library expanded its story telling program to include local language stories every week.
During the summer, the committee organized monthly barbecues as a fun social event for community residents.
Yolanda's agency set up an education and support group for new fathers.

Implications for Practice

This example incorporates the key features of health promotion practice, including:

a holistic view of health that went beyond the physical health status of new and expectant mothers and children to encompass the social and mental dimensions of health and well-being
a focus on participatory approaches that entailed the direct involvement of community members in planning and implementing activities in response to their shared health concerns
a focus on the determinants of health through activities addressing the social, economic and environmental factors contributing to health such as employment, recreation, social support, literacy skills, healthy child development and access to childcare
building on existing strengths and assets by making use of existing community resources and facilities wherever possible and building on the capacity of community residents
using multiple, complementary strategies, including health education, self-help/mutual aid, organizational change, community mobilization and advocacy