Community Engagement and Participation

The Upper Hume PCP developed a Community Participation Strategy in 2002 with the vision that the strategy will help us change the way we work with members of our community who may use our services from “doing for”  to “doing with”.

 We want to: 

•  Increase the involvement of individuals in determining their own health and well being
•  Increase the involvement of the community in the planning, design, delivery and evaluation of services that affect health and well being
•  Increase the involvement of the community in improving the service system that supports health and well  being

 Rationale   “There is growing recognition that consumers have enormous potential to influence their own health outcomes if they are involved actively in shared decision-making and provided with quality information and appropriate self-management”.

 “The health system must involve its consumers at all levels if it is to have a population focus, reduce inequalities and use resources efficiently and effectively. Consumers should be involved in determining priorities of the health system, and their rights should be respected”.

 “When consumers become collaborators in health care decision making, there will be shifts in the power relationships between consumers and providers. It is useful to think of this shift as a transition to a partnership where the knowledge of consumers and providers will be valued and all will benefit. The development of shared information plays a key role in creating this partnership.” 

DHS ‘Consumer Carer and Community Participation Report” 2003

Resources

 Upper Hume Community Participation Strategy 2002            Community Participation Strategy   Check out the Ladder of Participation on page 5.

Website with information and resources for agencies            http://www.participateinhealth.org.au/

July 2008 - Health Issues Centre resource  Getting Started: Involving Consumers on Committees

Volunteering Way to Go - local project

A group of members met in mid 2005 to identify agency needs and from that working group a successful fundin g proposal was achieved through the Department of Planning and Community Development to undertake a 2 year project developing the capacity to attract and maintain volunteers in our health services including transferrability of volunteers and shared training based in local communities.  

Our Lead member organisation is the Albury Wodonga Volunteer Bureau.   Contact Jemma Toohey on projectofficer@vrb.org.au   

Contact: 

Judith Moore  02 6022 9284   or email jmoore@uhchs.vic.gov.au for details about this group