Engaging with Communities Glenn Laverack

The Characteristics of Community The concept of ‘community’ may be interpreted as heterogeneous individuals and groups who share common interests and needs and who are able to mobilise and organise themselves toward change.

Some communities want to address the underlying causes of social injustice, exclusion and inequality and will become more engaged in politically orientated activities. Passive action empowerment

Community Empowerment (Social & Political Action) Community Action Community Capacity Community Development Community Organisation Community Engagement Community Participation Community Readiness (Laverack,2007,p.23) Participation

Community based interaction Describe processes that increase the assets and attributes of a community. Fundamentally address forms of social organisation and collective action. Attempt to redress inequalities in the distribution of power based on shared needs and concerns. Social interactions that are dynamic and bind people into relationships with one another.

The similarity lies in the process of how and why people interact. The difference lies in the intended purpose or outcome. The purpose may be simply participation but later becomes concerned with building competencies and capacities directed toward specific goals. Only when these goals are directed toward social and political change do communities begin to engage in the process of empowerment.

Three roles of the practitioner The practitioner is directive, instructing communities what they should do. The practitioner plays a facilitating role, asking and assisting communities to do what they want towards self-directed goals. The practitioner plays a facilitating role to explicitly bring about social and political change, in favour of the community.

Community Engagement Means involving its members in problem-solving solutions to issues that affect their lives. This is a collaborative process and often involves partnerships that help mobilize resources, influence systems and change relationships among partners. The key point is that the community is no longer passive. Glenn Laverack (2008)

Social Exclusion Characterizes contemporary forms of social disadvantage in which individuals, groups and communities are denied rights, opportunities and resources (housing, employment, healthcare, democratic participation and legal representation) and that are normally available to other members of society. (Todman, 2012)

Ethnicity Age Faith Economic status Disability Sexual preference Migrants Profession

Challenges To develop and maintain trust. Fair, equitable and open partnerships. To help identify the groups` own power base to build from a position of strength. How to assist members to organise and mobilise themselves collectively. How to create an adequate (sustained) resource base for action.

Experiences of working with Chinese migrants in New Zealand

Working with Chinese migrants By 2020 15% of NZ population will be Asian and by 2016 some urban areas will be 34% Asian. Injury is a leading cause of premature death and disability in the Asian population. Most common accidents are falls and road traffic accidents. Asians have a compensation claim rate well below the national average (4.6 Asian popn). (Tse, Laverack, Nayar and Foroughian, 2010).

Chinese migrant issues Resettlement and relocation issues. Lack of communication. Community readiness. Community capacity.

Guidelines to engage with Chinese Migrants Listening and communication. Community involvement. Needs assessment. Working in partnerships. Building community capacity. Monitoring and evaluation. Learning lessons.

Professional development ‘Robust tools’ for public health agencies to better engage with communities. Professional competencies (curricula and in-service training). Professional confidence to engage with communities.

Research and Development PEOPLE PRACTITIONERS POLICY MAKERS Effective approaches to engage with marginalised groups. Professional competencies to better engage with people at all levels. Scaling up successful bottom-up approaches.

Helping practitioners to engage with others Practitioners need to be better listeners. Practitioners need to be better communicators. Practitioners need to foster a good professional-client working relationship.

Exercise 1: Learning to listen Divide into groups of 3 people. Designate a ‘practitioner’, ‘a pregnant mother’ and an ‘impartial observer’. The observer will watch and record the interaction using sheet 1. The practitioner will interact with the woman using sheet 2.

Exercise 2: Fostering a good working relationship Divide into groups of 5 people. Designate a ‘practitioner/facilitator. The facilitator will organise the group. Using sheet 3 develop a simple strategy to quit smoking. Complete steps 3 and 4.

Working with self-help groups Step 1. Priority Step 2. Key decisions Step 3. Key activities Step 4. Resources needed To stop smoking in the next 6 months.    Remove all cigarettes from the home and workplace; To attend motivation classes to help to stop smoking; To use a substitute for smoking such as chewing gum or nicotine patches.   

Working with self-help groups Step 1. Priority Step 2. Key decisions Step 3. Key activities Step 4. Resources To stop smoking in the next 6 months. Remove all cigarettes from the home and workplace;  To attend motivation classes to help to stop smoking;  To use a substitute for smoking such as chewing gum or nicotine patches.   Collect all cigarettes in house and dispose.  Do not purchase any more cigarettes;  Identify local classes. Make time to attend one class per week.   Identify a friend to attend initial classes for support;  Discuss best alternative products with a doctor or pharmacist. Make an appointment to speak with a doctor in the next 7 days;  Buy product from pharmacy. Take on a prescribed basis for the next 3 months. The availability of local self-motivation class; Money to pay for classes and time to attend the classes; Access to a pharmacy or Practitioner to discuss the best options for a smoking substitute and; Money to purchase substitute products.