1. Healthy Living Community Engagement Strategies Minneapolis Department of Health and Family Support Creating a Healthier Minneapolis healthy eating + physical activity + smoke-free living

2. Department of Health and Family Support Vision: Health, equity and well-being for all people in their communities Mission: To promote health equity in Minneapolis and meet the unique needs of our urban population by providing leadership and fostering partnerships

3. Health Department Goals & Initiatives Strong Urban Public Health Infrastructure – Emergency Preparedness – Health care safety net Healthy weight through active living and healthy eating – Minneapolis Healthy Living – Homegrown Minneapolis Healthy sexuality and relationships – School-based clinics – HIV and STD prevention Thriving and violence-free youth – Youth development projects – Commission Youth Violence Prevention A healthy start to life and learning – Lead and smoke-free homes – Thriving babies: Healthy Start Infant Mortality Prevention Initiative – School-ready children

4. Minneapolis Healthy Living Initiative Comprehensive, 14-project initiative to reduce obesity, tobacco use, and the chronic diseases they cause (examples: diabetes, heart disease, asthma) Focused on achieving health equity; targeted to specific communities Focused on policy, systems and environmental approaches

5. Spectrum of Healthy Living Community Engagement Strategies Official boards and processes Community Input – Periodic meetings – Ongoing Community Leadership Team Per project engagement Initiative-level partnership VOICE: story-based community dialogues

6. Per Project engagement Community engagement built into every projects Examples: North Minneapolis Greenway Project Smoke-free multi-unit housing EBT at farmers markets

7. Initiative-level engagement Expanding the reach and impact of Healthy Living strategies in small, clearly defined populations (cultural or geographic) through community-based and neighborhood organizations Partnering with organizations to: – Increase the concentration of healthy opportunities – Increase target population’s participation in and use of these opportunities

8. A community engagement strategy that connects with cultural communities that are at high risk for obesity Story Based Community Dialogue Fosters Partnerships Shares Knowledge Promotes Sustainability & Community Buy-In Promotes Greater Inclusion Strengthens understanding What is VOICE…..

9. Stories from VOICE….. * Food is central across cultures

10. VOICE is a strategy that builds upon core community engagement principles—City of Minneapolis 1.Right to be involved 2.Contribution will be thoughtfully considered 3.Recognize the needs of all - sustainable decisions 4.Seek out involvement – public participation 5.Participants design participation – consult for professional services 6.Adequate information – meaningful participation 7.Known effect of participation – affect decisions The Voice Project (Valuing Our Individual Cultures through Engagement )