Building Healthy, Equitable Communities series
This resource is available in English only.
ChangeLab Solutions is an interdisciplinary organization that works to address structural inequities through policy development in communities where residents are at risk of health inequities. Their focus is on how a combination of policy and community power can give rise to new and innovative opportunities to address health inequities.
One of their key resources is the Building Healthy, Equitable Communities series, which focuses on identifying actionable areas to build healthy, equitable communities. Geared towards government and community leaders, each of the six training modules includes a blog post, a webinar and a recorded expert panel conversation.
Topics include:
- Health equity, with a focus on developing equitable laws and government policies
- Healthy children and families, with a focus on supports and policies for working families
- Food systems, with a focus on food policy and procurement strategies
- Built environment, with a focus on place-based health inequities and long-range planning
- Schools, with a focus on physical and social school environments and discipline disparities
- Community pillars, with a focus on community participation in public decision making and policies that reflect community priorities
An additional “bonus” training discusses policies at upper levels of government that override state (provincial) policies, and the search for local solutions to public health equity issues.
Catalogue of tools
ChangeLab Solutions also offers a catalogue of tools that highlights policy solutions in community and public health, including governance, neighborhoods, food, childcare/school, tobacco and healthcare. Numerous resources are linked that relate to key areas for action on health equity, including health in all policies, built environment, food security, early childhood and access to healthcare.
Use this resource to
- facilitate discussion about public health policy solutions to community level health inequities;
- plan continuing professional development opportunities around health equity for yourself and others in your organization; and
- consider how current public health efforts in built environment, food security, early childhood and tobacco can engage community members in decision-making program development to address inequities.
Reference
ChangeLab Solutions. (2018). Building Healthy, Equitable Communities Series. Retrieved from: http://www.changelabsolutions.org/publications/building-healthy-equitable-communities-series
Related resources
- Local resources and health: Overview of knowledge synthesis (2019)
- Collective impact and public health: An old/new approach — Stories of two Canadian initiatives (2017)
- Blog post: “Imagine 2048: A reflection on the future of health promotion practice” (2018)
- Policy avenues: Interventions to reduce social inequalities in health (2014)
Tags: Community engagement, Healthy public policy, Leadership & capacity building, Participate in policy development, Community Organization, Report / Document