March 6, 2011
March 5, 2011
PROMOTING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP & INVOLVEMENT with LIMITED RESOURCES
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
The vision ‘health people in health communities’ involves broad based preventive efforts and moves beyond what happens in physicians’ offices, clinics and hospitals, beyond the traditional medical care system to the neighborhoods, schools, workplaces and families in which people live their daily lives. These are the areas where a large proportion of prevention and rehabilitation occurs. Considering the emerging public health concerns, objectives that accurately reflect data can be developed, revised and re revised. The set objectives to address health concerns should be used with potential data source and when revised they should reflect the most current science. Achievement of such objectives
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
Partnership is only in words without empowerment. Empowerment is a social process of recognizing, promoting and enhancing people’s abilities to meet their own needs, solve their own problems and mobilize the necessary resources in order to feel in control of their own lives, Gibson (1999). Community empowerment therefore occurs by empowering individuals first so as to make up empowered communities. Formal and informal education, the former being promoted through the bottom - up approach and community involvement are some of the strategies to empower individuals and communities. Through partnership, individuals and communities can be empowered but lack of empowerment means that people perceive themselves as powerless and not in control of their own lives or conditions which determine their health and
Empowerment is a multidimensional, social process, It occurs at various levels that is; at individual level, group or community level. It is a social process that fosters power ( that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities and in their societies, by acting on issues that they define are important, Bailey (1992). But it is not possible to offer people power so as to make them empowered, the focus is on the connection between individual actions to community action, encouraging individual change by supporting participants’ efforts towards community change.
Empowerment is a multidimensional, social process, It occurs at various levels that is; at individual level, group or community level. It is a social process that fosters power ( that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities and in their societies, by acting on issues that they define are important, Bailey (1992). But it is not possible to offer people power so as to make them empowered, the focus is on the connection between individual actions to community action, encouraging individual change by supporting participants’ efforts towards community change.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Involvement of the people to solve their own problems is termed as participation although people cannot be forced to participate there should be all possible opportunities for them to participate in matters related to their health. Participation is held to be a basic human right and a fundamental principle to democracy (Goyet, 1999).
According to Goyet, participation does not occur automatically, it is initiated and goes through a process. In his guide towards participation, it is seen that it goes through four stages; initiation, preparation, participation and continuation. Participation can take place during any of the following activities; needs assessment, Planning, Mobilizing, Training, Implementing, monitoring and evaluation.
Understanding participation involves understanding power as well (the ability of different interests to achieve what they want). Power depends on who has the information, confidence and skills among other things. The reason why most community initiative programmes do not allow full participation of the local people is the fear that they will lose control of the assumed power. In participation there are incentives
According to Goyet, participation does not occur automatically, it is initiated and goes through a process. In his guide towards participation, it is seen that it goes through four stages; initiation, preparation, participation and continuation. Participation can take place during any of the following activities; needs assessment, Planning, Mobilizing, Training, Implementing, monitoring and evaluation.
Understanding participation involves understanding power as well (the ability of different interests to achieve what they want). Power depends on who has the information, confidence and skills among other things. The reason why most community initiative programmes do not allow full participation of the local people is the fear that they will lose control of the assumed power. In participation there are incentives
EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION
Effective Community Communication is key to successful Community Partnership. Open, positive and respectful communication helps build commitment and trust in a community, leading to increased interest, support and involvement in community life. It is usually very difficult for community members to get involved when they do not know what’s going on. Whether it is at the community level or one to one, communication is most effective when it is two way; At the community level, this involves giving information and asking for feedback. Once information is exchanged, citizen involvement in local activities will increase and resources will be developed. A clearly established communication network is key to successful partnership.
RATIONALE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE
o The partial success of some models of health care to offer the basic health services to the poor.
RATIONALE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE
o The partial success of some models of health care to offer the basic health services to the poor.
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