SCDC

Health Issues In The Community

Training For Action On Community Health Issues In Scotland

Recent developments in health and social inclusion policy within Scotland have resulted in an increase in programmes/initiatives that target health inequalities and community involvement in health (e.g. community health projects and healthy living centres). This has given rise to the need for training programmes aimed at increasing community capacity, increasing community participation, and establishing/consolidating community development approaches to tackling inequalities in health.

Health Issues in the Community, a national training resource, is ideally suited to help equip local people for the real challenges that they face in developing community responses to health issues and becoming more active citizens.

The cost of running a Health Issues in the Community course will vary enormously depending on the venue, transport, accommodation, childcare and tutor fees. The only fixed figure is the cost of accrediting students (this currently stands at £30 per student).

Development

An evaluation of the initiative found that the Learning Pack was a valuable resource that had been enthusiastically embraced and promoted in many parts of Scotland. With a worker now dedicated to its continued development there is significantly greater opportunity for this use to increase. It should be of particular interest to agencies that have a remit for tackling health inequalities, promoting community development approaches to health and developing community participation around health. Health Issues in the Community can certainly provide a good starting point for local people or workers who want to tackle health inequalities at community level.

Structure

Health Issues in the Community is a partnership between NHS Health Scotland, Moray House Institute - University of Edinburgh, and CHEX (Community Health Exchange). The initiative is funded by NHS Health Scotland; with assessment/certification provided by the University of Edinburgh; and course development, tutor training, support and networking provided by CHEX. All enquiries should, in the first instance, go to: