Building Community Capacity
Workplace Advisors Briefing
Activity
Expectations: Spend a few minutes thinking
what you want to achieve from this session:
1
2
3
In this session we will:
• Give an overview of the Building Community
Capacity Programme
• Discuss the principles & structure of the
programme
• Explore the role of the workplace advisor
• Explore health visitor participants’ journey
• Agree next steps for implementation
What is Building Community Capacity?
Within this project we have found it useful to use the work of
Skinner (2006). Skinner defined community capacity building as:
‘ Activities, resources and support that strengthen the skills, abilities
and confidence of people and community groups to take effective
action and leading roles in the development of communities.’
For health visitors this is clearly linked to the principles of health
visiting , where health visitors act as a catalyst for identifying and
enabling action by community groups and individual activists to
address needs affecting health and wellbeing.
It’s about health visiting...
In diverse settings...
Building Community
Capacity to improve
health and wellbeing
for everyone
Why the Building Community Capacity
Package for Health Visitors?
Health Visitors have always worked with
individuals, families and communities to promote
health and well being. For many health visitors
their focus, in the last decade, has moved away
from communities and rested on individuals and
families.
Undertaking this work based project will refresh
and refocus health visitors skills allowing them to
deliver some key developments which make a
real difference to communities...
First, we’ll take you through the structure of
the programme, from a participant’s point of
view
One HV’s journey
This building community
capacity package uses a
workplace learning process
which recognises the learning
achieved by individuals as
they carry out their
professional duties and
develop a work based project
Login and Registration
Phase
1
Reflection &
ongoing
development
Exploring your knowledge &
skills,
Developing of your learning
contract
Phase
Phase
6
2
Access support
materials and
master classes
Your learning journey
Reporting back &
Sharing your
findings
Phase
Phase
5
3
Developing
your project
proposal
Phase
4
Managing your project
PebblePad
Learning Journey
Phase
1
Getting to know a bit about the programme
and exploration of your knowledge and skills
using skills check list . This forms a basis for
the development of your personal learning
contract .
Phase
2
Undertake the learning activity that you have
identified in order to meet your learning
needs.
Complete the master classes &/ or access
reference material together with your own
reflections using pebble pad
Resources and Master Classes
Phase
3
Developing your workplace
project
• Project agreed by
employing organisation
• Engagement with
relevant community
stakeholders
• May involve:
– Shadowing
– Rapid Appraisal
– Appreciative Inquiry
• SMART outcomes
Phase
Managing your project
4
• Use your project proposal and a time line/
Gantt chart to ensure you achieve key
milestones.
• Meet with your workplace advisor to review
progress
• Undertake interim project review with
participants/ stakeholders as necessary.
Your Work Based Project: Managing
the project
• depends on effective
working with colleagues
and members of the
local community to take
change forward
• will also need to make
good use of support
from colleagues and
others, face to face and
through PebblePad
Reporting Back and Sharing Findings
Phase
5
• You will compile a project report as part of this
process which you can share within your
organisation & with other key stakeholders as
appropriate.
• You may also give a presentation of project scope,
outcomes and implications on future practice
• You will complete a final project brief and submit
as part of overall evaluation
Standard or Accredited
• The standard package, on completion, will
enable all participants to gain evidence of CPD
through a reflective portfolio.
• Your engagement with this learning process
and submission of your learning contract,
reflections and work based project report will
be assessed against level 7 criteria.
• You can gain 30 credits at level 7 through
Northumbria Universities accredited route.
Reflection, ongoing development
Phase
of
practice
6
•
•
•
•
•
•
Learning gained
Implications for your own practice
Implication for your organisation
Implication for the community
Future recommendation
Next steps
Role of Workplace Advisor
To act as an organisational
resource to enable
participants to engage in
the programme in order to
undertake a work based
project that will make a
difference to communities.
The role of the WPA is
therefore an essential
component of successful
work based learning.
Activity
What do you think are
the key aspects of the
workplace advisor role?
Key aspects of WPA include:
• Support participants to navigate the BCC package
• Help participants to identify opportunities within
the organisation to address learning outcomes
• Act as a link between the participant and the
employer with regard to identification, approval
and implementation of learning activities
including work based project
• Support reflective practice and communities of
practice in order to build organisational capacity
to BCC
Case Studies
• In the next section we will look at three real
life case studies. In each case you will find
some information about the area and its
needs and resources. You will have the
opportunity to consider a series of questions
to help you think through aspects of your role
as a Work Place Advisor.
Case study A
About the area...
• Jill works in an area west of the city, on an
estate largely built in the 1950’s, where there
has been a lot of recent demolition of
substandard housing, and due to funding cuts,
relatively little new building. There are issues
with drug abuse in the area. Some of the
poorest remaining housing is allocated to
asylum seekers.
About the area...
• At the local secondary school, rates of teenage
pregnancy are the highest in the city. Many
young mums are housed in the remaining
three storey blocks of flats on the estate,
which are quite spacious but have no lifts.
Attainment at the school at GCSE barely meets
government thresholds, though it has
improved steadily over the past five years.
About the area...
• The area has a higher proportion of older
people than the city as a whole, and many feel
quite vulnerable. Young people have little to
occupy them, though a youth project has
begun to address this over the past five years,
and the city built a multi user games area 3
years ago which is well used.
About the area...
• There are a few shops in the area, of which
the Chinese takeaway seems to thrive most.
The pub has been empty for more than four
years, due to continued problems with drug
users. The church hall is used by the credit
union and tenants associations, and there is a
toddler group meeting there.
Advising Jill...
• Jill is unsure where to focus her project –
there seem to be so many needs. How might
you advise her to proceed, and what factors
would you want to take into account?
• Jill decides to focus on teenage pregnancy as
her issue to address, but phones to ask what
she should do next: how would you suggest
she proceeds?
Advising Jill...
• Jill has decided, based on the evidence she has
accessed, to work with young people to prevent
teenage pregnancy – especially on personal
development. Who else might she work with, and
why?
• She brings her initial ideas to you: group work
with the youth project to support and teach
confidence, self esteem, negotiation skills, and
linking with the local school to offer education
and vocational development. Do you have any
further suggestions to help her?
Advising Jill...
• How far does this project match strategic
objectives in your organisation?
• How will the project she is proposing build
community capacity? (If not, how could it be
altered to do so?)
Advising Jill...
• Are there any additional resource needs apart
from her time? How would you advise her to
resolve them?
• Jill has a few ideas for key outcome measures.
These need to be relevant to commissioners .
Jill has suggested: Reductions in pregnancies,
reductions in morning after pill, better
attainment in relevant groups – can you
suggest some more?
Did you think about...
Case study B
About the area...
• Janet has just qualified and has come to work
in this suburban infill town, which has a long,
stretched out main road. Shops radiate out
from a central crossroads. There is a library,
and a sheltered housing complex near the
centre. There is quite a selection of charity
shops, and a couple of supermarkets. Side
streets are leafy – most houses semidetached.
A large country park is close at hand.
About the area...
• The local primary school draws about two-thirds of its
pupils from the immediate area whilst others travel
from further afield. Though most students are white, a
significant number are from other ethnic backgrounds.
In the recent Ofsted inspection it was noted that
though the percentage of pupils with learning
difficulties and/or disabilities was below average, the
percentage with a statement of special educational
needs was higher than in most schools. The school was
rated as ‘outstanding’. Secondary education in the area
is mixed between state schools, again with good
reputations, and a wide range of independent
provision.
About the area...
• The majority of the families Janet visits have two
parents working, often in professional jobs, many
with long hours. There are many au pairs, and
private day nurseries are common in the area.
Many parents also involve their children in clubs
and activities from an early age (swimming, ballet
etc). Janet feels that she has already
encountered quite a lot of stressed parents, and
some, recently moved to the area, who are
finding it difficult to make links. The GPs she
works with report seeing quite a number of
mums with anxiety related symptoms.
Advising Janet...
• Janet is unsure where to focus her project –
most people seem very self sufficient. How
might you advise her to proceed, and what
factors would you want to take into account?
• Janet decides to focus on mothers’ mental
health and wellbeing as her issue to address,
but phones to ask what she should do next:
how would you suggest she proceeds?
Advising Janet...
• Janet has decided, based on the evidence she
has accessed, to look at ways to support
mothers who are new to the area. Who else
might she work with, and why?
• She brings her initial ideas to you: She wants
to work with Netmums, the local primary
school early years teacher and the local library
to develop a regular drop in for mothers. Do
you have any further suggestions to help her?
Advising Janet...
• How far does this project match strategic
objectives in your organisation?
• How will the project she is proposing build
community capacity? (If not, how could it be
altered to do so?)
Advising Janet...
• Are there any additional resource needs apart
from her time? How would you advise her to
resolve them?
• Janet has a few ideas for key outcome
measures. These need to be relevant to
commissioners . Janet has suggested:
Numbers attending the drop ins; Reductions
in GP prescribing for antidepressants etc – can
you advise / suggest some more?
Did you think about...
Case study C
About the area...
• Liz works in this apparently pleasant seaside town, and
the surrounding area. There are good rail and road
connections. In the summer the area is busy with
tourists. The town has shops, restaurants, pubs, tea
rooms etc., and a small repertory theatre. Tourism is
the largest local influence on employment, with many
people working in hotels and catering, or retail.
Unemployment is above average for the county. There
are also some extremely deprived areas locally, with
around 10% of locals living in areas identified as among
the most deprived 20% in the region.
About the area...
• Long term health conditions are common. In
some outlying areas around the town, food
shops and post offices are not easily
accessible. Public transport is reliable but
limited, and around a third of local people
have no car.
About the area...
• The local primary school is rated as ‘outstanding’ by
OFSTED. It is larger than average and includes a
nursery. Attainment on entry is lower than expected
for four-year-olds. Though the numbers eligible for a
free school meal appear to be average, pupils come
from a wide range of social and economic
backgrounds. The nearby secondary school is seen as
‘good’. At GCSE, the proportion of students getting five
good grades is around the national average, and the
trend is improving. However, OFSTED report that a
minority of less able students do not progress as well
as they should.
About the area...
• Though generally this is a law abiding
community, some young people have been
given community service orders for vandalism
and unruly behaviour.
Advising Liz...
• Liz is unsure where to focus her project – she
feels that she might look at the most deprived
areas. How might you advise her to proceed,
and what factors would you want to take into
account?
• Liz decides to focus on unemployed parents as
her issue to address, but phones to ask what
she should do next: how would you suggest
she proceeds?
Advising Liz...
• Liz has decided, based on the evidence she
has accessed, to focus on parenting for
children under two in families where parents
are unemployed or seasonally employed. Who
else might she work with, and why?
• She brings her initial ideas to you: she aims to
implement a parenting programme which she
has read about. Do you have any further
suggestions to help her?
Advising Liz...
• How far does this project match strategic
objectives in your organisation?
• How will the project she is proposing build
community capacity? (If not, how could it be
altered to do so?)
Advising Liz...
• Are there any additional resource needs apart
from her time? How would you advise her to
resolve them?
• Liz has a few ideas for key outcome measures.
These need to be relevant to commissioners .
Liz has suggested: sessions attended;
improved attainment on entry – can you
suggest some more?
Did you think about...
Facilitating learning...
As a workplace adviser there is no right or wrong
way to facilitate and support the learning of
participants. The approach you take will be
negotiated within your organisation and may
depend on:
• Number of participants
• Geographical area.
You could organise ‘Action Learning Sets’ or
‘Building Community Capacity Workshops, and
communicate with participants using phone as
well as Pebblepad
Working Creatively – Tools and
Resources
• Building Community Capacity is a core part of
the new health visiting offer (1)
• Work Place Advisors are pivotal in helping
health visitors to focus, think creatively and
deliver for their communities.
“NHS Reform is creating a different world which
is more about prevention than delivery, where
patients drive their own care, and services are
delivered closer to home. In this brave new
world, Thinking Differently will be a core
capability of every NHS leader”
Helen Bevan, Director of Service Transformation,
NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement
Useful tools & techniques
• Simple project plan development
• Future state
www.institute.nhs.uk
• Thinking differently (NHSI)
Resources
• Listed below are some links and resources if f
you need to refresh your knowledge of
– Facilitation:
– Learning styles:
Next Steps..
• What will you do next?
Any queries?
If you have any queries of an urgent nature,
contact Pauline Pearson on
Pauline.Pearson@northumbria.ac.uk
0191 215 6472
0775 374 4349
Otherwise, use the contact page – thanks!