One week to go!

My official WCMT badge arrived today - a timely delivery given that this time next week I'll be mid way across the Atlantic (volcanic ash clouds pending!).  What with business cards (get me!) and badges I'm *almost* ready to go....just the small matter of a suitcase to pack... but then - what are bank holiday weekends for?!

 

My itinerary is pretty much sorted (a couple of minor meeting changes but nothing too problematic) and a last minute additional visit to the Wellesley Institute in Toronto. The Wellesley Institute look to be an interesting think tank which explores the broader social determinants of health and the community context. Sounds right up my street! Thanks to Liz Weaver at the Tamarack Institute for Community Engagement for making the connection!

Now...where did I put that passport....?

Well-being Index

 Am loving this OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) well-being index! 

The  'Your Better Life index' allows you to compare well-being across 34 countries (including the Uk, USA and Canada), based on 11 topics the OECD has identified as essential in the areas of  quality of life including health, community and life satisfaction.

Check it out...!

Time's Ticking...

Just TWO weeks till I depart the UK to begin my WCMT fellowship!! Feeling a healthy mixture of excitement and anticipation - with a touch of apprehension that all goes well. All fairly normal I guess. Still can't quite believe it's happening though! Two weeks from now I'll be at Manchester Airport where I'll be mainly sat wondering what I've forgotten to pack and killing time perusing the shops and trying not to buy anything (!).

Health Champion tells her story to the PM!

Last week - the Altogether Better programme was in London to receive their Big Society Award from the Prime Minister.

Lisa Cox  from Sheffield and Mashud Haque from Bradford attended the ceremony to represent 12,500 Community Health Champions across Yorkshire and Humber. The award has been given in recognition of the contribution volunteers are making to the health and well-being of their communities.

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

“Congratulations to the Altogether Better programme and their fantastic team of Community Health Champions.  “This innovative scheme shows the public sector empowering local champions so that they can in turn inspire and support others within their communities to lead healthier lives.  “It is an excellent example of a project encouraging social action and opening up our public services. That’s exactly what the Big Society is about – and that’s why I wish them every success for the future.”

Read Karl James's moving account of meeting Lisa at the event and hearing her story.

Lisa Cox (Community Health Champion) tells her story to David Cameron PM

Community Health Champions and Social Capital

Read a short article on Community Health Champions and Social Capital as featured in the Voluntary Action Leeds Newsletter (Spring 2011).

This is based on the findings from my MSc Dissertation (Population Health, University of York) and an overview of the themes identified in my qualitative analysis of 24 case studies and 12 Altogether Better project reports is here.

Social Capital 'Factoids'

Checking out the social capital 'Factoids' from  the Saguaro Seminar on Civic Engagement in America  - provide more evidence of the link between social capital and health:

"Joining and participating in one group cuts your odds of dying over the next year in half. Joining two groups cuts it by three quarters."

"Civic engagement and volunteering is the new hybrid health club for the 21st century that's free to join and miraculously improves both your health and the community's through the work performed and the social ties built."

Also have a useful social capital glossary.

How to Build Social Capital?

Here are 150 ideas for how you can build social capital from the bettertogether initiative at Harvard University (and therefore American style actions...but you get the picture).

Countdown to departure!

Just 4 short weeks from today I will be heading across the Atlantic to begin my Fellowship. Yipes! 

My first destination will be Toronto (and surrounding area) where I will spend my first week. After a weekend of jet lag recovery (!) - I have a busy week of meetings arranged and will end the week with 2 days at the Community Health Centres conference where the focus will be on:

• Improving health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities
  
• Advancing health equity
  
• Increasing sustainability of the health system
  
• Building our case and our movement: increasing access to community-governed primary health care 

Am sure it'll be a great opportunity to connect with people and hear more about the Canadian approaches. 

(Slightly worried that the next 4 weeks will fly by though...must get packing!)