Community Development Strategy for health and wellbeing consultation launched

The Health and Social Care Board and the Public Health Agency have jointly issued a draft strategy for community development in health. The consultation period is now underway and will close on 2 September 2011.

Several pre-consultation events and discussions were held across Northern Ireland, however, now the HSCB and PHA are seeking your views on the draft strategy itself. By bringing forward this strategy the HSCB and PHA aim to improve community development approaches across health and social care organisations in Northern Ireland.

Ultimately the Board and Agency’s goal is to have strong resilient communities where everyone has good health and wellbeing and a reduction in inequalities. The Board and Agency are looking towards a number of benefits such as:

• Helping to reduce inequalities
• Strengthening partnership working with service users, the community and voluntary sectors and other organisations
• Strengthening families and communities
• Supporting volunteering
• Making best use of resources.

This strategy has the potential to significantly impact upon the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland and it offers a good opportunity for our sector to help shape this strategy and future initiatives from HSCB and PHA. The draft strategy documents are available to download below. All responses should be returned by 4.00pm on Friday 2 September 2011.