Question

7. Described the factors which help in community building where collaboration exists. 8. What are the eight steps in building a coalition. 9. Describe how leaders can make a mark on the public health profession.

Answer 1

Ans) 7) Factors which help in Community building where collaboration exists:

- Create a clear and compelling cause.
- Communicate expectations.
- Establish team goals.
- Leverage team-member strengths.
- Foster cohesion between team members.
- Encourage innovation.
- Keep promises and honor requests.

8)"Eight steps" to building an effective coalition:
o Step 1: Analyze the program's objectives and determine whether to form a coalition
A coalition is a prevention tool, so groups must be specific about what needs to be accomplished. After the needs have been determined, the group must consider if a coalition is the best approach to meet the identified needs.
Groups must ask the following questions:
• What are we trying to accomplish?
• What are our community's strengths and needs?
• What are the pros and cons associated with the proposed collaboration?
• What are our objectives and what types of activities seem logical?
Cohen suggests using the Spectrum of Prevention to help define a group's possible actions
o Step 2: Recruit the right people
The group's objectives will prescribe the type of coalition developed. Some groups may choose to start small to accomplish specific tasks and then strategically expand.
Depending on the needs of the coalition, either program directors or front-line staff should be encouraged to attend. In addition, invite community members, youth leaders, and politicians.
The size of the group matters. It takes large groups longer to define and agree on common objectives and activities. Yet large groups may have access to greater resources that may be required for accomplishing certain tasks.
o Step 3: Devise a set of preliminary objectives and activities
A key to a successful coalition is the early identification of common goals and benefits of working together.
The coalition must avoid competing with its members for funding.
An important consideration for adopting specific coalition activities is to identify some short-term outcomes.
• For example, if a coalition's objective is to increase public knowledge about chronic disease as a preventable community problem, a short-term outcome could be the publication of two editorials in the local newspaper.
o Step 4: Convene the coalition
A coalition can be convened at a meeting, workshop, or conference.
The lead agency should plan the first meeting using a time-specific prepared agenda, a comfortable and well-located meeting area, and adequate refreshments.
It is appropriate to prepare a draft mission statement and proposal for coalition structure and membership.
Anticipate that not all invited members will become coalition members.
o Step 5: Anticipate the necessary resources
Lead agencies usually provide staff time to keep the coalition up and running and to handle detail work.
Though coalitions can usually run on a minimal budget, each member's time is a valuable contribution.
***It is common for coalitions to have paid staff.
o Step 6: Define elements of a successful coalition structure
Structural issues of the coalition include:
• how long the coalition will exist,
• meeting locations,
• meeting frequency and length,
• decision making processes, meeting agendas,
• membership rules, and
• participation between meetings by subcommittees or planning groups.
Templates of different coalition structures should be collected prior to the meeting and presented for discussion to reduce the time needed to make management decisions.
o Step 7: Maintain condition vitality
Methods for noting and addressing problems, sharing leadership, recruiting new members, providing training on identified needs, and celebrating success can help ensure a coalition's viability and success.
It is very important to recognize both the individual and organizational contributions to a coalition each step of the way.
Balance the process with action... don't become complacent.
o Step 8: Make improvements through evaluation
Each coalition activity and event should include evaluations.
This can be as simple as a satisfaction survey or it could be the more formal use of pre-and posttests of specific subject knowledge.
***Refer to resources in Minkler (2012) for measurement and evaluation.

9) Moving public health roles into the community-
Roles in leadership may include offering a credible voice, expertise in public health (see
Professional competency below) and financial support.

- Public health leaders use formal
and informal expertise that connects with communities and brings in a health lens.

- For example Public health departments can provide high quality data that is needed for
evidence to address an issue such as poverty or homelessness.

- Other knowledge may include technical skills to establish a memorandum of agreement, group facilitation skills, or personal contacts to access established organizations. It was emphasized that it is also important to recognize community expertise and that public health leaders have much to learn from communities.

- In addition large health authorities sometimes
need to fund, or partner with other large organizations to fund, a community coalition
when smaller organizations do not have sufficient financial or human resources.