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What is the definition of a Healthy City?
A
Healthy Community is where people come together to make their community
better for themselves, their family, their friends, their neighbors and
others in their community.
A Healthy Community
• creates
ongoing dialogue;
• generates
leadership
everywhere;
• shapes its
future;
• embraces
diversity;
• knows itself;
• connects
people and
resources; and
• fosters a
sense of
community.
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How did the Healthy City movement begin?
The
Healthy Cities movement
began in Toronto, Canada, in 1984 and quickly spread to Europe under the
auspices of the World Health Organization.
The movement has grown rapidly
since it was launched. There are currently 18 national networks and
thousands of towns and cities actively involved in the United States and
Canada, Europe, and, increasingly the developing world, all of which reflect
this approach in varying degrees.
The model
emphasized “the recognition that health and well-being are interconnected
with social, cultural, physical, economic and other factors and that
community-wide participation and collaboration are necessary to improve
health and the quality of life.
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What do Healthy Community
Groups do?
Healthy Community groups in
Massachusetts, like communities the world over who have joined the Healthy
Communities movement, work together on local issues that affect health and
quality of life, such as:
• Public health
concerns such as
heart disease, substance abuse
& air quality;
• Housing and
education;
• Youth
development;
• Access to
health/medical care;
• Child care and
elder care;
• Recreation;
• A clean and
healthy
environment;
• A safe
environment;
• Arts and
cultural pursuits; and
•
Transportation. |
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What is common to
all Healthy City projects?
While each
Healthy Cities project is
unique, all share some common
elements:
• A
participatory model that
grows both
from the ground
up and the top down
• Ideas, action
and solutions
derived from coalitions of
diverse groups
• Funding as a
result of local
commitment
• Priorities set
on a local
basis and reflect local values
• Conflict
managed by
dialogue and mediation
• Continual
self-evaluation that
is part of the process, which
is the focus
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How do you build
a
Healthy Community?
1. Work Together
Local residents work together in an existing or new coalition or group to:
• Decide what health means for
their community;
• Learn more about the healthy
communities approach;
• Study the needs and assets of
the community;
• Identify problems and strengths in
the community; and
• Set goals to help
the community
build on its assets and become
healthier
2. Take Action
Using the goals, the coalition
or group sets priorities and develops a plan
of action.
• The whole community works
together with the coalition/group
on the plan of action.
• The coalition/group reports on
successful outcomes to the
community.
• The process continues with the
community building on its
successes,
setting new goals,
initiating new activities and
continuing the process of
improvement.
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Who creates a Healthy
Community?
People are the key to a Healthy
Community. Individual participants come in all ages, from all educational
and economic backgrounds, and from all sectors of the community. Groups that
may be involved include:
• Municipal &
local government
and planners;
• Local
business, industry,
economic development
• Civic/cultural
groups
• CHNAs
• Local
residents
• Faith
organizations
• Hospitals and
health care
organizations
• Health and
social service
organizations
• Youth
groups/organizations
• Education
• Local
newspapers, local radio
and TV
• Community
foundations
• Recreational
groups and
facilities
• The arts
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