Capacity building has gained in prestige and prominence over the past decade. One of its cornerstone values is the recognition and celebration of community assets and strengths, local wisdom, and the power and potential of diversity. This panel will present four perspectives on the use of a local coach model to support Capacity Building in one large statewide public health initiative: the Partnership for the Public's Health (PPH, a project of the Public Health Institute, funded be The California Endowment). Specifically, this paper will focus on PPH’s technical assistance (TA) design, spotlighting its use of Local Coaches. Explored will be the successes of this model in advancing PPH’s goals of sustainable community group-health department partnerships, and outcomes-based, community-focused strategic health planning. The coach model will be shown to provide a method for enabling and empowering communities to assess their own needs and assets, and developing their own TA strategies. Also discussed will be lessons learned from engaging community groups and health departments in the selection of, and work with, a coach, including challenges in confronting the “service delivery” mindset. Finally, this paper will examine the place and role of the coach model in advancing the initiative’s goals of promoting and celebrating diversity. See www.partnership.org
Learning Objectives: 1. Describe local coach model as a method to build community partnerships and advance community-based planning. 2. Identify strengths and challenges of the local coach model, in theory and practice. 3. Critique the local coach models in terms of its effectiveness in promoting diversity and sustainable partnerships.
Keywords: Community Collaboration, Community Health Planning
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Partnership for the Public's Health
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.