Do not underestimate the importance of Health Cities being based on and
continuing to operate along principles associated with the Ottawa Charter
for Health Promotion and other key WHO documents.
http://www.who.dk/healthy-cities
QOL approaches may not have (though our's certainly does!) as strong a
values base stuff which is becoming increasingly important -- especially in
Canada and Ontario!
Dennis Raphael
At 10:20 AM 8/12/1999 -0400, you wrote:
>This message has been posted on behalf of Lorna Heidenheim, southwest
>regional community animator and interim executive director for OHCC.
>([log in to unmask])
>
>I have read with interest the recent discussion about the differences
>between Healthy Communities and Quality of Life, and would like to share
>with you my perspective as a Community Animator with the Ontario Healthy
>Communities Coalition (OHCC).
>
>The Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition is a network of community and
>provincial organizations who share a common goal of creating healthy
>communities. There are currently 1300 individuals and organizations in our
>network, 15 Provincial Association members and our staff work with over 100
>communities across the province. Through a small central office in Toronto
>and eight regional Community Animators across the province, the Coalition
>provides services, resources and support to communities that are pursuing
>local healthy community goals.
>
>I believe there is a great deal of overlap between QOL and Healthy
>Communities, as well as with many other models, movements and community
>initiatives. In addition to QOL, I have found that Healthy Communities is
>often compared with Sustainable Communities, Green Communities, health
>promotion campaigns and community development.
>
>It seems to me that by and large these groups spring from similar
>philosophical bases and observations about our current human/environment
>condition. Each of them, however, has placed more of an emphasis on
>particular concerns, issues or strategies. While it may be confusing, I
>find the number of groups that are working to improve the world both for its
>present day citizens and our future generations to be very affirming. OHCC
>believes in co-operation and collaboration at all levels, and actively looks
>for opportunities to partner with other organizations that share a similar
>vision and goals.
>
>Healthy Communities is often thought of as being primarily process-oriented.
>While it is true that we strongly believe that the process greatly
>influences the outcomes, particularly when working in a community context,
>the content is also very important. However, each community provides its
>own content. In order to mobilize community action, each community must
>engage a broad base of citizens in developing their vision of a healthy
>community, assess its strengths and needs and identify and implement
>positive actions.
>
>OHCC strongly promotes the evaluation of community projects and programs, as
>well as the development of indicators of community health and well being.
>To assist communities in this area, OHCC has published two guides to
>evaluation and community assessments. The first, Signs of Progress, Signs
>of Caution, is a workbook that outlines a step-by-step process for assessing
>the health and sustainability of your community. The second, Pathways to a
>Healthy Community: An Indicators and Evaluation Toolkit, is a collection of
>19 of the most appropriate tools for use or reference by community groups.
>The User's Guide also includes an annotated bibliography of other tools and
>sources available, an extensive list of related websites and a list of
>useful contacts.
>
>For more information about the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition please
>refer to our website at http://www.opc.on.ca/ohcc.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>**********************************************
>Anna Jacobs
>Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition
>Communications Facilitator
>[log in to unmask]
>1800-766-3418 ext. 2342
>Fax: (416) 408-4843
>www.opc.on.ca/ohcc
>**********************************************
>
Visit our Web Site for information about our Seniors Participatory and
Community Quality of Life Projects! Free Reports Also.
http://www.utoronto.ca/qol http://www.utoronto.ca/seniors
********************************************************************
Long have I looked for the truth about the life of people together.
That life is crisscrossed, tangled, and difficult to understand.
I have worked hard to understand it and when I had done so
I told the truth as I found it.
- Bertolt Brecht
********************************************************************
Dennis Raphael, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Associate Director,
Masters of Health Science Program in Health Promotion
Department of Public Health Sciences
Graduate Department of Community Health
University of Toronto
McMurrich Building, Room 101
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 1A8
voice: (416) 978-7567
fax: (416) 978-2087
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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