Dear Rick, Sue and all,

I have often wondered myself about reactions to these kind
of requests, which I often post myself. As a health
promotion/evaluation consultant myself, I offer these
comments in response to both your messages:

Private Gain

When a health promotion consultant asks click 4hp for
information about what others have done, is this any more
for private gain than when a health promotion staffperson
does so?   In this part of the world anyway (Atlantic
Canada), most health promotion consultants are working solo
from home just trying to earn a living. While the payment
method differs and the "employer" changes more often, both
consultant and staff person are networking in order to do
their job better and therefore earn a living.  There really
isn't much difference.  Those who study this kind of cottage
industry tell us that the solo home-based consultant usually
earns substantially less than people employed in the same
field.

Lack of Qualifications

Your messages suggest that if the consultant needs help from the list
serve, s/he isn't well qualified to do the work.  I don't think that's
necessarily so.  While health promotion/evaluation skills are easily
transferrable from one issue to another, because of the diversity in this
field, a consultant can't stay on top of the literature and state of the
art for every issue.  For example, over the past year I have worked on an
incredible range of issues (much of it for evaluation purposes): health
research, caregivers' support, diabetes prevention, volunteer development,
preventing falls among seniors, mental health among young children,
advocacy training for mental health consumers, end of life care, healthy
environements, youth health centres, and AIDS.  For every one of these
contracts, a consultant must quickly get up to speed on work that has been
done on that particular issue.  The research literature is helpful, but so
much of what is done in health promotion is never published. Only through
using our networks can we access the rich source of knowledge that has
accumulated in health promotion.  In my view, this isn't cheating or
stealing, this is just good practice of both health promotion and
evaluation.  In fact, an unofficial (tongue in cheek) motto in the field
of program evaluation is "steal shamelessly". Building on the work of
others, consultants provide a service that is necessary for the public and
voluntary sector agencies that promote health. In doing so, we advance the
field of health promotion.

The challenge

Having said all of the above, I admit there is an unfortunate tendency for
most people to take far more than they give from networks and list serves.
While I personally am not uncomfortable with Joanne's request, I am
uncomfortable with people who use Click 4 HP (and other list serves) but
don't contribute to it.  I personally strive to contribute more than I
take, by actively sharing what I learn with others, both spontaneously and
in response to requests. That is probably a good practice for all of us,
not just consultants!

I appreciate this opportunity to put in my two cents worth and I look
forward to hearing the opinions of others on this issue.

Susan Lilley
7 Canterbury Place
Dartmouth NS B2Y 4J5
Tel: (902) 463-1837
Fax: (902) 469-0833
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~LilleyS/Profile.html