As CLICK4HP "Health Promotion On-Line" discussion approaches it's six month
anniversary, Liz Rykert & Alison Stirling [your friendly co-facilitators]
think it is time to remind ourselves why the list exists, what it is useful
for and what it should *not* be used for.

CLICK4HP is:
(a) an electronic venue for discussing how the Internet can be used for
health promotion in Canada and around the globe;
(b) an electronic site for posting related health promotion information;
and,
(c) a virtual workspace for health promoters to work together.

The dialogue on how organizations and individuals use electronic information
technology (IT) and the Internet for health promotion involves 325+
participants from around the world. Building our skills together is an
underlying theme of the effort. CLICK4HP uses a shared facilitation approach
to animate and organize the discussion online.

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CLICK4HP Topics have included:
 - what is 'real' health promotion - favorite web sites on health
 - heart health risk assessment tools   - working with virtual & literal
communities
 - electronic work spaces          - evidence based HP practice
 - creating supportive environments     - community mobilization & advocacy
 - smoking cessation programs - health promotion and population health
 - behavioural change theories     - capacity building & empowerment
 - conferences, symposiums, books and program announcements.
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A comment from "a participant".
>I feel that CLICK4HP listserv should be used as an international source of
>networking, support and as a resource for a professional group of people
>working within the context of health promotion.  Sort of an international
>group of colleagues in a cyber-workplace.  Seeing that I'm working
>independently now, I really value the opportunity to bounce ideas off of
>colleagues from all over the world, and get help with work I am doing.

The co-facilitators for this list have received some comments supporting the
September 11th "Working Guidelines for Posting" (which focused on
advertising products and general suggestions for posting).  An equal number
of comments have come in that they need to be expanded, regularly published
and include guidelines on content and appropriate uses of the list.

There have been concerns expressed about the nature of some of the postings
that have occurred on CLICK4HP. The concerns are that some postings are
using this list as a vehicle for local organizing and advocacy.

     ****An International Resource****
As this is an *international* e-mail list, we need to consider carefully
which issues should be posted broadly, and in great detail, and which ones
should not be posted at all. We are all our own information filters. Using
brief announcements (five lines at most) to ask people to contact individual
members of CLICK4HP to follow-up on local issues is very appropriate. In
most cases there are a number of other list-servs and electronic
 conferences that are directed to advocacy and political action in your
local areas. Pointers or references to these efforts could be included if
people want to follow up.

     ****Sharing Perspectives & Approaches on Health Promotion****
The value of collective space is to benefit from each individual's
perspective in a way which helps to contribute to our collective wisdom.
Diversionary postings as part of wide broadcasts fail to accomplish this.

This list is also about discussing the "how to's" in health promotion.
We believe the list would be better used to discuss *how* to use advocacy in
health promotion.  There was an example of this type of posting in early
October with the query on "policies on political advocacy" and how
organizations had developed them.

Another comment sent to the facilitators
>Perhaps a parallel example is helpful; for instance, discussing health
>education as a health promotion strategy is a reasonable topic for the
>listserv, however, using the listserv to do health education is not.  Both
>health education and political action are health promotion strategies.  But
>there is a big difference between discussing how to employ these strategies
>and actually using the listserv as a vehicle to do them in.

Our question  to subscribers is whether participants should be discouraged
from engaging in education or advocacy on CLICK4HP?

And, a repeat of the final notes in the "Working Guidelines for Posting"

                  ****Minimum Standards of Respect and Personal Conduct****
Demonstrate respect for the ideas of others in your replies even if you do
not agree. Debate and discussion are welcome and encouraged. Do not send
email when angry or upset.

When attempting humour or sarcasm always clearly indicate this with the use
of an emoticon such as :-) or ;-) commonly referred to as smilies.


One last thought:
As we make the transition to online health promotion work ,new participants
will join and need opportunities to learn and become oriented in the online
workspace. CLICK4HP's online facilitators are here to provide assistance and
orientation, and to animate discussion and debate. When in doubt you can
always contact one of us for advice, or with suggestions. If you have
problems with your subscription options, please contact one of the
facilitators directly!

Liz Rykert <[log in to unmask]>
Alison Stirling <[log in to unmask]>
Sam Lanfranco <[log in to unmask]>
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