Week 10: Policy, Political Action, and Advocacy

5 ottawa charter HP strategies

build public policy, reorient health services, create supportive environment, strengthen community action, develop personal skills

What is politics

power, social relations, common goals and conflicts

What is a policy

a course of action anchored in a set of values about the best way to achieve those goals, approach to id problems that those in power can alleviate

Public policy

guides distribution of resources that influence determinants of health

International policy

free trade agreement

Federal policy

charter of rights

Provincial policy

highway traffic act

Regional policy

no smoking spaces

Organizational policy

equity

Political action

the process of trying to influence decision makers to implement changes

Policy development

adapting a formal or informal set of rules

Policy changes

active process, changes in status quo

Advocacy

involves use of information to change perceptions, influence choices to your interest

Advocacy mobilizes and focuses

community activists focuses on social accountability

Media advocacy

use of media to shape public opinion

Education is different from advocacy

does not seek to change structures

Healthy public policy

questions status quo and looks at broader SDH (eg, employment security, education access)

Health policy

medically oriented

CHNs advocate for

policies and practices that are ethical, socially just,

CHNs challenge

policies that are unjust

CHNs identify and collaborate with

relevant partners to advocate unjust practices

4 goals of policy change

resource distribution, address health determinants, support communities, improve QOL

What enhances political actions

leadership, facilitators, communication, consultation, community moblization

A problem that is best addressed through policy

broad, long term solution needed

Community buy in

may require marketing, education first

Resources for policy development

time, financial resources, understanding of policy process

Stages for advocacy strategy

ID group and interenst, name issue, address supporting or oppositional forces, planning for action, implementation

8 steps for hP policy

ID problem, assess community capacity and readiness, develop goals, ID decion makers, build support for policy, write policy, implement, evaluate

Techniques

media, advertising, think tanks, elections, lobbying, coalitions

Low profile

letter campaigns

Medium profile

public forums, media exposure, meetings with municipal staff

High profile

demonstrations, advertising, news conference

Lobbying

form of action involving communicating a position through advocacy