Social participation case studies

This case study presents the development and practice of a model for youth mental health (YMH) services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, for youth participation in governance, planning and implementation, termed the Youth Alliance (YA), and for improving families and carers participation in the mental health service.  The approaches used enable youth participation and empowerment, particularly for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a paid youth co-ordinator; having mentors for peer workers; flexible models of participation providing initial and ongoing training and development and involving youth in the design of youth friendly  mental health services. Children and Young Peoples Mental Health developed a clinical model for the Central Coast region; a co-located ‘one stop shop’ (the ycentral physical site); a YMH specific website and primary care level YMH initiatives.

This study discusses citizen participation in health promotion in management councils in public primary care units in Cidade Tiradentes, São Paulo, Brazil. Participation is strengthened by: 1. Promoting civil society/health worker alliances to support a universal health system;  2. Building spaces and programmes for citizen engagement;  3. Fostering teamwork and personnel capacities to connect to communities;  4. Supporting community health workers in mediating citizens links with health workers; and 5. Forums of civil society, health workers and officials to promote social rights.
 

Bridge for Health is a grassroots network, using a co-operative model to build shared ownership and accountability for health promotion and population health, promote mentoring and youth engagement and mobilise inclusive and participatory models for realising population health and well-being. It works with and networks a range of people, including those in workplaces, to bring about change and ‘grow’ the model of participation for improved population health and wellbeing. The Bridge for Health co-operative model enables organisational practices that are consistent with the network’s underlying values and principles of participation.

The six experiences in this case study point to the positive role of empowered, formal citizen councils and processes and community-led processes  in historically mobilised neighbourhoods of Chile to support inclusion and decision-making control of vulnerable groups, including youth and immigrants. From formal spaces, participants are increasingly forming networks and organisations to drive demands for decision-making power and state support for their claims.

This case study reports the work of the municipality and communities in the Metropolitan District of Quito (DMQ) and the Municipality of Quito Health Department in the project Healthy Neighbourhoods - closing the gap in health inequality. The project involves community-led initiatives to integrate health in urban planning, decisions on local investment and public policy. Quito residents in community meetings and health teams use information on health and its local determinants to set local priorities and plans and to take actions to promote healthy physical, economic, and social environments. DMQ has also facilitated a community-led certification of ‘healthy spaces’ (such as in fresh food markets and schools). The processes used for information gathering, analysis and priority setting in the community; and the measures used to encourage co-ordination across sectors, and the gathering, analysis and use of information to support community and cross-sectoral roles and actions in solving problems are now being exchanged with other municipalities in Latin American countries.

This case study reports the work of Sahbhagi Shikshan Kendra (SSK) and communities in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. SSK supports citizens and builds citizen leaders and collective and community based organisations (CBOs) to make claims on the state, especially amongst women. It supports the formation of women’s and adolescent groups, provides information on government schemes and builds functional literacy skills and capacities. The communities implement social audits, hold public hearings and dialogue with local authorities, and work with community health workers and panchayats to improve healthy environments, to make claims on services and benefits and to improve health service performance.