Thinking about planning a health promotion project

Once some people have decided what they want to do, they just go for it - without much thinking about what to do first, or how to do it. Instead, we advise that you do some planning. Good planning is the first step in a well managed project.

Why plan

Good planning involves people spending time together discussing the project and recording the project plan. Good planning and recording of the plan are essential for a number of reasons:

• to find out what the situation is now - where the community is 'at'
• to make sure the community and project team know and agree on what issue the project is addressing
• so that the project team is clear about what the project wants to achieve and how it will achieve it
• to work out lines of communication within the project team and between the team and the community
• to work out how the plan and the project will be documented (written, photographed, video recorded and so on)
• to assess and prepare for the amount of time and resources needed
• to make a plan for evaluating the project - to see what is working in the project and what the problems are, and whether the project is achieving its goal and objectives
• so that all people involved know what their tasks are and can be accountable for their contributions
• to share the ideas and information about the project and how it worked with other people so they might be able to build on it later or learn from it
• to use for submissions for resources (financial and material) from outside organisations or departments
• to support project continuity in the event that project team members change
• so that the project team members do not have to keep all the details in their heads!

Forming the project team

To plan a health promotion project, it will be necessary to form a project team. The composition of the team and roles within the team will vary according to:

• type, size and focus of the project
• who has skills, experience, information and knowledge
• who is motivated, interested and has group or community support
• other cultural considerations (kinship, language, and so on)
• who has time to be involved

Planning will involve all members of the project team and, from time to time, will also include some members of the broader community. Often the project team will only be working with a group of interested community residents. This situation is not unusual. Not everyone is interested in working on all health issues.

Start small and where the energy is. The most important thing is to be working with people on issues that they regard as a priority, not issues that the project team regards as a priority. These will be the issues people are willing to work towards solving.

Reflection-action approach

Something to keep in mind when doing planning and community development work is an approach referred to as 'reflection-action'. The essence of the reflection-action cycle is about taking time and making the effort to review and reflect on all aspects of a project. It is about continuous improvement and learning.

The elements of the reflection-action cycle include doing, then looking, questioning, collecting information, analysing the information, discussing, understanding, re-planning, doing some more and then re-looking at the situation - "evaluating as you go along" (Colin and Garrow 1996). The concept is illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Reflection-Action Cycle Based on Hope and Timmel 1984:11 and Colin and Garrow 1996:33

Most real learning and mobilisation for change take place when a community experiences some dissatisfaction with some aspect of their current situation. When health staff work as facilitators for change, they can assist community members to stop and think critically about their situation. People can then identify information, skills and resources that they need to address the problem.

Using a reflection-action approach to work means that community development can be ongoing. Taking this approach within each project also means that projects remain responsive to the community. Projects can change and adapt to new information and circumstances. Each new project will build on past successes and increase community and individual pride and confidence.

See also 'Strategies for Health Promotion'

The planning cycle

There are many steps involved in developing a plan from needs assessment through to evaluation. Figure 2 of the planning cycle illustrates the constantly evolving nature of planning, implementing, and evaluating.

Notice the similarity to the reflection - action cycle described previously

Figure 2: Planning Cycle

Doing a community profile

Early in the planning process, consider whether the project team has enough information about the community. It is essential that the team have an accurate and up-to-date 'picture' or 'profile' of the community. This community profile consists of important information that describes the community.

The community health centre may have already compiled a community profile or may have received one through the Aboriginal Communities Health Information Project (ACHIP).

		If you do have access to a community profile, consider adding to it or updating it
		If a community profile needs to be developed, think about what it should include
		In either case, do it with community residents. It is a good way to get people talking and thinking about their community and what they want to do. It is an opportunity to share good stories as well as worries
		Think about the best way to keep the information accessible, including the best place to store it

What information can be included in a community profile

Consider the following list of the many types of information that could be included in a community profile:

The community in general

• geography and climate
• history of the community
• major community issues
• cultural information such as regular cultural events
• community strengths such as 'good news' stories about artists, bands, sports teams, projects

Information about the people who live in the community

• population statistics: age, sex
• major health issues in the community (morbidity and mortality statistics)
• the different groupings: religious, language, family
• leaders and potential leaders (traditional custodians, powerful families and significant people)

A map of the community

• places of cultural significance such as sacred sites
• different language group areas
• types and sizes of buildings and how they are sited
• siting and plans for community infrastructure such as the rubbish tip, sewerage works, water supply, roads, airstrip, cemetery

Note: Service Land Availability Plans are available from the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment in the major centres

Economic factors

• sources of funding and income
• who the community employs and their work

For the purposes of the project, it is wise to consider at the same time:

• power relationships between and within groups (political, economic, traditional and gender) that could influence the project
• existing and past project submissions, plans and surveys

Where to get information for the community profile

Some possible places to collect information are: health centre records; ACHIP resource files; community council records; Department of Lands, Planning and Environment Information Access System; ATSIC Community Development Plans; Territory Health Services (THS) District Medical Officer Profiles; THS Website; the THS Aged Care Community Profile 1996; Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Census Data; Department of Transport and Works; Power and Water Authority; reports on previous projects in the community; talking with local people.

As you learn more about the community and its important issues, you may find out about other people or organisations who can provide helpful information.