Supporting the success and sustainability of multi-sector community teams through facilitation of collaboration and network development with diverse partners

Background: While most Albertans report a desire to remain in their own homes as they age, there is often a lack of programs and resources to support aging in place in rural and remote communities. Connecting People & Community for Living Well (CPCLW) works with 12 rural community teams to build supports which improve the wellbeing of local underserved populations and allow residents to age in place.

 

Approach:The community teams within CPCLW focus on impacting the wellbeing of selected underserved populations, including people living with dementia, caregivers, those experiencing housing insecurity, older adults in remote communities, newcomers to remote communities, and survivors of domestic violence.

 

 Regional-level activities include:

-Supporting collaboration across sectors to identify priorities, enable development and implementation of local programs and activities.

-Identifying existing community and system assets to leverage

-Broadening networks across sectors at local, regional and national levels.

-Applied research activities to understand what impacts the wellbeing of selected underserved groups.

-Development of resources, tools and a model to guide collaborative, community-led actions.

-Advancing the policies and infrastructure needed to ensure the success and sustainability of community activities.

-Facilitation of regular meetings, identification of learning needs, hosting knowledge sharing and education sessions.

-Evaluation of the initiative, including social return on investment analysis and sharing learnings across local, provincial, national, and international platforms.

The community teams’ membership includes those with lived experience, service providers and organizations, businesses, and local residents.

CPCLW gathered data through regular community team touch bases, focus groups, and completion of the Wellbeing guide. This informed the compilation of eight lessons learned and contributed to the initiative’s evaluation. These learnings have been shared across local, provincial, national, and international platforms.

 

Results: The community teams have implemented over one hundred activities, with thousands of people participating in-person and online. As collaboration grew at the local level there has been:

-significant increase in the network of community partners and awareness of inclusive community approaches.

-a reduction in the use of medical services as residents connect with each other and access social/recreational programs and non-medical supports.

-impacts on wellbeing are amplified when priorities and actions are aligned across community teams, regional partners, and systems.

-increase in supports for local underserved populations through a variety of activities such as support groups, recreation programs, community education, community kitchens.

 

Implications: Collaboration across health, social and community sectors is complex but results in significant positive impacts for rural communities. Building strong collaborative relationships, expanding networks and sharing knowledge and experience are key to the integration and sustainability of local supports.

The broadening and deepening of networks at all levels through collaboration emerged as a significant contributor to the integration of multiple sectors and the sustainability of community supports. The trusting relationships built within networks contribute to the team’s ability to:

-access resources,

-invite involvement of a diverse range of partners,

-increase their ability to leverage assets within the network.