Challenging Practice Assumptions of Dietitians, other Professionals, and Community Volunteers

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Challenging Practice Assumptions of Dietitians,
other Professionals, and Community Volunteers

• Barb Anderson
• Western Regional Health Board
• Nova Scotia
• Canada

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What is Partners for Progress ?

• A three day workshop (two days initially,
  completion of a learning experience utilizing
  partnership principles, and a follow-up session
  for sharing experiences)
• Content is governed by the learning needs,
  capacities, and the experiences of the
  participants. We listen to experiences and build
  on what participants know

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What is Partners for Progress?

• For those who would like to work together to
  learn and share about working in communities
• A workshop that challenges the assumptions of
  traditional ways of working
• Respects the values and experiences participants
  bring
• Interactive, collaborative, fun
• Considers the ethics of learning

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What difference does Partners for Progress
make?Data collection

• Pre-attendance questions
• Written evaluation of first two days
• Verbal and written sharing of learning experience
  
• Final written evaluation
• Structured story-sharing
• Written questionnaire to address workshop issues

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Labonte, R. and Feather , J. (1996). Handbook
on using stories in health promotion practice.
Ottawa Health Canada.

• Sharing stories --from practice, from the people
  with whom health promoters work--is one useful
  method for understanding what todays health
  promotion practice means, and what it
  accomplishes
• (p.8)

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Assumptions

• There is value in learning from stories
• Each participant has experiences to share
• Openness to a qualitative way of collecting
  information (grounded in constructivism verses
  positivism)

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Structured story sharing What are the
considerations?

• Reflection is a valued component
• Need a theme/prework
• Story ALWAYS written from the writers
  perspective
• Takes time
• Challenges people to look differently, therefore
  expect
• disorientation
• joy
• emotions

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Description of the process

• Introduction
• Story telling
• In triads
• Reflective questions (forces beyond the what)
• What ?
• Why?
• So what?
• Now what?
• Insights
• Group learnings
• Name themes
• Write theory from the stories

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Group Insights

• Flexibility is key
• Personal growth through community development
• Strength of the group is within the group
• Community development is an ongoing learning
  process
• Community development is working together
• Community is vital in community development
• Challenges to working in community and how to
  overcome them
• Leadership from community

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Community Development is an ongoing Learning
Process

• Community development is an ongoing learning
  process. It takes a lot of patience, time and
  respect for groups you are working with. There
  are lots of good ideas - dont underestimate the
  potential of people, however, you need to
  appreciate the limitations of volunteers. You
  never reach the end of a community development
  process - it is an ongoing process.
• You never reach the end of the community
  development process. Its an ongoing process

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Sharing from a Story

• I am proud to say that I am a partner in a
  process that acquires its substance and meaning
  from building connections with others. I cant
  overstate the value of experiencing the
  principles of Partners in action, and knowing
  that our successes are not accidental, but are
  based on purposeful and focused interaction that
  places people and community first.

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Partners for progress What difference has it
made to participants?

• Available on-line at lthttp//www.ycn.library.ns.ca
  /partner/gt

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Program Principles

• Partners for Progress will be kept open to a
  variety of people with different perspectives and
  experiences
• Participation will not be restricted to only
  those with community experience
• The program will be based on the learning needs
  of the participants and the learning outcomes
  will be determined by those attending. Partners
  for Progress is not a series of defined modules

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Program Principles cont

• The program will be kept affordable and
  cost-effective. A process will be kept in place
  to support those with limited resources to be
  able to attend
• The principles of health promotion will be
  respected in all aspects of Partners for Progress
• There is a continued need for a diverse,
  collaborative Working Group to maintain the
  integrity of the program, and demonstrate the
  partnership principles of Partners for Progress