Community Engagement Framework. A Guide to Effective Partnership Building

Transcription

1 Engagement Framework A Guide to Effective Partnership Building

2 Table Of Contents Introduction Framework for Engagement... 3 What do We Mean by Engagement... 3 Who will be Involved Values of Engagement... 4 Guiding Principles... 5 Our Approach i. Identification of Engagement Opportunities... 6 ii. Selection of Engagement Strategies... 6 iii. Development of Engagement Plan iv. Implementation of Engagement Opportunities v. Monitoring & Evaluation of Engagement Opportunities... 7 Conclusion... 8 Appendicies Appendix A: Tools and Techniques for Engagement... 9 Appendix B: Mount Sinai Engagement Checklist Appendix C: Reference List... 12

3 Introduction Framework for Engagement What do We Mean by Engagement Mount Sinai Hospital was initially established in From the time its doors opened, the Hospital has worked collaboratively with external community partners to deliver high-quality health-care services to improve the health outcomes of our patients and their families. The main focus of the Hospital was to give back to the wider community by providing care for everyone. We continue to support our commitment by putting patients first. This original mandate is reflected in the mission that Mount Sinai Hospital adheres to today. Mount Sinai Hospital Mission Dedicated to discovering and delivering the best patient care, research and education with the heart and values true to our heritage. As one of Canada s pre-eminent patient care, research and academic health science centres, Mount Sinai Hospital has a well-earned reputation for excellence in the community and also beyond our borders. In support of enhancing the experiences of our patients, the CEO and Senior Leadership Team at Mount Sinai Hospital recognize the importance of engaging with the communities that we serve in order to more effectively meet their needs and improve their health outcomes. A Engagement Framework defines the means by which Mount Sinai Hospital will obtain input from the communities we serve. This will allow us to facilitate a more integrated response to better meet the needs of patients and their families. In addition to providing a mechanism for vital input towards the development of the strategic directions for the Hospital. Mount Sinai Hospital is committed to the development of a comprehensive approach to community engagement that will keep us connected to our patients and encourage their involvement in the delivery of our services. Mount Sinai Hospital s Engagement Framework outlines our goals and guiding principles for community engagement. It provides a recommended approach for ongoing consultation and dialogue with our communities and partner agencies to ensure active participation in the planning, implementation and evaluation of our programs and services. A variety of community engagement approaches will be used to engage our key external stakeholders. This Engagement Framework is viewed as a living document which will evolve and change over time. We encourage input from members of the communities we serve and our partners to help us to further refine it. At Mount Sinai Hospital, our understanding of Engagement is a communication process for working collaboratively with the communities that we serve and our partner organizations to address the health issues that affect our patients. Our definition of community is broad and not only includes individuals that reside in a specific geographical area; it also includes groups of individuals from a shared demographic group or identity, for example new immigrants, and groups who have a common interest and advocacy groups, for example psychiatric consumer survivors. Some examples of the community groups we serve at Mount Sinai Hospital are as follows: Youth Seniors Francophone population Aboriginal people People with disabilities New immigrants and refugees Diverse ethno-racial communities People who are homeless/under-housed People living with mental health issues and/or addictions People who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, transgendered, two-spirited, queer, questioning and intersexed (LGBTTTQQI) Ongoing communication and dialogue with the communities we serve and our partners will allow for greater transparency, facilitate knowledge transfer and exchange, and support the identification of shared values, and programs that achieve our goals. 2 Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building 3

4 Who will be Involved Values of Engagement Guiding Principles Mount Sinai Hospital provides services to a broad spectrum of community groups and collaborates with a wide range of partner agencies and service provider organizations to effectively deliver our programs and services. Mount Sinai Hospital is a large hospital and academic teaching and research facility. This means that community engagement approaches will be used by various departments and across health-care providers and disciplines to solicit input from our external stakeholders to enhance our patient- and family-centred services. Our external stakeholders will include: Patients and their families Members of the public and residents of the Greater Toronto and surrounding areas Partner organizations and health and social service provider organizations (e.g., Heath Centres, Care Access Centres, Long-Term Care facilities, clinics or private physicians, public health, government departments) -based non-profit organizations and groups (e.g., patient support groups, churches and other faith-based organizations, issue advocacy groups or coalitions, residents or ratepayers associations, trade unions) Schools and post-secondary institutions Private sector organizations Mount Sinai Hospital is committed to enhancing the experience of our patients by providing patient- and family-centred care. With this in mind, we have established values that support community engagement and align with our comprehensive Partnership Strategy (CPS). These partnership values are as follows: Embrace community development principles and practices Support enhanced community engagement Demonstrate community responsiveness Promote strategies that address the social determinants of health Embrace health promotion and prevention models of service delivery Our values support the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network s (TCLHIN) process for community engagement. We embrace our shared responsibility to work with our community members and partner organizations to achieve high quality health care for all. The success of our community engagement goals is dependant on this continuous involvement and evidence-based practice. Mount Sinai Hospital has a long history of collaborating with our external stakeholders and is determined to continue this legacy through the creation of this Engagement Framework. To ensure high-quality collaboration and excellence in health service delivery, Mount Sinai Hospital has established guiding principles for community engagement which are as follows: Shared Values Mutual Trust and Respect Commitment Accountability Sharing of Power, Decision Making and Resources We will work with the community and partner organizations to mutually assess our shared values and develop and implement plans that prioritize the needs of our patients and families. We will work with our communities and partners to build trust and respect using methods appropriate to the groups we are working with. We value our patients and partners and will be respectful and inclusive when engaging with them. We are committed to working with our communities and partners to enhance the experience of the patients who come to Mount Sinai Hospital. We will approach community engagement in a timely and meaningful manner. We will openly solicit feedback on our community engagement approaches and properly evaluate our approaches to ensure that we are adhering to our goals. We will properly assess our community engagement approaches to determine the degree to which there is equitable sharing of power, decision making and resources. 4 Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building 5

5 Our Approach Our community engagement approach will be adjusted to meet the needs of the specific communities that Mount Sinai Hospital is soliciting feedback from and will vary across departments. For the delivery of equitable health services, Mount Sinai Hospital continuously engages its community of diverse persons and entities when developing plans and setting priorities. To facilitate a collaborative and multi-faceted engagement approach, Mount Sinai Hospital s values and goals will be translated into action. This approach includes the following elements that are established below. Identification of Engagement Opportunities The identification of community engagement opportunities will occur through our community partner collaborations and consultations, and through research and assessment that includes the review of health service and capacity gaps, and health equity impact assessments. The latter is a flexible and practical assessment tool that can be used to identify potential health impacts (positive or negative) of a plan, policy or program on vulnerable or disadvantaged groups within the general population. Selection of Engagement Strategies Mount Sinai Hospital will use a continuum of community engagement methodologies. These will range from soliciting feedback from the community through broad based open forums, including focus groups to receiving feedback through highly structured mechanisms, such as the Hospital s Integration Advisory Committee (CIAC). The appropriate community engagement technique(s) will be determined based on predetermined goals and objectives. Appendix A describes a number of methodologies that may be used in each element of the continuum. The diagram below illustrates various levels of community engagement which ultimately are used to empower communities to participate in the decision-making process and supports them to identify their own issues, solutions, and actions towards addressing the issues that affect them. A Continuum of Levels of Engagement INFORM receives information and announcements CONSULT is consulted on final plans INVOLVE Organization gets advice on planning; feedback may change plan COLLABORATE shares decision-making EMPOWER identifies issues, solutions and actions Development of Engagement Plan The development of a community engagement plan includes the following components: The purpose of community engagement Who will be consulted Resources available (money, time and skills) The current environment in which the engagement is being carried out (political, social, cultural) Identification of service and program delivery gaps and/or initiatives in the health-care continuum Projected outcomes/impact The Mount Sinai Engagement Checklist (see Appendix B) can be used to guide your community engagement planning to ensure that all factors of the engagement are considered. Implementation of Engagement Mount Sinai Hospital s Partnership Policy provides a foundation for community engagement. Partnerships are guided towards its goals and, in turn, reinforce the guiding principles of Mount Sinai Hospital s Engagement Strategy. Monitoring & Evaluation of Engagement Mount Sinai Hospital will monitor and evaluate the outcomes of our community engagement activities. The Engagement Framework will be evaluated with the goal of refining our approaches and techniques. The following key considerations will be taken into account when evaluating outcomes: Participants have a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of the engagement, including the level and method; Participants are clear about the scope of the engagement and have a shared understanding of each others roles, responsibilities and authority; The engagement takes place when there is a real opportunity to influence the outcome; Sufficient resources (time, budget, technology, etc.) and expertise are invested to achieve success; Accessible opportunities are available that embrace the broad diversity of community interests; The process is responsive to the input and needs of participants; Relevant and credible information is gathered and distributed to participants in a timely manner and in a manner suitable to the intended audiences; and The communication leads to a mutual understanding of process and an understanding and acceptance Citizens Stakeholders Providers 6 Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building 7

6 Conclusion Mount Sinai Hospital is committed to working with its patients, families and communities to ensure that our services are responsive, relevant and reflective of their needs. The Engagement Framework was developed to ensure that the Hospital has a well-articulated and documented approach to reaching out to patients, families and communities to receive vital feedback and input to help structure the services and programs we provide. Mount Sinai Hospital recognizes that community engagement is a dynamic process and our approaches will be modified as we receive feedback from our external stakeholders. We welcome and encourage feedback from our partners, patients and their families on how we can continually improve our community partnership approach and further strengthen our engagement strategies. 8 Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building Appendices Appendix A: Tools and Techniques for Engagement Tool/ Technique When to Use Them Benefits/Risks Interactive Websites and Other Web-based Tools When you need to provide accessible, clear and appropriate information cost-effectively to a broad cross section of stakeholders and then collect easily to analyze responses for them. Websites can provide lots of information cost-effectively to those people with access to computers and the Internet. Websites can also include response forms that can be completed electronically and ed back to the sender for immediate analysis. Websites can also allow stakeholders to ask questions and receive answers with the question and answers accessible to all. Action Planning Event (i.e. forum or workshop) When you need to produce plans of action that are owned by those affected by them or who will implement them. Need to be structured, carefully planned and appropriately facilitated. Advertising/ Public Service Announcements When you need to reach a broad audience of people within a community. Can be expensive. Hard to target or monitor effectiveness. Can miss key groups. Advisory Committees/ Reference Groups When you need consistent input or advice over a period of time from people who have good local knowledge. Time consuming to recruit and establish. Need effective participants. Need a good facilitator and Terms of Reference. Need a sunset clause. Brochures and Printed Material When you need to have basic information on aspects of the project to hand or mail out. Expensive to produce. Need a distribution method to get them to the right people. Important to have any written material translated for particular groups in a project area, or an indication where interpreters can be accessed in a number of languages. Research When you need to strengthen the partnership with specific stakeholders to provide further insights into an issue or Framework. A team with participation from key stakeholders is required to share the responsibilities and outcomes of any research. Fact Sheets/ Information Sheets When you need to provide consistent accurate information on aspects of the project to stake holders. Written information needs to be clear, jargon free and illustrated where possible. Important to have any written material translated for particular groups in a project area, or an indication where interpreters can be accessed in a number of languages. Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building 9

7 Appendices Tool/ Technique Focused Group Discussions When to Use Them When you need to generate discussion and insights on aspects of your projects. Benefits/Risks A skilled facilitator is needed to ensure outcomes are achieved. Timing and neutral venue are critical to ensure participation. Some reimbursement for travel may be needed. Appendix B: Mount Sinai Engagement Checklist This checklist can be used to assess if your community engagement approach achieves the minimum requirements for engagement. No. When to Use Them Yes No Requires Action 1 Who are the communities and individuals impacted and how? Media or Publicity When you need to disseminate clear and simple information within a community quickly. Relationships with journalists need to be established early so they understand the project. Media releases need to be structured with simple clear messages. 2 What are the purposes for engaging these communities? 3 In what timeframes and phases will engagement activities take place? Newsletters Open Houses Small Group Workshops When you need to keep people regularly informed about progress of a long-term project. When you need to present ideas or plans to a broad cross-section of stakeholders in an area to obtain responses in an informal way. When you need to generate discussion and insights on aspects of your projects from a known group of stakeholders. Newsletters can be printed and distributed by mail or letterboxing, electronically distributed by or posted on the Internet. Requires the establishment and maintenance of a stakeholder database. Requires good writing/design as well illustrations and photographs. Important to have any written material translated for particular groups in a project area, or an indication where interpreters can be accessed in a number of languages. Need well illustrated displays that convey accurate information. Need staff available to take questions, discuss ideas and gauge reactions. Can include a questionnaire to collect and analyze responses. Need to set a clear agenda and have a facilitator who can keep the group on track. May need to reimburse group members for travel and offer meals/refreshments if the workshop lasts longer than 2 hours. 4 How can you ensure individuals and communities can participate fully, i.e., do you need to work with a community to determine how to reduce barriers to engagement? 5 What techniques will be used to engage each group and community? 6 7 What ideas and issues were expressed by communities who were engaged and how will these ideas and issues be considered/responded to? What is the process for ongoing communications and feedback about how input was used and decisions made? 8 How will community engagement be evaluated? Questionnaires and Surveys When you need to obtain specific structured responses on specific issues to obtain quantitative measurable results. Less effective in obtaining responses to complex issues. Mail, telephone, web or face-to-face responses can be sought. Mail traditionally provides poor response rates. Important to have any written material translated for particular groups in a project area, or an indication where interpreters can be accessed in a number of languages. Written Submissions When you need to obtain detailed responses to a specific issue from a broad range of stakeholders. Can exclude stakeholders who do not have time, skills or resources to write submissions. Advertising for submissions needs to be broad based and not just in newspaper Public Notes. 10 Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building 11

8 Appendices Appendix C: Reference List Association of Ontario Health Centres (AOHC) (2006). A Review of the Trends and Benefits of Engagment and Local Governance in Health Care. Toronto, Ontario: Association of Ontario Health Centres. South West LHIN Engagement Framework. Retrieved from Toronto Central LHIN (2011). Engagement in the Toronto Central LHIN: Creating a Common Strategy for the LHIN and Health Service Providers Toronto Central LHIN (2011). Engagement Guidelines. Retrieved from getinvolved.aspx World Health Organization (1986). Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Retrieved August 28, 2006 from 12 Engagement Framework: A Guide to Effective Partnership Building

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