Wellbeing forum brings fresh approach to planning and action

In 2021, Alexandrina Council experienced a significant change by discontinuing aged care services and establishing a Community Wellbeing team, led by Team Leader Community Development, Anna Schmidt.

This shift prompted the development of a Community Wellbeing Action Plan to align with the evolving needs of the community.

Taking a community development approach, the Council initiated the Community Wellbeing Advisory Forum as a central hub for collaboration.

With 60 community participants, the Forum played a pivotal role in co-designing the engagement process, uncovering community priorities, strengths, needs, and aspirations.

The strategic aims of the initiative included engaging a diverse demographic, fostering meaningful collaboration in the engagement process, and identifying community insights to shape the Community Wellbeing Action Plan. The Forum's inclusive approach addressed representation gaps, ensuring outreach to underrepresented groups such as First Nations and People with Disability.

Peer-led conversations and reflective sessions facilitated authentic community input. The Community Wellbeing team and forum agreed that diverse representation was essential and tailored approaches to ensure all demographics had a say.

The First Nations working group highlighted their integral role, prompting collaborative efforts with community leaders.

The impact of the initiative was substantial.

The open participation model and peer-led consultation successfully engaged over 600 individuals, expanding beyond traditional council methods. Relationships across demographics were strengthened, uncovering 'wellbeing champions' and emphasizing the value of flexible engagement methods.

The journey earned the Minister for Health & Wellbeing's Excellence in Public Health Award in 2022, validating the project's impact on community cohesion and trust-building.

Find out more

Anna Schmidt, Alexandrina Council
Email: anna.schmidt@alexandrina.sa.gov.au