Community Health Champions

What is a Community Health Champion?

Community Health Champions are people who, with training and support, voluntarily bring their ability to relate to people and their own life experience to transform health and well-being in their communities. Within their families, communities and workplaces they empower and motivate people to get involved in healthy social activities, create groups to meet local needs and sign post people to relevant support and services. Community Health Champions help others to enjoy healthier lives by raising awareness of health and healthy choices, sharing health messages, removing barriers and creating supportive networks and environments.

This evidence based model is proving to be an effective way of reaching people and is making a real difference within communities. Champions are also influencing and shaping local services, increasing civic participation, initiating community development opportunities and gaining skills to move into further training, volunteering roles and employment.

Sometimes the best person to know how you are feeling, or how to do something positive in your local area, or how to make changes to your life, is a family member, neighbour or friend, and that’s where Altogether Better Community Health Champions are making an amazing difference. These dedicated volunteers help to motivate individuals in their local communities and workplaces to make positive changes and enjoy improved health and well-being through peer to peer support, building on their own unique life experience, skills and knowledge of their local area.

Community Health Champions are trained and supported through the Altogether Better Programme and volunteer in their neighbourhoods and communities to get people involved in healthy social activities, create groups to meet local needs and to sign post people to relevant support and services.

National Lottery Awards 2011

 

what we do

Altogether Better has developed an award-winning, evidence based approach to engaging and supporting individuals in communities to become Community Health Champions.

Our aim is to work together with champions, patients and health care practitioners to improve the health and wellbeing of communities across the country.

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be inspired

“I am now more confident, my kids are healthier and as a family we are doing more cooking together ”
Community Health Champion

“I now have more knowledge about healthy eating. I can now help people to make a difference to their lifestyle and I feel quite privileged to be involved with something that is often a very personal issue to some people.”
                      Community Health Champion

“I find now that I’ve got something back into my life something that I find particularly rewarding for me. It’s given me fulfilment and made me feel more useful and valued. From a mental health point of view it’s made me feel happier, I’ve gained as I have also had interaction from other people.”
Community Health Champion

“It’s been really nice to feel much more involved with things that are happening in Bradford which is where I live. I’ve also met loads of interesting people.”
Community Health Champion

“In terms of my own health and well-being, I wouldn’t say much has changed other than the satisfaction of being able to continue helping others in ways that could help improve their quality of life e.g. learning new skills, meeting and making new friends and being considered as part of a community that cares.”
Community Health Champion

“My time is now being fulfilled in a constructive way instead of doing nothing. I have many skills that I can utilise to benefit myself and the living area where I belong”
Community Health Champion

“Since I was trained as a community health educator, I have found my life changed as I became empowered to face both family and work related issues.”
Community Health Educator

“I have gained the ability to be able to voice my opinions and feelings on difficult situations without constraints“
Community Health Champion

“I've learnt loads about healthy cookery ...I often test all the recipes on my friends so I'm teaching them too!”
Community Health Champion

“Being a Community Health Champion has been a great experience for my own personal and professional development”
Community Health Champion

“As a Community Health Champion, I get a big buzz by helping people. Sometimes it can’t be measured and the help and support is sometimes not even recognised, but I know I have helped make a difference to an individual and they feel better for it”
Community Health Champion

“No two sessions are ever the same - it's always really interesting and I learn something new every time!”
Community Health Champion

“Being a part of Altogether Better has given me a new perspective of the community I have learned to love and associate with”
Community Health Champion

“As a relatively new Community Health Champion, I have found the experience of meeting new people from diverse backgrounds and cultures very interesting and rewarding”
Community Health Champion

“I enjoyed the training and am pleased that I can pass on health information to family, friends and at work.”
Community Health Champion

“The training and involvement in the programme built my confidence; it allowed me to be able to speak and signpost people to access health improvement services available in their area.”
Community Health Champion

“I felt part of the network of champions which is reassuring and supported my ongoing development. I have moved on to become an ambassador within the local PCT and now play a full part in the health services within my area through the local patient group”
Community Health Champion

“I’m feeling much fitter than I previously was and it’s a real buzz getting other people to be active it’s a good way of getting people together.”
Community Health Champion

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facts & figures

Over 17,000 Community and Work Place Health Champions across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Reaching and supporting over 100,000 people to get more active, eat well, and feel better in their communities and work places