Pathways Around COVID-19 Roadblocks
The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented restrictions on direct connection between health promotion workers and their communities. However, leveraging partnerships with other organisations addressed the gaps.
COVID-19 lockdowns in Metro Melbourne during 2021 hindered the Inner East Community Health- Health Promotion partnership from delivering action plans on social inclusion within social housing communities in Inner East Melbourne. Health services operated under a higher level of alert than the broader community, preventing visits to housing estates for much of the year. Onsite community gathering spaces were also closed. This meant actions needed to be progressed remotely.
Connecting more closely with the High Risk Accommodation Response (HRAR) team created new opportunities for community engagement. The HRAR door knocking and on-site engagement event teams disseminated information to social housing communities in Hawthorn East, with bilingual HRAR staff translating written information and speaking the language of some residents.
The AccessHC HRAR team established a Resident Advisory Group in 2021 operating remotely, then in-person, ensuring timely and relevant messaging on COVID-19 issues and risk minimization. With a move to 'COVID-normal' environment, HRAR ended its involvement with the group by December 2021. The Health Promotion Team at AccessHC was able to continue supporting this group into 2022, with four residents representing community views. This has led to the adoption of a more collaborative approach with some of the actions at the Hawthorn East public housing estate. AccessHC is inspired to establish a resident advisory group within a social housing estate in Manningham and strengthen existing residents' groups on other estates.
HealthAbility's efforts to give residents of a Burwood estate a voice, were boosted by a willing relationship with Parks Victoria. Efforts to support residents to participate in a Parks Victoria consultation on the neighbouring park had been limited largely to phone communications in the previous years. However Parks Victoria agreed in July 2021 to a COVID-safe pop-up in the communal garden on the estate. This allowed 25 residents from diverse cultural backgrounds to directly influence plans for the park upgrade. However, the requirement to be double-vaccinated at a masterplan consultation in the park in January 2022 precluded at least one keen resident from having their say.
The pandemic response has imposed significant barriers to progressing social inclusion work with social housing estates. Despite this, through partnerships, avenues were found to connect with residents and provide opportunities for their voices to be heard on matters important to them.
AccessHC and healthAbility would love to get in touch with other organisations who are also working with social housing communities so they can network and learn how they are applying the new guidelines.
You can also read this blog post: Challenges to social inclusion work during a pandemic
Contact via email at:
Access Health & Community: health.promotion@accesshc.org.au
healthAbility: health.promotion@healthability.org.au
