Healthy Communities
Every Londoner deserves to feel part of a community. Participating in community life helps people gain a sense of control over their lives, develop personal skills, self-confidence, and the ability to deal with life’s challenges.
Worryingly, Londoners are more likely to experience social isolation than people in other parts of the UK. Many Londoners, young and old, regularly feel lonely or unsupported, with many reporting that they have no one they could rely on if they had a serious problem. Physical and mental health issues can become barriers to people’s participation in the community and some of London’s major public health challenges disproportionately affect certain communities.
Healthy communities are not just about illnesses and diseases. Reducing crime,increasing safety and diverting people at risk of offending into other activities, helps to strengthen, connect and empower individuals and communities.
Masterclasses: Community Development for Health
The Greater London Authority commissioned the University of East London to deliver a programme of masterclasses to share learning and best practice on what works at the local community or neighbourhood level to develop healthy and resilient communities. The project is targeted at people with experience and an interest in community-centred approaches to improving health and wellbeing.
The programme comprised a masterclass and action learning set in each of the five Health and Care Partnership sub-regions across London, together with a pan-London networking and learning event on 6th September 2019. A work book will soon be available that will share the learning and impact of the project.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Report
ACEs is generally used to refer to acute traumatic events or chronic stressors, experienced in childhood, which a child is unable to control. These are linked to a range of poorer health and social outcomes in later life.
Miriam Bullock, a Public Health Specialty Registrar at the GLA, carried out a piece of work to develop our knowledge about ACEs, to understand what they mean in the London context, and how they can help us to understand and identify opportunities to improve Londoners’ health.
Please note that this report discusses issues such as trauma and abuse and is available at the foot of the page.
Download ACEs Report 2019
Need a document on this page in an accessible format?
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.
It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.