From Leeanne Mills, Health Development Worker...

South Belfast Highway 2 Health has been operating in Donegall Pass for the past 5 years and I commenced employment here in July 2006.  The mission statement of the organisation is “to contribute to a reduction in inequalities in health by facilitating access to information and supporting disadvantaged individuals and communities in South Belfast to take action to improve their own health and wellbeing and to enable them to renegotiate their relationship with service providers.”

This is achieved through a variety of methods and approaches, one such approach being the formation of a local Community Health and Well-Being Advisory Group. This group is made up of local residents and representatives from key agencies within the community.  The group meets bi-monthly and we work together to identify the local health and well-being needs and to jointly agree focused action plans that will target need.  If anyone is interested in becoming a part of the group - I would be glad to hear from you.

A number of health programmes are delivered continuously within the community; these include Men’s Football Training, Seniors’ Lunch Club, Girls Dance, Botanic Primary School and Surestart Fruit Breaks.  Other programmes are delivered as and when need arises or when requests come in and these in the past have included: First Aid Training, Boxercise, Craft classes and Cook-It programmes.  One-off programmes that include the Wally and Wise Puppet Show, delivered by Action Cancer and the Action Cancer Big Bus Visit are also delivered within the community. All such programmes help to develop individual confidence and provide training/awareness on health and well-being issues that are affecting local people.

Another element of the work that I am currently involved in includes developing Inter-Community networks and health and well-being initiatives.  These have included Inter-Community events to celebrate World Mental Health Day and International Women’s Day. Programmes such as Older and Active, Shared History Project and the newly established Women’s Group are all initiatives that seek to promote the formation and development of strong community networks. These types of programmes encourage individuals to meet new people and experience new things in a manner that is safe and enjoyable.

There is currently much debate about the future of the Health Service within Northern Ireland, particularly with the ongoing review of Public Administration. It is hoped that the Healthy Living Centre Alliance, that South Belfast Highway 2 Health is a part of, will promote the work of the centres and demonstrate the need for such work to be carried out in the future.  The importance of health in both a community and individual context needs to be a priority for all, and, as such, we should be lobbying our local elected representatives and all those with influence to ensure these initiatives get the support they so much deserve.