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| About the Public Health World Wide Web Networking Project |  |
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This is a project of the Social and Health Outcomes, Research and Evaluation (SHORE) Centre, Massey University, funded by the Ministry of Health.
From 1997 through to the current time (late 2006) the project has been encouraging people in the public health sector to think strategically about how they can use the web. The aim is to save time, be cost-effective and to strengthen collaborative activity.
In the initial stages of the project the emphasis was on:
- building skills of the public sector workforce through training. Approximately 3,000 people were trained in the course of the project, the majority by Pauline Proud, the project coordinator. Workplace training was offered, followed by computer-lab training sessions where partnerships were created with local polytechs and hospitals to provide the resources.
- the second aspect of the project was helping sub-sectors within public health (mental health, smokefree, sexual health, nutrition and physical activity, injury prevention and alcohol and drugs) to work together to develop collaborative strategies for using the web. Two waves of sub-sector strategy workshops were held (notes from these workshop are posted on this site).
- help sector organisations develop their own web sites, or reviewing existing sites can be explored before engaging professional assistance.
The objectives of the project have been to:
At this stage in the project the vast majority of public health workers have internet access of some type. The project emphasis is now on facilitating the development of a platform for online networking in public health.
In the earlier phases of this project a discusson page was available for sector organisations to make announcements and experiment with the use of discussion pages. As use of the internet has increased, discussions have moved off onto other sites run by particular groups within public health. This was always the intention of the PHWN and so the discussion page on this site has now been archived and at the moment the project is not running a live discussion page.
The outcomes which have been achieved by the project so far are:
- the public health workforce is now, by and large, prepared and keen to use the web and internet in any way they can in their work
- coordination within public health sub-sectors has been fruitful in assisting organisations to work collaboratively on web development
- feedback from the sector has suggested that there should be work on a common platform for online networking.
The current phase of the project (late 2006) is focusing on two areas:
- piloting a potential online groups system - Community and Public Health Online Groups CAPH http://www.caph.org.nz">caph.org.nz
- working with stakeholders from related sectors (State Services Commission, local government, DIA etc) who are also involved in building and promoting online group systems to encourage as much of a common approach to the issue as is possible.
- Resource link: Shared Workspace Specifications
- Professor Sally Casswell
Centre for Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation
(SHORE) Massey University, Auckland - Pauline Proud (project coordinator, faciliator and trainer)
Auckland - Dr Paul Duignan (strategy)
SHORE, Massey University Auckland
Wellington - Jeff Adams (project coordinator) SHORE Auckland
- Kim conway (formative evaluator) SHORE Auckland (during 2006)
The information below is taken from the data collated and reported to the MOH on a six-monthly basis.
| * | Project commenced in January 1997. Two fliers were distributed via seven newsletters to the target audience. Direct contact was also made via the Regional Health Authorities' provider lists. |
| * | Presentations made to sector seminars |
| * | This web site was established in its original and simpler form than the present version. |
| * | Presentations and training have been made each year to the PHA and the Health Promotion Forum Conferences. |
| * | Basic training and presentations to a wide range of grass-roots organisations. 70% to the health promotion workforce, 20 % to the public health workforce and 10% to the health protection workforce. |
| * | 3,024 people have participated in training, received presentations, or attended workshops. More have had consultations related to web sites.
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| * | A total of 450 organisations have participated: 232 are Maori organisations, and 42 are Pacific Islands. |
| * | By sector the organisations trained number: 17 from Injury Prevention, 45 from Alcohol and Other Drug Health Promotion, 39 from Nutrition and Physical Activity, 37 from Smokefree-Tobacco Control, 41 from Sexual Health. |
| * | By December 2002, 12 Strategy Workshops have been held. The first was a general one in Auckland in 1999. The second was general and hosted in Te Tai Tokerau also in 1999. In 1999 and 2000 five Sector Strategy Workshops were held in Wellington. Plans, ideas, needs and WWW functions were explored and requests led to a second wave of sector workshops in 2001 and 2002. This time, Mental Health was added as another sector.
In July 2002, a National-Level Strategy Workshop was held in response to interest within the sectors for leadership across the sectors in areas of general concern. (see the National Strategy link from the Home Page) http://www.publichealth.org.nz/page.php?74 |
| * | Resources have been developed by Paul Duignan to assist planning and evaluation of web sites. These are printable from the web site: just go back to the Home Page and click on "Resources". |
| * | Web sites which have been identified as useful for participants (during the workshops) have been made available through links on this web site. They have also been recorded and printed on to a set of two posters. |
| * | Presentations highlighting progress made strategically across the sectors were made to the Health Promotion Forum Conference and the Flaxroots Conference in April 2002. Notes available on request. |
| * | Computer Labs have been provided, generally free of charge in several communities. This has been of enormous benefit in Nelson (the Polytech), Taranaki (Polytech and Base Hospital), Wairoa (Wairoa DotCom), Invercargill (SIT), Gore (SIT), Cromwell (TecOtago), Wellington (Massey), Timaru (Polytech), Dunedin (Polytech), Christchurch (SIT), Gisborne (Training Enterprises), Otara (MIT), Hastings (Executrain)and(Hospital), Alexandra (REAP) Napier (Community Health Services), and Hamilton, North Shore, Tauranga and Whakatane (Hospitals). |
| * | By mid 2004 almost 3,000 people had been trained by the project, two waves of sub-sector workshops held, a national level workshop, a set of general web needs identified and work is now focused on developing a way forward to meet the identified sector web needs. |
| By mid 2005 a set of specifications for a shared workspace has been developed. This is being used to develop a pilot shared workspace for public health workers. Stakeholders from other sector are being collaborated with in the development of this shared workspace. | |
| In 2006 a pilot online groups system is in the process of being trialed (Community and Public Health Online Groups CAPH ). Work is being undertaken with stakeholders from other sectors (State Services Commission, Local Government Online, Department of Internal Affairs etc.). Work is being undertaken with stakeholders from other sectors also involved in setting up or encouraging the use of online groups (State Services Commission, Local Government Online, Department of Internal Affairs etc.). This work is directed at facilitating the greatest possible level of cooperation between groups. |
Public Health Web Networking Project Contact Information
For information contact Pauline Proud: p.a.proud@massey.ac.nz
Copyright © 1997 - 2010 Public Health WWW Networking Project.
http://www.publichealth.org.nz
Funded by the Ministry of Health