Altogether Better

An Introduction to Altogether Better

“Our ultimate aim and shared ambition is to develop an evidence-based model of community empowerment that will have a significant and sustainable impact, not only in Yorkshire and the Humber but on a national level”
Alyson McGregor and Roz Davies
Co Directors
Executive Summary 2008/2009

Launched in 2008, Altogether Better is a five year regional-local programme designed to deliver innovative techniques to empower communities to improve their health and well-being. With £6.8m funding from the Big Lottery Well-Being Fund, the programme focuses on meeting an array of key principles designed to tackle health inequalities.

Altogether Better aims to:

• Deliver in all our local areas with a focus on Community Health Champions and mental health and employment, targeting over 15,000 beneficiaries and 70,000 indirect beneficiaries
• Facilitate a Learning Network aimed at sharing intelligence, experience and learning across our projects
• Build partnerships consisting of local communities, third sector, local government, PCTs, universities and regional agencies and networks including NHS, Government Office Yorkshire and Humber (GOYH) and Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP)
• Make a contribution to key regional and national policy developments including 'empowerment', reducing health inequalities, mental health and employment and social enterprise

The Altogether Better Programme recently featured in the new Government White Paper ‘Our Strategy for Public Health in England.’ The paper says that through its regional community health champion programme, Altogether Better increases individual and community social capital, voluntary activities and wider civic participation. It also highlights that pathways to education, paid employment and enterprise are also enhanced. The feature on Altogether Better can be found on page 43.

Altogether Better Projects

The Altogether Better Programme is made up of a diverse portfolio of 16 projects. These projects are spread over 14 local strategic partnerships and aim to help individuals and communities across the Yorkshire and Humber region to:

• Eat more healthily
• Be more physically active
• Improve their mental health

Further information about the:Altogether Better Projects

Altogether Better Learning Network

The 16 Altogether Better projects also make up the Altogether Better Learning Network which is facilitated by Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory. The Learning Network seeks to establish a regional network of shared intelligence, experience and learning on well-being.

Further information about the:Altogether Better Learning Network - Generating and Sharing Knowldege on Well-being

Community Health Champions

On a regional and national level, the Altogether Better Programme is championing the voice of the Community Health Champion. The role of a Community Health Champion is to support people in their community to make the health and lifestyle changes they want to make. This may mean supporting members to take more exercise, eat a healthy diet on a budget or simply to have more fun.

We have a number of short films which focus on the work and impact of Workplace and Community Health Champions. Please click here to view the films.

On Tuesday 30th November 2010, Altogether Better held its second national event ‘Championing Champions’. Information from the day, including the presentations and performances from contributors can be found here.

Amazing Stories

Amazing Stories is a growing collection of case studies which feature the individual stories of Community and Workplace Health Champions. Each case study details their personal journey as well as the positive ways they have impacted on the health of their community and/or workplace. Please click here to access the stories

Altogether Better National News

In response to the Department of Health asking Altogether Better to take the lead on connecting and showcasing Community Health Champions from around the UK, the programme launched its first national newsletter in 2010. Each edition is released quarterly and can be accessed by clicking here . The latest edition focuses on the recent ‘Championing Champion’ event and contains links to video links, pictures and special features from the day.

In a time of significant external change and challenge it will be essential that we work together to pool our knowledge, resources and voices so please send your contributions and ideas for the newsletter to altogether.better@yorksandhumber.nhs.uk

"I am very pleased to introduce the first issue of Altogether Better National News. It has been published to put a national spotlight on the great potential of community empowerment to bring about improved health and wellbeing across the UK, so please read it and get involved."
Martin Gibbs,
Local Government and Communities Manager,
Health Inequalities Unit,
Department of Health

Key Resources and Links

1. Altogether Better Programme Background
2. About our Projects
3. Resources for projects
4. Altogether Better Learning Network
5. Events
6. Altogether Better - evaluation and research resources
7. Website Links
8. Altogether Better - Publications and Presentations
9. Press Releases

Enquiries

For further information about the Altogether Better Programme or to join our mailing list, please email your details to altogether.better@yorksandhumber.nhs.uk or call 0113 295 2134. You can also follow Altogether Better on twitter http://twitter.com/altogetherbeter

Last Updated: Thursday, 11th April 2013