Community development through a health perspective is a new way of thinking about health and of taking action to improve health of the general public. It does this by addressing factors that determine health. These factors are called the social determinants of health that include elements that are outside the influence of the individuals such as physical, social and economic environments.

The community development approach takes a broad view of health. More than the absence of disease, health is seen as a resource for meeting challenges of every day life. To that end, community development approach looks to reduce barriers to health and increase opportunities for people to reach optimal levels of health. Community education, advocacy, client empowerment are only a few strategies that are employed to acheive the end results of imporved health to the public.

The challenge for health care systems is to work in partnership with other service sectors, stakeholders and public committees to address health issues at a population level and focuses on strategies – particularly prevention, protection and promotion that will achieve greater health for the whole.

The health sysem cannot address all these community issues alone with many other sectors share the responsibility including education, social services, justice, environment, transportation, economic environment and governments. The Port Hope Community Health Centre (PHCHC) can take a lead role in coordinating action between sectors that will achieve overall inmprovements in the health of the public.

The PHCHC through the Community Health Worker are moving with existing community resources to ensure that health perspective particularly for those most marginalized in society are represented. Some of the immediate issues that have been identified are housing, unemployment, mental health and addictions, unemployment and increased poverty in the County.

The PHCHC cannot work alone an has gained repesentation on a number of existing community forums that speak to addressing some of the social determinants of health such as affordable housing, unemployment, transportation, social justice and poverty reduction.