A place-based, systems-thinking approach to prevention, we support individuals and communities to maintain health, independence, and wellbeing through quality, patient centred health care that meets the needs of our diverse community.
Over the past four years, the Health Promotion Team have been on a journey. Inspired by the shift in health promotion bought on by Healthy Together Victoria, we wanted change. We were determined to work in a way that reflects the community, the complex nature of prevention and we want efforts to lead to long-term sustainable change that improves the health experienced by our community. We work across Cardinia Shire, City of Casey and City of Greater Dandenong.
Our health promotion practice merges place-based approaches, complex systems thinking and developmental evaluation in health promotion. Complex systems thinking gives us the opportunity to view prevention, places and issues as dynamic and non-linear. It allows interventions to grow, adapt and react to systems shifts and gives us the freedom to respond to community demand and harvest momentum as it appears. Together with local places, influencers and partners we will mobilise change.
What is Health Promotion?
Health promotion, in a place-based, systems thinking approach recognises that health is not just the result of an individual’s decisions, but is largely shaped and dictated by the places we spend time within.
This approach to health promotion views the places we live, learn, work and play as platforms for change. While also recognising that health and the systems around it are complex and thus require long-term, multi-strategy approaches that grow and change. Health promotion focuses on the population as a whole rather than people at risk of specific diseases, with actions directed to improve the health and wellbeing of the whole community.
System Thinking in Health Promotion
We are committed to the application of systems thinking theory to prevention practice. The Monash Health Health Promotion Team have combined theory, expert opinions and practice experience to developed systems practice. This practice moves theory and tools towards action and utilises practice, everyday reflection and learning to inform next steps and complete the feedback loop.
Complex systems thinking is applied to all areas of our practice from planning and evaluation through to practice. We have developed a suite of frameworks, tools and measurement indicators to help our team, places, and partners understand our health promotion work and work alongside with us.