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"Growing Healthy Communities Weekly" Podcast


In February of 2021 our monthly Learning Lab podcasts got a new name, a new format, and a new host.  ArCOP is happy to present our "Growing Healthy Communities Weekly" podcast.  We're still sharing insights into how our communities can evolve, but now instead of getting that information once a month... we've gone weekly.  Make sure you watch each Wednesday as our Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story delves into topics that will help all of us make a healthy difference in the communities we call home.  

We'll post all of the archive versions right here on this page as soon as they become available and we'll preview what's coming up in the weeks and months ahead.  Come back often to see what's new.  


Developing a Plan for Financial Sustainability

"Developing a Committee to help with Financial Stability" is the topic of discussion in this edition of the podcast.  Here's how to organize the human resources you have around you to help you find the Financial resources you need to make your plans a reality.


Watch as we discuss why non-profits and community organizations should develop a business plan. Host Nancy Welsh-Young says private sector practices can teach us to be better community developers.


This installment of the podcast kicks off the topic "Developing a Plan for Financial Sustainability."  Host Nancy Welsh-Young talks about how planning wisely can head off financial woes for your organization.  We explore in-kind support, volunteers, and shared resources.


Evaluating Your Initiative

This episode is about communicating information on your initiative to gain support from key audiences.  Host Nancy Welsh-Young explains why sharing your own evaluations is one key to creating public interest.


This episode contains parts 3 and 4 of the topic "Evaluating you Initiative".  Host Nancy Welch-Young discusses providing feedback to better understand the impact of your work on those involved and in the community. 


We begin a new topic in this edition of the podcast.  After putting our plans into action it's time to take stock of all the hard work.  "Evaluating Your Initiative" properly is a critical component of making community projects sustainable.  Included here are the 5 key questions you need to ask.


Principles of Advocacy

We wrap up the topic "Principles of Advocacy" by learning ways to involve both allies and opponents in helping with a cause.  Host Nancy Welsh-Young also gives advice on how to make a comprehensive plan that will yield better results.


Finding Allies and identifying opponents is a necessary step in becoming a strong advocate. As we continue the topic "Principles of Advocacy", host Tracy Welsh-Young shows us how we can do better at dealing with both.

 


We've got more great information on "The Principles of Advocacy." Learn how to become an expert on an issue and use it to make positive changes in your community.  


Here's the second installment in our series on the "Principles of Advocacy". Here we focus on the "Survival Skills for Advocates". Watch and learn as host Nancy Welsh-Young shares the necessities of making change through advocacy.


After a brief hiatus our podcast is back!  We've got plenty left to cover this year so we'll be posting fresh new episodes more often. This week we're beginning a new topic "The Principles of Advocacy."  Host Nancy Welsh-Young details the first installment "Getting an Advocacy Campaign Off the Ground." 


August 2021


We wrap up August with a final podcast discussing the monthly topic "Working Together for Racial Justice and Inclusion".  Our Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story brings it all together with "Building Inclusive Communities."


Week 3 of our August podcast is devoted to "Building Culturally Component Organizations."  Inclusion has to be more than just aspirational.  Communities must create organizations that make racial equity a reality.  This episode of the podcast provides a blueprint to do just that.  


This August we're tackling the topic "Working Together for Racial Justice and Inclusion".  Healthy communities work hard to insure the welfare of all their citizens.   Fixing long standing issues with race require strategic thinking.   We cover that in the second  podcast of the month...    "Strategies and Activities for Reducing Racial Prejudice and Racism".


Our August topic is "Working Together for Racial Justice and Inclusion". To begin the month our first podcast is about "Understanding Culture and Diversity in Building Communities and Building Relationships with people from Different Cultures". Check back weekly to see new podcasts and topics.


July 2021

In July our "Growing Healthy Communities Weekly" podcast is devoted to breaking down barriers, increasing access, and creating opportunities.  It's what thriving communities do well and what struggling communities forget.  Enjoying all a community has to offer shouldn't be reserved for a few, but for all.  The next four episodes will take a deep dive into building a more equitable system.  


Our final July podcast wraps up the topic "Modifying Access, Barriers and Opportunities".  This week we've brought in one of the state's best resources on the issue of accessibility.  Vanessa Krause is the Director of the Arkansas Disability & Health Program at the University of Arkansas.  She is our host as we discuss "Using Access to Increase Outreach".


Week 3 of July continues our topic of "Modifying Access, Barriers, and Opportunities" to improve community conditions.  This episode focuses on "Increasing Access for People with Physical Disabilities."  All accessibility issues are not the same.  We'll look at breaking down all kinds of barriers that keep everyone from enjoying what their communities have to offer.


July's Week 2 episode goes deeper into "Modifying Access, Barriers and Opportunities" by focusing on how we can make our communities more equitable to the economically disadvantaged.  


July's first installment is an overview of why we need to address these issues.   Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story drills down on extending opportunities to the economically disadvantaged, how to increase access for people with disabilities, and finally how outreach is used to increase that access.  


June 2021

All communities have problems.  Good communities know how to solve them.   All June long we'll break down how to "Analyze Community Problems and Solutions".  Each week we'll have a new "Growing Healthy Communities Weekly" Podcast explaining how to think critically on the issues causing concern.  Check out the topics and start listening.  


Our final podcast of June pulls all of the month's topics together.  After identifying community problems and their root causes we are ready to find solutions.  Just as importantly Ashleigh discusses how to put those solutions into practice.  


The third installment of our June topic is "Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Development".  Problems can arise in a community with income inequalities and social exclusion issues.  Here we learn how to identify those issues and find remedies to solve problems.


In June's second podcast we'll delve into defining and analyzing problems.  Community's can have multiple problems arising from a single root cause.  Identifying that underlying cause is critical to finding solutions.  Watch and learn as Ashleigh Story discusses the finer points of problems solving.


Let's begin our June podcasts with an "Introduction to the Problem Solving Process and Thinking Critically".  Remember each Wednesday our Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story shares a new episode designed to make you a better problem solver. 


May 2021


Our month long topic on "Leadership and Management" concludes with a podcast on Group Discussions.  These can be a critically important to solving important issues, but they can also be terribly counterproductive if they are Ill-timed or conducted poorly.  Watch to find out how to use these gatherings effectively. 


Meetings are inevitable when organizing any community initiatives.  When and why should you record those meetings?  It's a question we tackle in this edition of the podcast.  It's all part of a month long series on Leadership and Management.  Listen. Learn. Share.  


Our May topic of Leadership rolls on with a podcast devoted to "Group Facilitation and Problem Solving".  Health Education Ashleigh Story breaks it all down in this week's edition. 


Our first podcast of May begins our discussion of "Leadership and Management".  Meetings are often a necessity as communities come together to make positive changes, but they can be also be real obstacles if done poorly.  Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story takes a deep dive into "Conducting Effective Meetings"


April 2021


In April's final podcast Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story wraps the topic "Developing a Strategic Plan" by discussing how obtaining feedback and identifying action steps are essential to bringing effective change to the community. 


This third installment of the April topic "Developing a Strategic Plan" builds on the materials from previous weeks by introducing how to create objectives and make action plans.  Additional information included in the podcast can be found by clicking on the buttons below the link. 


This edition of the podcast is about "Proclaiming Your Dream".  Ashleigh focuses on developing a vision and creating a powerful mission statement. 


This episode of the podcast begins our April topic (albeit one day early) of "Developing a Strategic Plan".  Find out how "VMOSA" can help you begin planning to grow a healthier community.  


March 2021


In our final March podcast Ashleigh Story discusses the inclusion of groups most effected by the issues being addressed.  She winds up our "Encouraging Community Involvement" segment by discussing the role of stakeholders. 


In this segment Ashleigh looks into making personal contact with potential participants and involving key influencers.  It's part of the March topic "Encouraging Community Work" .


This week we continue exploring how to encourage community involvement.  In this segment our Health Education Coordinator Ashleigh Story details how to effectively contact potential participants.


We kickoff  our first March podcast with the topic "Encouraging Involvement in Community Work".  Ashleigh also focuses on making sure any outreach targets diverse groups within the community.


February 2021


In our final February episode Ashleigh discusses how to conduct Public Forums and Listening Sessions.  Focus Groups and Surveys are also included.


In this episode Ashleigh continues the topic "Assessing Community Needs and Resources".  This includes making Qualitative Assessments and creating Community Report Cards.


In our second February episode Ashleigh  builds on this month's topic "Assessing Community Needs and Resources."


Ashleigh discusses Understanding and Describing the Community.  Developing a Plan for Assessing Local Needs and Resources is also covered in the first episode of the podcast from February 3rd.