Community-centred places

These factors include the homes people live in, the access they have to good stable work, the air they breathe, the opportunity they have for education, the impact of trauma and family relationships on their lives and the impact of smoking, alcohol, diet, exercise and genetic influences (Dahlgren & Whitehead, 2021).

We know that the diverse communities in Stockton-on-Tees experience these factors unequally. Inequity (unfair differences) persist which lead to differences in health and wellbeing outcomes across communities in the Borough. This is true across the country, however we know inequality is particularly stark in Stockton-on-Tees. The interface between people and the places and communities they live in is key to understanding and helping to address this.  

As a health and wellbeing system, we will need to develop our strategy, approach and plans based on what our diverse communities tell us and maximise their strengths. This will look different in different parts of our Borough and communities are often not associated with a geographical place or location. While it often makes sense to start with a geographical area or neighbourhood, it is then important to layer on the other factors that influence how communities identify and define themselves - and of course no community or individual is defined by one thing. These factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability, cultural influences and more, are the things that combine to shape (and sometimes limit) the opportunity local people have to be healthy and happy.

In the context of the health challenges and inequality faced by local people, it feels even more important to make a meaningful shift to proactively design in opportunities for better health and wellbeing as far as possible when local places are shaped, as well as adapting existing local places to maximise health and wellbeing and mitigate poor health outcomes.

Through the Council's Powering our Future transformation programme, national implementation or pilot programmes and other work across partners in the health and wellbeing system, we are already progressing some of this work. This report shines a light on some examples of work to build on. It also describes some of the approaches that are helpful in understanding and bringing together community and place, to improve health and wellbeing for all our diverse communities, focusing on a community-centred public health approach.