Building Community Resilience Research Articles

Uniting communities: harnessing social capital for community resilience during coronavirus disease 2019

This research investigates the impact of both traditional and virtual social capital on community resilience, with engagement on social media as a mediating variable. The study surveyed 397 inhabitants of an urban <br /> sub-district in Palembang, Indonesia, and analyzed the data using the structural equation model partial least square (SEM-PLS) technique. The results indicate that it is critical to prioritize and activate various forms of social capital to enhance community resilience during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The analysis showed that social media engagement had a significant positive impact on community resilience (p<0.05), however the influence of virtual bonding social capital was negligible and negatively skewed (p=0.084). It is significant to note that community resilience was significantly positively impacted by both traditional bonding and bridging social capital (both p<0.05). Social media involvement was also markedly positively impacted by virtual bonding and bridging social capital (both p<0.05). The link between virtual bonding, bridging social capital, and community resilience was strongly influenced by social media use in terms of mediation (both p<0.05). This emphasizes how important social capital, both physical and digital, and particularly social media participation, are to building community resilience during pandemics.

A microcosting approach for planning and implementing community-based mental health prevention program: what does it cost?

BackgroundEstimating program costs when planning community-based mental health programs can be burdensome. Our aim was to retrospectively document the cost for the first year of planning and implementing Healthy Minds Healthy Communities (HMHC), a mental health promotion and prevention multi-level intervention initiative. This Program is among the first to use the Community Initiated Care (CIC) model in the US and is aimed at building community resilience and the capacity for communities to provide mental health support, particularly among those disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Our objective is to share our methods for costing a program targeting 10 zip codes that are ethnically and linguistically diverse and provide an example for estimating the cost of a mental health prevention and promotion programs consisting of multiple evidence-based interventions.MethodsWe used a semi-structured interview process to collect cost data through the first year of program planning, start-up and initial implementation from key staff. We calculated costs for each activity, grouped them by major project categories, and identified the cost drivers of each category. We further validated cost estimates through extensive literature review. The cost analysis was done from the provider’s perspective, which included the implementing agency and its community partners. We delineated costs that were in-kind contributions to the program by other agency, and community partners. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to estimate uncertainty around parameters.ResultsFor the first year of the development and implementation of the program, (funded through program and in-kind) is estimated at $1,382,669 (2022 US$). The costs for the three main activity domains for this project are: project management $135,822, community engagement $364,216 and design and execution $756,934. Overall, the cost drivers for the first year of this intervention were: hiring and onboarding staff, in-person community building/learning sessions, communications and marketing, and intervention delivery.ConclusionImplementation of community-based mental health promotion and prevention programs, when utilizing a participatory approach, requires a significant amount of upfront investment in program planning and development. A large proportion of this investment tends to be human capital input. Developing partnerships is a successful strategy for defraying costs.

Progress and landscape of disaster science: Insights from computational analyses

This study identifies trends in disaster science research as well as knowledge gaps at a broad scale in order to help underpin and inform future research in the area. A numerical analysis of 58,106 peer-reviewed articles over four decades reveals key research themes and clusters, their temporal variation of activity as well as the influential studies that have played a key role in their development. Results indicate that what we recognize as contemporary disaster science has only shown discernible patterns of activity and knowledge foundation formation since the 1990s. Disaster research currently constitutes approximately 0.23% of all academic papers published per year. The initial and intermediate phases of the development of the field have been unsystematic and fragmented, with the focus of the field fluctuating for almost two decades until recently when research clusters have shown signs of stabilizing. It is observable that, over the last few years, more attention has been allocated to mitigation, response and recovery by focusing on issues such as the psychological impacts of disasters, reducing exposure to disasters and building community resilience to cope and recover from disasters. This is in contrast with earlier years where the focus was predominantly on preparedness and prevention. Research in different countries has been highly correlated with the types of disasters that occur in their regions, highlighting the relevance of the local situatedness and context in disaster research. The recent emergence and explosive growth of a research cluster linked to flood detection, flood mapping and flood hazard assessment is particularly notable, marking the sharpest growth of a single research cluster ever recorded in this field. A similar trend, though of a smaller magnitude, is observable in relation to research on wildfire hazard. Overall, flood-related research has proven one of the dominant themes, with multiple clusters detectable on the topic, each with their own distinguishable knowledge foundation (i.e., set of references). The pattern of collaboration among disaster researchers is shifting from predominantly domestic research towards international collaborations (currently reaching about 1/3 of all disaster-related papers each year), a sign of recognition to the value of cross-cultural and interdisciplinary perspectives in disaster research.

An Analysis of the Great Disruption of COVID-19 Pandemic

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 led to a global crisis of unprecedented scale and complexity that disrupted almost every aspect of human life. The pandemic has taken people, institutions and governments by surprise, so the impact of the virus has been profound and far-reaching. The rapid and relentless spread of the pandemic has challenged global health systems, strained economies, altered daily routines in educational settings and at work, and tested the resilience of communities worldwide. Different studies have identified vulnerabilities in the world’s ability to respond to health emergencies at the individual and societal levels. This study presents a systematic literature review and theoretical analysis of the disruptions caused by COVID-19 to help formulate strategies that encourage flexibility and resilience in the face of such complex and interconnected disruptions. The article analyzes the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic through the prism of two main theories: the theory of situational crisis communications (type of crisis, its history, responsibility, perceived seriousness, predictable probability, crisis communications strategies, post-crisis reputation), as well as the theory of social learning (learning through observation, modeling and imitation, positive and negative reinforcement in the formation of behavior). In addition, the nature of society’s adaptation to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic is also considered through the prism of the theory of subversive innovations (progress in communication technologies, new methods of remote work and education, the entry of social networks into the business world, the introduction of asynchronous communication). The article summarizes the scientific progress on the following main consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the workplace, healthcare system, and education. The study provides recommendations on the steps that individuals, institutions and governments can take to increase readiness and ability to adapt to the next crisis (interdisciplinary cooperation, analysis of communication strategies, system analysis). The analysis conducted in the article also made it possible to outline the most promising directions for further qualitative intervention studies (in-depth case studies taking into account the specific context of regions, organizations or communities to identify effective and ineffective policies and practices; qualitative interviews with key stakeholders to understand the intricacies of decision-making in the context of the pandemic crisis); qualitative action studies (building community resilience, collaborative research efforts involving policymakers, health experts and community representatives to develop crisis response policies jointly) and quantitative studies (analysis of pandemic spread, impact of vaccination on disease control, analysis of the economic effects of the pandemic, etc.).

Community resilience and health emergency communication (Web of Science Core Collection).

Abstract Background: Community resilience and health emergency communication are both essential components in safeguarding society during crises. However, there remains a significant gap in research at the intersection of these fields. This knowledge gap hinders efforts to enhance emergency communications and build community resilience effectively.

Relations as Immunity: Building Community Resilience

Resilience—a term that originated in mathematical ecology—now commonly refers to the ability to thrive in the face of trauma and adversity. This Position Piece reflects on both the charisma and political lability of resilience in the early 21st century. On the one hand, resilience is easily compatible with neoliberal discourses that demand that individuals protect themselves in the absence of state or community support. On the other hand, resilience can be an important corrective to narratives about the damage caused by trauma, focusing attention on our innate ability to heal. We argue that the ambivalence of resilience requires theoretical and empirical attention to both the wider appeal of the term and the situated definitions deployed by diverse actors. In particular, we look at the rise of the term ‘community resilience’ popularised by academics, community leaders, and activists, which seeks to avoid the pitfalls of the neoliberal definition of resilience and argues that strong interpersonal relationships can support health equity. Despite the ambivalence of resilience, we find “community resilience” to be promising in a time when collective visions of health and immunity are desperately needed.

Mutual learning through participatory storytelling: Creative approaches to climate adaptation education in secondary schools

Unprecedented global temperatures have brought the question of how to teach sensitive issues of climate change to the fore. In this paper we suggest that a refocusing on adaptation productively shifts the debate to climate justice and practical solutions to building community resilience. The paper examines a practice-led project that sought to innovate and test the use of participatory storytelling with young people to explore climate adaptation. Our insights relate to two areas: first, the benefits of mutual learning through engaging in dialogue with frontline communities; second, how participatory storytelling supports emotionally intelligent sensemaking, agency and leadership by providing both ‘connections’ and ‘containers’ for engaging with climate.

The Influence of Community Drought Risk Management on Community Development in Tiaty Constituency, Kenya

Climate change contributed to an increase in the rate of disasters, particularly those with meteorological origins. This study assessed community drought risk management strategies and community development in Tiaty Constituency, Kenya. The objective was to determine the influence of disaster risk reduction programs in promoting community development in the area, grounded in the Environmental Community Development Theory. A mixed-methods research approach was adopted, with a target population of 12,153 people. The sample size comprised 395 respondents selected using stratified sampling techniques. Statistical Analysis Software version 25 was utilized for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were conducted to offer descriptive features of the study variables, with quantitative survey data expressed as mean averages. The study revealed that risk reduction programs focusing on environmental conservation and sustainable practices contributed to the long-term sustainability of communities in Tiaty Constituency. It was found that building community resilience extended beyond disaster management and contributed to overall community development, aimed at achieving sustainable self-reliance. The findings highlighted the significant positive impact of drought risk reduction programs in aiding community development and resilience-building efforts. Based on the comprehensive findings, the study recommended prioritizing and expanding risk reduction programs, with a specific focus on environmental conservation, social cohesion, and community participation in hazard assessment, to inform planning and decision-making processes.

Associations between a cash voucher intervention, food consumption, and coping strategies in Somali food-insecure populations

BackgroundThis cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between cash voucher assistance on building community resiliency and improving food security among 1371 households (HH) living in northern and southern regions of Somalia. The secondary data analysis used endline data from participants in World Vision’s Emergency Food Security Program from May 2018 to May 2019. The participants received unconditional cash vouchers, conditional cash for work vouchers, and nutrition and livelihood trainings. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the association between program interventions and food consumption score (FCS, borderline/poor: 0–35, acceptable: > 35) and reduced coping strategy index (rCSI, acceptable: 0–3, emergency/crisis: 4–56).ResultsA total of 41.5% of all HH that received cash vouchers reported borderline/poor FCS and 71.1% had emergency/crisis rCSI. Utilization of vouchers for food purchase (0.34; 0.23, 0.51) and purchase of more types of food for greater dietary diversity (0.70; 0.55, 0.89) were negatively associated with acceptable FCS. Participants who redeemed cash vouchers were less likely to have an emergency/crisis rCSI (0.68; 0.61, 0.76). Utilization of cash vouchers had a positive association with increased conflict within the HH (2.90; 1.29, 6.48). Participants reporting benefits from improved community rehabilitation through increased check dams were more likely to have acceptable rCSI (2.37; 1.45, 3.89).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that interventions utilizing cash vouchers have to consider contextual factors in calculations of voucher entitlements, increase investment in water management and livelihood skills training, and expand nutrition and livelihood trainings to men and boys to foster women empowerment and improve food security outcomes.

The role of traditional music ‘ Karawitan’ in building community resilience in the Sodong Ponorogo Buddhist Village East Java Indonesia to facing the Covid-19 pandemic

The role of traditional music ‘ <i>Karawitan’</i> in building community resilience in the Sodong Ponorogo Buddhist Village East Java Indonesia to facing the Covid-19 pandemic

Evaluation of Strategic Options for Enhancing Community Resilience to Drought in Kitui County, Kenya

In Kenya, Arid and semi-arid Lands are more affected by drought due to their fragile ecosystems, unfavourable climate, and historical marginalization. Kitui County is one of the counties that have been hit hard by protracted droughts over the past decades. This study aimed at addressing the increasing global, regional, and national attention on building community resilience to disasters. The overall objective of the study was to evaluate the strategic options for enhancing community resilience to drought in Kitui County. The study was conducted in Mwingi North and Mwingi West Sub-Counties which were selected using purposive sampling technique. The study utilized data collected from 385 households sampled using simple random sampling technique. Descriptive, correlation, and evaluation research designs were employed. Data was collected using structured questionnaires; focus group discussion guides; key informant interview guides and observation checklists and analysed using statistical package for social scientists (SPSS) software Version 28, STATA Version 15 and MS Excel. The results based on Spearman’s weighting revealed support for more sustainable water sources had the highest rank 34.4%; followed by increased access to credit facilities 15.1%; livestock/crop insurance schemes 11.9% and support for food storage facilities 11% among others. R =0.534 and R2 = 0.286 revealed that the contribution of strategic options to community resilience to drought was significant. The study recommends use of both ex-ante and ex post strategies to enhance community resilience to drought. These findings will be beneficial in guiding the policy makers in improving strategies for enhancing community resilience to drought.

Development of Community-Level Capacity of Resilience to Natural Hazards for Environmental- and Social-Justice-Challenged Communities: 1. Approach, Concepts, and Assessment of Existing Information.

Impoverished and under-served communities are often exposed to the worst environmental and climate hazards. Identifying these communities and building their resilience capacity to withstand such hazards is a vital justice aspect of environmental management. Building community resilience requires five activities: (1) examination of existing information, (2) community engagement and assessment of local knowledge, (3) development of reasonable strategies to build resilience, (4) implementation and these strategies, and (5) monitoring and transability of the process. This manuscript examines the first component of this process. The attributes of multiple parishes in Louisiana are examined using available data and existing models of human well-being, community resilience, and environmental/climate/socioeconomic justice. These existing models and tools were used to determine parish-level resilience to natural hazards including flooding, hurricanes, and other potential natural climatic hazards in central Louisiana (U.S.). Through consultation with state officials and local community groups, candidate environmental justice (EJ) and social justice (SJ) communities were selected to develop resilience capacity enhancement plans to address potential adverse parish and community outcomes of natural hazard events. Of the available parishes, St. Helena Parish was selected as an entity that would significantly benefit from resilience capacity building. The remaining two activities, community engagement and strategy development, will be examined in sister manuscripts. Continuing studies, to be described elsewhere, will describe community engagement and the determination of strategies, implementation plans, and the monitoring of the success of these strategic implementations.

The Impact of Climate Change on Aeromedical Retrieval Services in Remote Northern Australia: Planning for a Hotter Future.

It is known that environmental heat is associated with increased morbidity manifesting as increasing demand on acute care health services including pre-hospital transport and emergency departments. These services play a vital role in emergency care, and in rural and remote locations, where resource capacity is limited, aeromedical and other retrieval services are a vital part of healthcare delivery. There is no research examining how heat impacts remote retrieval service delivery. The Northern Territory (NT) of Australia is characterised by very remote communities with limited acute healthcare capacities and is a region subject to regular extreme tropical heat. In this study, we examine the relationship between aeromedical retrievals and hot weather for all NT retrievals between February 2018 and December 2019. A regression analysis was performed on the number of retrievals by clinical reason for retrieval matched to the temperature on the day of retrieval. There was a statistically significant exposure response relationship with increasing retrievals of obstetric emergencies in hotter weather in the humid climate zone and surgical retrievals in the arid zone. Retrieval services appeared to be at capacity at all times of the year. Given that there are no obstetric services in remote communities and that obstetric emergencies are a higher triage category than other emergencies (i.e., more urgent), such an increase will impede overall retrieval service delivery in hot weather. Increasing surgical retrievals in the arid zone may reflect an increase in soft tissue infections occurring in overcrowded houses in the hotter months of the year. Given that retrieval services are at capacity throughout the year, any increase in demand caused by increasing environmental heat will have broad implications for service delivery as the climate warms. Planning for a hotter future must include building resilient communities by optimising local healthcare capacity and addressing housing and other socioeconomic inequities that amplify heat-related illness.

Community resilience building in disadvantaged neighbourhoods (DN): action learning and political work

ABSTRACT Old, often neglected downtown neighborhoods are usually the salt of the city, the center of its original culture, and the area of an authentic community anchored in traditional values as: an ethos of work, loyalty, multi-generational family, independence. In the process of city regeneration, instead of making urban space more attractive, such neighborhoods are treated as an obstacle and therefore subjected to various forms of oppression (spatial, political, discursive). On the basis of those negative diagnoses, a project of participatory action and learning has been constructed, the goal of which is individual and structural empowerment of disadvantaged neighborhoods (communities) as well as action learning opportunities for social work/social pedagogy students. The locality development makes communities more effective in resisting the oppression of large municipal investments. The plan assumed a joint action (academics, practitioners, students, city officers, inhabitants) of rebuilding the historical and social pride of the communities and then including them as active and important elements of the city also in terms of the labor market and political power. Other important goals were a participatory model of social work education (field-based research learning) and an increase in social recognition of disadvantaged neighborhoods (political result).

Assessing the Level of Community Resilience to Drought in Kitui County, Kenya

In Kenya, arid and semi-arid lands are more affected by drought due to their fragile ecosystems and unfavorable climate. The main objective of this study was to determine the level of community resilience to drought in Kitui County, based on the conceptual framework of community resilience building to drought. The results indicate that social (F (860.969) =397, p = 0.000 &amp;lt; 0.05) and economic factors (F (5316.236) = 397, p = 0.000 &amp;lt; 0.05) significantly influenced community resilience to drought; however, environmental factors did not have much effect. The study recommends the need to adopt appropriate strategic policy options for enhancing community resilience to drought through capacity building on successful humanitarian aid interventions. The research findings will be beneficial to policy makers and stakeholders generally to improve strategies for enhancing community resilience to drought against the effects of climate change.

Building sustainable and resilient communities with landslide early warning systems: A review of best practices

Introduction. Landslides are an important natural phenomenon that can have significant impacts on human communities and the environment. They can cause property damage, injury, and loss of life, making it crucial to understand their potential hazards. Materials and Methods. In this study, a systematic search was performed on Scopus database to collect relevant literature on community-based landslide early warning systems from global sources. The search utilized various keywords, including “Integrated early warning system,” “landslide early warning systems,” “community-based early warning systems,” “people-centered early warning systems,” and “resilient early warning systems.” Additionally, the snowballing technique was employed to identify further literature from the reference lists of the initial papers obtained through the initial search. Results. Totally, 157 articles, including journal publications, manuals, guidelines, books, and early warning systems, were reviewed. To enhance the discussion and comprehension of integrated early warning systems, literature without a community-based aspect was also examined. The literature was categorized into different sections such as the significance of landslide early warning systems, definitions for community-based early warning systems, and community-based landslide early warning systems for various regions worldwide, such as Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America. The primary aim was to explore the utilization of community-based early warning systems by various stakeholders, including researchers, policymakers, and non-governmental organizations. Additionally, the literature on community-based landslide early warning systems was analyzed to identify methodologies used in designing the systems, which could be adapted to develop different technologies and methodologies in different regions of the world. Discussion. The given region-wise studies highlight the development and implementation of community-based landslide early warning systems (CBLEWS) in different parts of the world. These studies emphasize the importance of community involvement in the identification and management of landslide risks and the development and implementation of early warning systems. The papers present case studies that demonstrate the successful implementation of CBLEWS and its effectiveness in reducing the risk of landslides. Conclusion. The present paper emphasizes the importance of community engagement in the development and implementation of landslide early warning systems. Best practices in the establishment of such systems were reviewed, and community-based approaches were highlighted as crucial for disaster risk reduction efforts. It stresses the potential of early warning systems to prevent loss of life and property damage, promoting the creation of sustainable and resilient communities. Resume. While landslides pose a significant threat, particularly in resource-limited developing communities, Community-Based Landslide Early Warning Systems (CBLEWS) have emerged as a promising solution. This review highlights the effectiveness of CBLEWS in reducing fatalities, injuries, and infrastructure damage. Its success hinges on community participation and ownership. Suggestions for practical applications and future research directions. To empower communities facing landslides, successful CBLEWS models, hazard training, stakeholder collaboration, and context-specific warnings are crucial. Long-term impact studies, cost-benefit analyses, understanding social influences, integrating with other warning systems, exploring advanced technologies, and establishing global guidelines are key research areas for further strengthening CBLEWS and safeguarding communities.

Empowerment Muhamadiyah Reselience in Facing Disaster Through Mobilizing Local Wisdom Ideas

Abstract. This service aims to build community resilience in disaster-prone areas in West Palbapang Village, Bantul District, and Bantul Bantul Regency, Yogyakarta, through a number of activities to explore a number of local wisdoms owned by the Muhammadiyah Association in the development of disaster-resilient villages. The head of the Muhammadiyah Branch (PRM), Kadirojo, was chosen as the location of service to continue the disaster service program systematically. In the previous year, an assessment was carried out related to the readiness of PRM Kadirojo's human resources as an actor in the formation of disaster-resilient villages at the Palbapang Village level. It will continue to be possible to identify a variety of local wisdoms that PRM Kadirojo owns in this service, both in the superstructure dimension (ideas) and infrastructures like infrastructure facilities that support the creation of disaster-resilient villages. The community service method uses a constructivist approach from Peter L. Berger through three main activities: objectification in the form of preparing an illustrated guidebook on disaster-resilient village development governance; externalization in the form of a series of focus group discussions; and internalization in the form of training for trainers for Muhammadiyah and Aisyiyah Branch Leaders. All three activities are carried out collectively and interactively. The results of the community service showed that the participants were able to identify a number of disaster local wisdoms, such as Kokoh Bakoh, to be applied in the management of life in disaster-resilient villages.

The Big Scran: building community resilience through a volunteer movement in partnership with homelessness charity, Blue Triangle, and the Health and Social Care Partnership.&amp;nbsp;&#x0D;

Ben View Community Resource Centre has been a leading community anchor organisation within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board Area for two decades, diligently uniting the community by co-designing and building volunteering movements to meet community needs in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.&#x0D; In partnership with homelessness charity, Blue Triangle, and the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership, a new volunteering movement, entitled ‘The Big Scran’, has been created to provide essential practical support, food, heat and social interaction. In tandem, the partnership has addressed wider needs, effecting generational change for individuals and families, such as maximising income or supporting delivery of health outcomes.&#x0D; Ben View’s expertise in anticipating local needs and galvanising community resources positions them as expert. Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis and complex public health challenges facing the community, such as gender-based violence, substance misuse, youth homelessness and other population health themes, the partnership, including Blue Triangle and West Dunbartonshire HSCP are a force for good. Their approach addresses immediate needs (hunger, heat and social interaction) and affects generational change, taking a person-centred and trauma informed approach, building individual relationships, leveraging the skills, talents and local knowledge of volunteers, supporting translation of needs assessment into meaningful interventions.&#x0D; Against all the Social Determinants of Health, West Dunbartonshire fairs poorly internationally. The burden of depression, anxiety, mental illness, substance misuse, alcohol dependency, smoking and interpersonal violence are key drivers contributing to our burden of disease, more so in West Dunbartonshire. The impact of social isolation and loneliness on individual’s physical and mental wellbeing has been well documented. It increases the risk of stress, anxiety and depression and doubles the risk of dementia. &#x0D; The Health and Social Care Partnership understands that the status quo is no longer an option and that building a resilient and compassionate community of people, is essential to tackle the complex social justice challenges facing the population. The thought leadership from this initiative builds the compassionate community by creating and co-producing a new volunteering movement, in partnership with service delivery organisations and the Health and Social Care Partnership, which carries the statutory duty for health and social care.&#x0D; The relational approach to health improvement by creating a volunteering movement of local people, supported by known and respected local organisations, builds the community resilience required during the harsh global financial crisis. The success of this initiative has been such that other communities are now launching their own ‘Big Scran’.&#x0D; ‘The Big Scran’s’ processes and assets have been created to be transferable and scalable to all communities. Other communities across Scotland are using this model and their assets and to build similar partnerships and volunteer movements in their own areas. This fits with the policy landscape in Scotland and beyond and its desire to create and connect compassionate volunteering movements across Scotland and globe. The success and impact of the Big Scran movement is informed and sustained by people’s needs. All involved, recipients and volunteers positively gain from this replicable model.

Physical Activity Promotion in North Carolina: A Reassessment of Public Park and Recreation Directors

Regular physical activity is widely considered by public health and parks and recreation professionals as a key determinant of individual and community health and well-being. Prior research has shown that building sustainable health partnerships with community organizations can help parks and recreation departments meet many US health challenges. This study examined the perceptions of North Carolina public parks and recreation directors regarding physical activity and health partnership practices in their communities. Directors from two-hundred and seventy five North Carolina city and county parks and recreation departments were surveyed in the Spring of 2022 to determine 1) directors’ effort allocation in promoting physical activity toward vulnerable populations, 2) challenges associated with promoting community physical activity, and 3) differences in effort allocation, future priorities, and partnership among varying director and departmental demographics. Results were compared to findings from a 2007 study of NC perceptions of health partnerships, upon which the present study was based. One hundred and twenty three completed questionnaires were returned, resulting in a response rate of 45%. Directors in 2022 allocated similarly higher levels of effort toward older adults, families, and people with low income as did directors in 2007, while youth and adults with disabilities and people with chronic health conditions received lower allocations of effort from directors in 2022. Barriers such as lack of staff knowledge on how to promote physical activity, lack of citizen and political support, and lack of knowledge of under-represented groups’ physical activity preferences were less pronounced in 2022 compared to 2007. Several distinct differences were revealed between female and male directors’ rankings of effort and future priorities, as well as their perceptions of physical activity opportunities for women and people with disabilities. Partnerships with county health departments are being utilized more in counties with the highest health disparities compared to more healthy counties, indicating that partnerships are being targeted and implemented in areas where resources are most needed. This study represents a meaningful extension of research conducted prior to the 2008 Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic and provides recommendations for public parks and recreation departments to consider promoting physical activity and building community resilience in the face of future economic and health challenges.

Advancing shared accountability for meaningful community engagement with socially vulnerable communities: Lessons learned from COVID-19 health education and general outreach in an urban region.

As COVID-19 public health emergency measures come to an end, socially vulnerable communities have reduced access to resources that address social and health disparities created or exacerbated by the pandemic. Social workers must uphold access to healthcare as a human right in the post-pandemic era by reducing social vulnerability and strengthening community resilience to respond to future health emergencies and natural disasters. This paper draws on the experiences of a team of social work researchers, students, and practitioners engaged in efforts to disseminate information on COVID preventive measures and broker access to local health and social resources. This project, based in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, formed part of the federal research response to promote community engagement in regions most disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through participation in health fairs and community events that targeted persons with limited access to healthcare resources, we gathered critical insights on how to build community capacity for meaningful community engagement. Drawing on a conceptual model for evaluating community engagement strategies, we describe three main barriers to collaborative community outreach: weak organizational communication and coordination, inconsistent strategies for requesting on-site health services, and low neighborhood awareness of outreach events. We advance strategies for improvement that engage community-based organizations, health systems, backbone organizations, and community members in targeted activities to build community resilience. This includes inter-organizational communication during outreach event planning, formal processes to promote greater use of mobile health services, centralized event communication, and grassroots outreach event promotion.