By Dana Richardson, President & CEO, Community Health Improvement Partners
Community Health Improvement Partners recently certified 10 new Resident Leadership Academy (RLA) Facilitators into the RLA model of community engagement in public health.
The Resident Leadership Academy is a 10-session curriculum-based, public health leadership program that focuses on topics such as crime prevention and safety, land use, active transportation, and healthy food systems. Participants assess their neighborhoods, determine and prioritize needs, and implement a Community Improvement Project to support physical activity and healthy eating.
Cohort 11 was the third group in the county to complete the RLA workshop. The RLA training series takes place over five weeks, and was conducted from Jan. 25 to Feb. 24, 2023. It is intensive and highly rewarding for the graduates. The overall rating for the training was 4.63 out of 5, and completion of Cohort 11 brings the total number of RLA trainers in the county to more than 175.
Cohort 11 graduates included representatives of the following organizations: Bayside Community Center, Community Housing Works, Casa Familiar, CHIP Recovery Residence Association, Institute for Public Strategies, International Rescue Committee, County of San Diego, and Vista Community Clinic.
Cohort 11 participants made these remarks about the program:
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Thorough information
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The instructors were great, supportive, flexible and helpful and replied any time I needed help or had questions.
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I liked that the training was virtual and there were many articles, training videos, and PowerPoints. Content-wise, there was a lot of information and it was understandable.
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The breakdown of the class material was in-depth and specific. It was easy to digest.
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Engagement and discussion.
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I believe that the whole training went very well. The information was delivered in an energetic fashion.
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The interaction between participants and trainers was so great.
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Thanks for providing the opportunity to attend such a great training.
After completing the RLA workshop, a majority of individuals improved their knowledge assessment scores significantly, as demonstrated by the pre- and post-test results (nine out of 10).
RLA graduates are now equipped with new knowledge and access to a support network to help them lead community improvement projects throughout the County of San Diego.
To learn more about RLA opportunities, community residents may contact Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) at chipinfo@sdchip.org or call 858-609-7960 or visit https://www.sdchip.org/initiatives/resident-leadership-academy/.