The North Devon and Exmoor Regeneration Company

Healthy options – Community Focus

Healthy Options is a two year outreach programme combining health promotion with community development. The project commenced in April 2006 targeting rural communities and hidden population groups across Northern Devon.

The project
The purpose of the project is to improve health and address the wider determinants which often lead to social exclusion.

It is intended to reach out to rural communities and hidden population groups via a community based learning programme offering:

• education and training
• support and guidance
• advice and mentoring

It is also envisaged that local community champions will emerge and community projects/social enterprises will be developed, thereby enabling sustainability to be maintained.

Objectives
The objectives are to:

1. Build knowledge and understanding of health and social well-being across the diverse communities within North Devon.
2. Bring together a wider spectrum of agencies that can offer support, advice and guidance through a series of workshops and learning opportunities.
3. Promote the nutritional and financial benefits of accessing local food and the development of co-operative allotments.
4. Encourage the growth of community projects/social enterprise initiatives as well as develop a community “cookbook” and interactive website.
5. Recruit community champions with a lead role to develop community projects and networks.

For further information follow the links to the right or contact the Healthy Options team at:

Healthy Options Community Focus

Christchurch
Bear Street
Barnstaple
Devon
EX32 7BU

tel: 01271 325696