Creating healthy communities together is the continuing focus of Annapolis Valley Health as it embarks on developing its next strategic plan. Although the focus isn’t new to the health authority, President and CEO Janet Knox says that giving it voice and taking a new approach to informing the next strategic plan will make a great difference.
“The experiences and opinions of residents of the Annapolis Valley will play a great role in helping us determine where are our priorities will be over the next three years,” she says. “We’ve created opportunities for people to share what’s important to them and to let us know their ideas about what creating healthy communities means to them.”
The AVH Choicebook is one tool the health authority has put in place. The AVH Choicebook, which is available atwww.annapolisvalleyhealth.ca/plan, as well as in hard copy at public libraries in the Valley, presents information and strategies and allows the reader to then share how important each is to them and their community.
“What we hear from the results of the Choicebook will help us determine what’s important for people in our communities and also help us identify needs and opportunities,” she says.
Residents are also able to share their own stories and ideas through an online tool, along with hard copies of the documents available at public libraries. “It’s important to us that these feedback tools are accessible to people in our communities and we’re delighted that the public libraries have partnered with us. Residents can access these tools online at the libraries or fill out a booklet.”
Knox says the AVH Choicebook and Share Your Story/Idea tools will be available until early March.
“We really hope this process allows us to hear more from the community. We want to make informed decisions about the direction of our next three years and we’ll be sharing what we heard and the plans that result.”
Residents are encouraged to participate in a way that is most meaningful to them. Information and links are available at www.annapolisvalleyhealth.ca/plan.
