In 2004, EDRCN secured funding from a range of sources to hire a Community & Health Development Team. The Community & Health Development team now consists of:

• A Community & Health Development Worker for Downpatrick / Lecale;
• A Community & Health Development Worker for Ballynahinch / Crossgar;
• A Community & Health Development Worker for Newcastle / Castlewellan;
• An Administrator to support the work of the 3 workers.

This expanded team allows the Network to work with more groups around the district on a wider range of issues. Our work is guided by the Investing for Health Strategy, the overarching aims of which are:

1. To improve the health of our people by increasing the length of their lives and increasing the number of years they spend free from disease, illness and disability.
2. To reduce inequalities in health between geographical areas, socio-economic and minority groups.

Specifically, Investing for Health aims to:

1. To reduce poverty in families with children
2. To enable all people and young people in particular to develop the skills and attitudes that will give them the capacity to reach their full potential and make healthy choices.
3. To promote mental health and emotional well-being at individual and community level.
4. To offer everyone the opportunity to live and work in a healthy environment and to live in a decent affordable home.
5. To improve our neighbourhoods and wider environment
6. To reduce accidental injuries and deaths in the home, workplace and from collisions on the road

7. To enable people to make healthier choices

In addition to the services that EDRCN normally delivers , the Community & Health Development team can also help you with the following:

Talking to Kids about Tough Issues
Programme for Parents looking at how to listen and talk to your children to build protective factors against damaging influences such as substance abuse.

'Need to Know' Training
For Youth Leaders or people working with children especially over 11's to enable you to deliver sessions to children on Smoking Prevention & Cessation, Sexual Health, Healthy Eating, Care in the Sun and Alcohol Misuse. This training has been devised by Ulster Cancer Foundation and looks at all aspects of cancer prevention.

Nutrition
Talks on Nutrition/Healthy Eating for all age groups.

Health Programme Development
We can help you organise Health Programmes incorporating aspects of all of the above to be run locally.

Health Needs Analysis Project
To find out what the priority health needs of communities in Down District are, we are working on a Health Needs Analysis with our groups. If you are interested in letting us know what you see as the Health Needs of your community, you can fill in our Health Survey Online .

Sexual Health

Physical Activity

Or if you have any other ideas for a Health Programmes, do contact us and we will be able to point you in the right direction.