Principles of Engagement

Engagement is a process for working collaboratively with partners, such as patients, healthcare providers, public health leaders, policymakers, and communities. The Center for Community Health (CCH) embraces the use of many forms of engagement, such as informing, consulting, involving, collaborating, and empowering. These forms of engagement should span research, education, service, and policy change, with the ultimate goal of achieving translatable and sustainable solutions that improve health. Although our approaches may vary, the center endorses five overriding principles of engagement in all that we and others do. These principles, developed in collaboration with CCH partners and collaborators, are the foundation for trusting relationships and sustainable partnerships, ensuring that collaboratively identified goals are achieved in ways that are rewarding for all partners.

Collaboration

Meaningfully and mutually working toward partnership’s shared vision
Valuing sustained relationships and trust building
Developing capacity of all partners

Respect

Recognizing the validity of diverse perspectives, cultures, priorities, and needs
Focusing on community priorities
Listening
Following through on commitments

Equity

Sharing power, resources, and decision-making in an agreed-upon manner
Building on partner strengths and assets
Addressing conflicts with an open mind and commitment to fair resolution

Transparency

Having clear, frequent, honest, and open communications
Making the goals and priorities of all collaborators explicit
Having a clear decision making process
Using language understood by all partners

Impact

Findings are shared with partners and collaborators in ways they can use them
Leading to meaningful/sustainable outcomes that are tangible, feasible, and relevant to improving community health
Focusing on potential benefit for all partners

For a pdf version of our principles, you can download them here.