About Health Promotion

Health promotion is the process of supporting people to increase control over the factors that influence their health and quality of life. It places emphasis on changing the environment to enable behaviour to change.

Health promotion draws on principles such as social change, empowerment, community participation, equity and partnerships and alliances between groups. Source: Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand

How health promotion is used

In Aotearoa New Zealand health promotion practice takes account of te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi, the country's founding contract between Māori and the Crown) and the 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion.

Health promotion addresses health issues in context by recognising that many individual, social and environmental factors interact to influence health. Health promotion searches for ways to explain how these factors interact in order to plan and act for the greatest health gain.

Our role in health promotion

We have been involved in health promotion in many ways. Firstly within our own organisation by creating a flexible, fun and respectful work environment. We have also supported community initiatives like Frocks on Bikes initiated by two of our staff members Jude Ball and Louise Thornley. As a member of the Sustainable Business Network we are committed to applying sustainability principles in our workplace.

We have worked with a variety of organisations on health promotion projects and provide training in health promotion in conjunction with the University of Otago, Wellington.

Health promotion experience

We have assisted many organisations with health promotion projects and training.

In 2006 we established a health promotion training course specifically for Primary Health Organisations (PHOs) developed in conjunction with the University of Otago, Wellington and Capital PHO. We have provided tailored training courses for many PHOs including Capital, Karori, Aoraki, Valley and Mid Valley, Wairarapa, Manawatu and Ropata.

We have been involved in a number of strategic and operational reviews of health promotion. In 2007 we assisted the Healthy Populations Group of the Hawke's Bay District Health Board (DHB) strengthen its focus on providing strategic advice and population health development to the DHB and its resident population. This involved reviewing the health promotion as part of the review and future planning of the Healthy Populations Group.

If you would like to know more about health promotion and how we can help you please contact Carolyn Watts.

Health Promotion Links:

Health Promotion Forum