The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #64351

Rebecca Aced-Molina, MA, Independent Consultant, 1395 10th Avenue #12, San Francisco, CA 94122, 415-681-9136, ramconsultant@hotmail.com and Sandra M Witt, DrPH, Community Assessment, Planning and Education Unit, Alameda County Public Health Department, 1000 Broadway, Suite 500, Oakland, CA 94607.

Leadership and social capital have emerged over the last decade as significant contributing factors to a community’s capacity to affect public policy. However, both of these terms are still elusive and difficult to measure; therefore challenging for public health professionals to encourage in their work. In Oakland California, a partnership between Alameda County Public Health Department (ACPHD), and the East Bay Asian Youth Center (EBAYC), has jointly developed promising practices that illustrate how local practitioners can encourage social capital and leadership development as strategies to affect policy change. In this presentation, authors from ACPHD and EBAYC will share findings from a participatory evaluation that assesses the impacts of a community organizing and leadership development program in the Lower San Antonio neighborhood in Oakland, California. We will outline the leadership development and organizing process step by step, and discuss how the approach allowed community voices to be heard in reform efforts of police and probation departments, juvenile justice, and neighborhood services. Initial evaluation findings indicate more than just successful policy reform, but personal transformation, empowerment and stronger social networks among involved community members. Presenters will outline evaluation methodologies and special considerations given various cultural groups, (Mien, Latina, Vietnamese, and African-American) involved in this policy change effort. In conclusion, we will propose a strong case for supporting community organizing and leadership development in advancing policy reform and make clear recommendations to other public health professionals regarding how to define, encourage and measure links between social capital, leadership development and policy change.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, the participant, (learner), will be able to:
• · Define Social Capital, Leadership Development and Community Organizing as they relate to policy change efforts.
• · Understand different methods of evaluating leadership, social capital and policy change.
• · Articulate and adapt a step-by-step process of community organizing and leadership development, in a multi-cultural context, to change policy; using neighborhood safety as an example.

Keywords: Policy/Policy Development, Community Capacity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Alameda County Public Health Department/Community Assessment Planning and Education, and the East Bay Asian Youth Center.
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.