Here are some different approaches advocates can use to make the most of the map in peer-facilitated groups to promote changes in our environment to support healthy eating and active living.
Story at the Center: Learn how the health issues and related systems impact a real person through a digital story, and see how that story represents a larger population and a more wide-spread issue:
- Zoom into a particular neighborhood, and then watch a story from that area. Use the digital story discussion guides to explore the themes of the story and help participants connect them to their lives. Use the map to examine the health issues, systems, and policies that are reflected in the story
- Choose a story based on a health issue, and then examine how that health issue plays out in different neighborhoods. Using the digital story guides, compare and contrast how the storyteller’s experience is similar or different to participants’ experience, and how the services and systems regarding this health issue are in their own neighborhood.
- Explore what changes have been made in King County to support issues raised in the story. What else still needs to change in the storyteller’s community? In your community?
Neighborhood Zoom: Examine and draw connections between the health issues and the services and systems of a particular area by zooming into a neighborhood:
- Who lives there? What are the demographics of the neighborhood? Take a look at income and ethnicities in the neighborhood.
- What health issues are affecting people who live in this area? Take a look at diabetes and obesity statistics
- What services or systems are set up currently related to these health issues?
- What changes have been made in this neighborhood to ensure healthy living for the residents? What kinds of changes need to be made?
Compare and contrast: Zoom out city- or county-wide or compare particular neighborhoods/cities:
- How are the demographics different across neighborhoods or cities in King County? (income, education level, ethnicity)?
- Take a look at data on a health issue. How are the data different across the different neighborhoods?
- Examine a system related to a particular health issue. (i.e. access to physical activity) What differences do you see between the neighborhoods for that service or system?
- Consider what kinds of changes are happening to support healthy living in your neighborhood or city. How does it compare to other neighborhoods or cities in King County?
Are policies working? Examine a particular policy recently enacted in King County. What systems or services were developed to address this policy? For example, some farmer markets have started accepting WIC and food stamps.
- You can learn more about local policy efforts to support healthy eating and active living here.
- Examine the systems and services related to the policy in a particular neighborhood. What evidence is available to show that the policy is in action? What gaps do you see?
- Examine the systems and services city-wide. How are they distributed across the city? What gaps do you see?
- What can you and your community do to make this change more effective? Check out some ideas for using our map to make changes.
