adults
Health Promoters
Community health promoters are a vital part of the work of Diverse and Resilient. From ages 18 through 76, they work in local communities – even micro communities – to address the health promotion and disease prevention needs of LGBT people. Health promoters receive training and provide valuable insights into community health needs. They engage individuals and small groups in health discussions that seek to change the health norms for LGBT people in tobacco use, alcohol and drug use, mental health, violence, HIV and access to health care.
Since 2001 adult community health promoters at Diverse and Resilient have focused on issues of minority health, tobacco use, and intimate partner violence.
Rm2breathe is a good example of the health promoter model used by Diverse and Resilient. In Eau Claire, La Crosse, Madison, and Milwaukee teams of health promoters were trained in topics related to tobacco use and tobacco use cessation. They also practiced skills in interviewing people to assess their interest in changing their tobacco use behaviors or, if not smokers, in making more explicit in their homes what their tobacco use preferences are. The health promoters are supported locally by an LGBT organization, like OutReach in Madison or SAGE in Milwaukee, and receive from Diverse and Resilient a small monthly stipend to cover their transportation expenses. They also receive t-shirts, business cards, and a variety of small incentives all with the rm2breathe logo. Their overall job is two-fold: to aid current smokers to find a quit group and/or web-based supports for smoking cessation and to help all LGBT people change community norms about smoking.
While some rm2breathe health promoters have been a part of the project for three years, other projects offer opportunities for much shorter (but high intensity) health promotion activity. For example, Be ABLE uses both long term health promoters and PrideFest workers to let gay and bisexual Africa American men know about HIV prevention programs and to encourage them to get an HIV test while at PrideFest. The health promoters at Pride generally work one to three four-hour shifts. Their interview and record keeping duties are more intensive than some of the other health promoter programs. However, many find this level of engagement ideal because it concentrates their efforts in a shorter period of time.
Benefits of community health promoters to Wisconsin LGBT people and communities are significant. In addition to the obvious development of awareness built by these health workers about important health topics, community health promoters expand the reach of public health with little if any additional resources. Once trained these individuals remain a community asset that is knowledgeable about a particular health disparity; they also become more general community assets in their interests and concrete behaviors that support wellness and pride in community. For some, particularly those whose employment histories have been less than optimal, community health promotion has been a resume builder. A few have even joined the ranks of the public health workforce.
In 2010 Diverse and Resilient engaged 85 health promoters in six Wisconsin cities.
If you are age 18 or older and live in the Appleton, Eau Claire, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, or Milwaukee area, contact Diverse and Resilient and let us know about your interest to join the ranks of community health promoters.
