Community Engagement Guide

Vermont Department of Health
Health Equity Integration Team
Spring 2024

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Contents

Purpose ..................................................................................................................4

Community Engagement is Health Equity ......................................................4

Who do we mean by Community? ...................................................................5

Community Participation Continuum ..............................................................7

Promising Practices for Community Engagement ....................................9

Common Barriers & Potential Solutions ..................................................... 11

Evaluating Your Community Engagement Efforts ........................... 17

Checklist: Community Engagement........................................................ 18

Worksheet: Identifying Community ........................................................... 19

Relationship Challenges & Tools for Support .......................................... 20

Closing ............................................................................................................... 22

Community Engagement Continuum Resources ............................ 23

Acknowledgments

This resource is adapted from the Washington State Department of Health. Many thanks for their
permission to adapt this framework. We also extend our gratitude to the Health Equity Action Team (HEAT),
who wrote Recommendations for Community Engagement in December 2019. We have included their
content as well.

If a project collects data and involves research, there are different processes and responsibilities
outlined in the Agency of Human Services’ Institutional Review Board (IRB). For more information,
visit the AHS IRB webpage and the Department’s Guide to Data Standards & Systems.

Cover Page Art: Flood by Vermont Artist Amjed Jumaa

Photograph by Jazmin Quaynor

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Back to table of contents

Purpose

This guide is intended to support Vermont Department of Health staff in working with the
community. No matter how much experience you have, we hope you find ways to deepen your
work with community members and community partners. You do not have to read the guide in
order. We hope that you use the Table of Contents to jump to sections that feel most relevant to
your work.

This guide does not intend to offer a quick fix for repairing relationships with community partners
who  have  been  harmed  by  government  systems. It is intended  to  support  Health  Department
staff in building mutually beneficial partnerships.

Figure 1. Crosswalk Equity Graphic, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Community Engagement is Health Equity

Health equity exists when all people have a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
This especially includes those who have experienced socioeconomic disadvantage, historical
injustice, and other avoidable systemic inequalities that are often associated with social categories
of race, gender identity, ethnicity, social position, sexual orientation, and disability status.1

We know that health equity and community engagement are inextricably linked: co-creating
programs, processes, and policy with community organizations and individual community members
is essential to public health and benefits everyone. For example, curb cutouts benefit those who
use mobility devices as well as many other individuals, including those who use strollers and
bicycles (Figure 1).

1 VDH Health Equity Integration Glossary

Communities know what they need based on their lived
experience. By working together, we will be more
effective. Community Engagement is the process of working
collaboratively with and alongside groups of people to
address issues that impact their wellbeing. Groups may be
affiliated by location, race, ethnicity, age, occupation, lived
experience, interest in particular problems or outcomes. It
often involves partnerships and coalitions that help
mobilize resources and influence systems, change
relationships among partners, and serve as catalysts for
changing policies, programs, and practices.2

As you review this document, you may come across terms
that are unfamiliar. A glossary is available on the Health
Equity Integration SharePoint. Language is constantly
changing and evolving. We all have a responsibility to do
our own homework to understand health equity terms and
concepts and put them into practice, especially when we
engage with community.

Compensation

It is imperative that
community members are
compensated for their time
when informing programs and
policies. The Planning Team
has developed a standard
operating procedure to ensure
compensation is consistent
and sustainable across the
Department. We recommend
visiting the HIVE for more
information about
compensation, including
examples of programs within
the Health Department who
are doing so successfully.

This guide is intended to support you in answering many of
the questions that arise when engaging with community members or organizations, including:
• How and when can we engage the community in a project?
• Who is missing from our decision-making tables or services? What may be contributing to this

exclusion?

• Have communities (communities of color, LGBTQIA+ people, disabled people/people with

disabilities) been inequitably impacted or denied access by similar or related projects in the
past?

• How will we ensure those least likely to be involved are engaged in our decision-making

processes and services?

Who do we mean by Community?

The Health Department engages communities on many different levels. Sometimes programs
collaborate directly with community members. Other times, we seek community participation
through collaborations with partners, organizations, and other agencies. By ensuring that our
engagement with communities is equitable and inclusive, we reduce the risk of making decisions
that could unintentionally negatively affect communities, especially those that are under-resourced.
Decisions about policies, programs, and the distribution of resources are best when they are made
in partnership with the people they affect.

2  Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Here are examples of types of communities and partners the Department has engaged in the past.

Community Members

Groups of individuals who share something in common. Communities can be defined by
location, race, ethnicity, age, occupation, lived experience, interest in particular problems or
outcomes, or other common bonds. Sometimes, community members may be identified as
people who have received or taken part in services directly offered by the Health Department.

Example: A collective of people with disabilities that meets as an organized group. Some of these individuals
serve on the board for other local organizations that prioritize the needs of people with disabilities, while
others individually respond to these issues.

Community Partners

Organizations, agencies, or community groups that represent community members and in
relationship with the Health Department. This relationship can include program planning or
development, a grant agreement, being part of a committee, etc. We form partnerships to
ensure comprehensive, broad-based improvement of health outcomes within communities.

Example: A Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color-led organization that the Health Department invites to
serve on a committee and is currently not in a grant relationship with the Department.

Working Partners

Working partners are people or groups who have an interest in a project, activity, or course of
action in the health of the community and local public health system.3  This includes people
and organizations that benefit from or participate in delivering services that promote the
public's health and overall well-being. They may be community partners. They may also include
partners working on a project or program who are involved in or knowledgeable about a topic,
but who do not truly represent community members, like a hospital system.

Example:  A  local  shelter  has  expressed  concerns  about  the  gap  in  services  to  meet  the  needs  of
unhoused individuals who are too ill to recover from a physical illness or injury on the streets but are not ill
enough to be in a hospital. The housing organization and the local health system meet with the Vermont
Department of Health to create a medical respite bed program in their district.

A note about the word “stakeholders”

In  this  guide,  we  have  chosen  not  to  use  the  word  “stakeholder,”  due  to  its  origins  in  colonialism  that  harm
indigenous communities to this day. We use working partners and impacted parties, depending on context. “In a
colonial context, a stakeholder was the person who drove a stake into the land to demarcate the land 
occupying/ stealing from Indigenous territories. Continued use of the term can be construed as disrespectful of
Indigenous people as well as perpetuating colonization and re-traumatization.” - Research Impact Canada

3 https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/Preferred_Terms.html

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Community Participation Continuum

Many different types of activities constitute community engagement. The chart on the next page
provides an overview of different methods of community engagement. The activities are listed along
the top, and on the left of the top row are state-led activities. As you move to the right, the
engagement activities become increasingly led by the community. This means communities take
the lead in identifying priorities, overall direction, and decision making.

There’s more information available on each topic listed in the continuum. Simply click the link at
the top of every row and it will bring you to specific information, resources, and activities about
each topic.

Looking at the Continuum on the next page, where do most of your interactions with community
members and community partners fall? Remember, the goal is to foster and support community-
driven engagement and partnership whenever possible.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Adapted from the CDC’s Community Engagement Continuum (1997) and the Health Equity Action Team (HEAT) Subcommittee,
Recommendations for Community Engagement in December 2019.

Inform

Consult

Involve

Collaborate

Share Power

Moving toward
community led
work & sharing
power

Purpose

Communication
Direction

Led by state
State holds power

Led by state
State holds power

Led by state
State holds power

Co-led
Power is shared

Led by community
Community holds power

Share information, listen
for understanding, and
clarify information

Get and incorporate
feedback

Ensure community
needs and interests are
considered

Partner and share
decision-making power

Support and follow the
community’s lead

One-way communication

One-way communication

Two-way
communication

Two-way
communication

Two-way
communication

Works to…

Address immediate needs
or issues

Inform the development
of state programs

Advance solutions to
complex problems

Advance solutions to
complex problems

Engagement
Methods





Town halls

Community meetings

 Media, Social Media

 Materials

 Website

 Newsletters



Press releases

Listening sessions
Focus groups
Interviews
Surveys





 Working partner

groups
Public comment


 Workshops








Audience and user
testing
Advisory groups
Steering
committees
Community
conversations







Collective impact

Coalition building

Partnership building

 Workgroups

Problems and solutions
are defined by the
community







Attend community
meetings
Serve on
community-led
advisory boards
Provide funding,
data, & technical
assistance

 Develop testimony

& policies

Promise

We will keep you informed
about our project.

We will listen to you and
incorporate your
feedback into our project

We will make sure your
concerns and needs
are reflected in our
project.

We will work with you to
plan this project.

We will implement the
project you come up
with.

When to use

There is no alternative
because of urgency,
regulatory reasons, or legal
boundaries.

You want to improve an
existing service or
program but the options
for change are limited.

You need community
perspective and buy-in
to implement the
project successfully.

Community members
have a strong desire to
participate, and you
have the time to
develop a partnership.

Community members
want to own the project,
and you are committed
to a long-term
relationship.

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Promising Practices for Community Engagement

Community engagement can be complex. These practices will help cultivate trusting
relationships and authentic partnership.

Do your research about the community.

It’s important to be familiar with the community’s culture, norms, values, power and political
structures, economic conditions, social networks, demographic trends, and history. Additionally,
become aware of the community’s history of collaborating with other programs at the Health
Department, other agencies, and our partners, including barriers faced in engaging with us.

Do your research about yourself.

Before engaging with a community or potential partner, check your biases, privileges, and
limitations.

• What assumptions or stereotypes do you hold about this community?
• How could your assumptions negatively impact your interactions or efforts?
• How do your cultural norms and values compare with those of the community?

Get active consent.

You will need at least verbal consent for most methods of engagement. There are additional written
consent forms participants will need to complete if you plan to use audio recordings, video
recordings, take photos, or include people under the age of 18. It’s important to allow people to opt
in, even if they’re “in public” or other spaces where one might assume assent.

Allow community members to self-identify.

Remember that our cultural identities are dynamic. How people identify is a personal choice and the
people we engage are both individuals and members of various groups. Some communities and
people we strive to reach may have intersectional identities, which means they are members of
more than one group that has been historically marginalized or oppressed.

Prioritize unheard perspectives.

Give space and power to the perspectives of those whose voices are least heard. Listen with the
intent to take action on the needs expressed by the community. Recognize that individuals have
different perspectives, and no perspective should be valued more than another.

Value others’ time.

We should never expect community members to volunteer their time or expertise. Show that you
value what they bring to your project through compensation, reimbursement, or support for one of
their priorities.

Avoid tokenism.

People should never be expected to speak on behalf of, or represent, an entire community.

Recognize strengths and assets.

Even communities that experience the greatest health and economic inequities have strengths,
assets, and resources that should be acknowledged and leveraged.

Be proactive.

If you are working on a specific project or trying to address certain health issues, reach out to
potential partners and community members as early as possible.

Ensure communication is ongoing.

Collaboration requires continual opportunities for conversation and sharing. Use two-way
communication methods that people are familiar with using. Text, Whatsapp messages, or
recurring Zoom meetings may be more accessible than email or Teams for some partners.

Be transparent.

Be honest and forthcoming about the purpose of your project and how you will use the input you
receive. Only make promises you can keep and make sure to follow through on your commitments.
Not following through can erode the trust you have worked hard to build.

Meet people where they are.

Be flexible in your approach. Go to the community — where members gather — and work to build
relationships and trust. Look for opportunities to immerse yourself in the community you are trying
to reach by attending community events and groups.

Be humble and understand that people with lived experience have the answers.

People know what their communities need.

Strong, strategic, long-term, and trusting relationships with community partners are
vital to advancing health equity and transforming public health practices. These
relationships must recognize each other’s strengths, be rooted in shared values and
interests, share decision making, and allow for authentic participation by those
facing inequities. - Human Impact Partners

Common Barriers & Potential Solutions

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The following pages illustrate common barriers to authentic community engagement and outline potential
solutions. There is not one approach that will solve or avoid all barriers for all communities. Ask the
community what ideas they have about barriers and work together to identify potential solutions.

Common Barrier: Competing Priorities

Do not expect that community members will be able to drop everything else in their
lives to participate in a Health Department project. They have full lives with many
responsibilities and commitments that may take priority. You may be able to
mitigate some of these competing priorities through thoughtful planning.

Potential Solutions:

 Family: If you plan to engage parents or caregivers in person, consider needs for

childcare or provide options for remote engagement.

 Food: The sharing of food to bring people together is common across many

cultures. If possible, bring healthy and culturally appropriate snacks or meals
when holding community meetings or listening sessions. Use your imagination:
some grants allow for snacks if food isn't the focus of the event. Others may
allow a grantee to provide food as part of the space rental. Ask community
members about dietary restrictions and preferences ahead of time. Label food
ingredients, including common allergens and foods like pork that people may
not eat due to religious observance.

 Work: Often, community members are not compensated for their time while

people who work for community partners and working partners may be able to
participate during work time. In these instances, people who work full-time may
prefer evenings or weekends.

 School: If engaging students or those within the academic community, consider
the time of year and school schedules. It may be difficult to engage during
school hours, the start of the school session, exam times, or school breaks.

 Offer virtual and asynchronous ways to participate or share feedback. If

community members are willing and able to share their contact information,
consider establishing an “e-partnership” relationship. This is often a wonderful
way to gain important insight that allows community members to provide
feedback during times that work for them.

Resource: Vermont Agency of Human Services Healthy Food Standards

Common Barrier: Distrust of Government

Communities may not trust government because of past historical injustices led by
governmental public health organizations, like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study or
eugenics and forced sterilization practices. Or they may have had personal negative
experiences interacting with the Health Department, other state agencies, or health-
related organizations.

Potential Solutions:

 Take the time to teach yourself about historical injustices or past experiences

that are impacting the community you are trying to reach.

 Recognize and own what has occurred in the past. Recognize how it impacts

you and the community today.

 What privileges do you have because of historical injustices? How may those

privileges impact your ability to engage certain communities?

 Commit to the time it will take to rebuild trust. Make sure to follow through on

all promises and commitments you make to the community.

Resource: Roots of Health Inequity, Public Health Timeline, National Association of County and City
Health Officials (NACCHO)

Common Barrier: Geographic and Physical Location

Consider the barriers for different communities for accessing in-person meetings.

•

Is transportation readily available?

• What is the physical space like? Is it accessible for assisted mobility devices?

• Are gender-neutral bathrooms available? Lactation facilities?

* For virtual meetings, see Technology Barriers below.

Potential Solutions:

 Meet people where they are (physically). Hold your event at a location where the

community regularly meets or gathers.

 In cities and towns where public transportation is available, choose a location

that is along the route.

 In rural communities, consider areas in the town center or near other locations

like a grocery store, post office, town hall, etc.

 Offer travel reimbursement and lodging.

 If you are organizing multiple events or meetings, consider holding them in

different locations.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

 Choose an accessible space. Ensure that the building can be accessed by those
who use wheelchairs, that chairs can comfortably accommodate bodies of all
sizes, that restrooms are gender neutral and accessible, and that signage is
clear and understandable.

Common Barrier: Government Jargon and Process

Government has its own language and way of doing things that may create
unintentional barriers for people outside our agency.

Potential Solutions:

 Use simple, clear language in all communications.

 Always spell or say out acronyms and be aware of overuse.

 Check assumptions about what aspects of our work are common knowledge.

Resource: How to Write Using Plain Language-Green Mountain Self Advocates

Common Barrier: Immigration Status

Some community members may hesitate to participate if their immigration status is
uncertain or at risk.

Potential Solutions:

 Ask community partners for guidance on how to make their community

members feel safe and included in your activity.

 Do not collect personal information from attendees.

 Consider co-facilitating the event with a trusted community leader or partner.

 Prioritize advocating for gift cards as an option when compensating community

members, without requiring a W-9 when possible.

Common Barrier: Inaccessibility

No matter what kind of community engagement activity is being conducted, people
will not be able to show up unless you can accommodate their needs. Community
members may not always ask for accommodations in advance.

Potential Solutions:

 Plan for accessibility from the beginning.

 Invite community members and organizations to share their access needs up
front. Include it as part of the RSVP or invitation. This can include language
access like translation or interpretation, physical needs like an elevator or
chairs that can accommodate people of all sizes, visual descriptions, etc.

 Let community members know what to expect from the beginning. You can list
parking and walking distances, if there are steps or an elevator and where they
are located, where accessible bathrooms are located, etc.

Resource: Accessible and Inclusive Communications Policy Meeting

Accessibility Guide

Common Barrier: Intercommunity Dynamics

It may be inappropriate to bring all the members of one community together in a
shared space because of inter-community relationships, power structures, or other
norms.

Potential Solutions:

 Do your research ahead of time to learn about any potential intercommunity

dynamics that may create barriers for some members to engage.

 Learn from other organizations and the Health Department programs who have

worked with the same community in the past.

 Talk with community leaders and other partners to get their perspective.

 Consider who in the community is disempowered within status-quo power
structure. Follow up with community members that are not in positions of
leadership.

Common Barrier: Lack of Cultural Awareness and Responsiveness

Some communities may have cultural values that are different than yours. You may
need to design your engagement in a way that ensures all members are able to
participate.

For example:

• Would you be more effective in engaging youth with or without their parents

present?

• Would it be supportive to meet with people with different gender identities

separately (such as religious groups or survivors of violence)?

Potential Solutions:

 Be mindful of cultural and religious observances and events when choosing a
meeting date and time. Do not choose a date if it conflicts. You can add a
religious and cultural observances calendar to your Outlook or other calendar.

 Ask community leaders or key informants how to best adapt your approach to

engage community members.

Resource: SOV - Cultural Observances Calendar managed by the Office of Racial Equity

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Common Barrier: Language

Provide language access services to participants.

This includes community members who:

• Communicate in a language other than English.

• Have vision or hearing access needs.

Potential Solutions:

 Identify the language needs of your community. Talk to community leaders and

community liaisons, and review language data.

 Translate all meeting materials and announcements into the top languages

spoken within the area or community.

 Let people know ahead of time that interpretation services will be available for

the event or meeting.

 Arrange for interpretation services at no cost to participants, including sign

language and real-time translation services.

 If virtual, enable live captioning and provide instructions for how to turn it on.

Resource: Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS), Vermont AOT Equity
Framework Web Map

Common Barrier: Our Own Implicit Bias

Implicit bias refers to the negative opinions, assumptions, and associations that
people hold without knowing it. Our biases can affect how we interact with others
and our relationships with community members.

Potential Solutions:

 Do your research about yourself before engaging with any community you are

not a member of.

 Commit to continuous, critical self-reflection.

 Be humble, respectful, and honest. Admit mistakes when you make them.

Resource: Project Implicit, Harvard University

Common Barrier: Stigma

Stigma can prevent some communities from participating. It may include feelings of
shame around certain conditions like people living with HIV or survivors of violence.

Addressing stigma can also support a person's safety. Attending a public meeting
for people with particular lived experiences can "out" folks and risk their safety .

Potential Solutions:

 Be mindful of how stigma may impact those you’re trying to reach.

 Ensure that people can participate in programs or projects without others being

aware. Do not post large signs outside a venue advertising the event.

 Design and promote a confidentiality policy. Are there options to be anonymous
or use only a first name? What are the expectations for other attendees?

Common Barrier: Technology Barriers

Remote and online engagement can work well for some communities. For other
communication, technological barriers may be challenging to overcome.

Potential Solutions:

 Choose a platform your participants are familiar with. If this is not possible,
provide written guidance and support in advance specific to the platform.

 Consider hosting a tech check before the event for hosts and attendees to

practice.

 Provide a call-in number so people can participate by phone instead of using

internet or data.

 Review information about the technology requirements ahead of time to make

sure they are clear, straightforward, and not overly burdensome.

 Ensure tech support is available before and during the event. Provide attendees

with information on who to contact if they are having trouble.

Common Barrier: Time

Some of the logistical aspects of community engagement take time. Plan
accordingly and adapt your timeframe as needed to meet the needs of the
community.

Potential Solutions:

 Think about the daily schedules of the people you’re trying to engage.

 Use an existing community meeting. Research when and where community

members are already coming together, and whether it is appropriate to ask for
time in their meeting space. A great place to start is visiting the organization in
person and establishing a relationship!

 If you will be hiring a vendor for your project, allow three months for the

contracting process.

If a project involves research, allow 3 to 4 months for approval from the Institutional Review Board.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

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Evaluating Your Community Engagement Efforts

You can routinely evaluate the effectiveness of your relationships and partnerships by developing an
evaluation plan together. Below are example evaluation questions for you to consider.

Sample Questions

How was the need for this project identified?

Before

Does the structure and process allow for all voices to be heard,
especially those impacted by historical and present-day injustices?

Before

During

How do you plan to support your partners or community members? What
training, information or resources will they need?

Before

During

How do you plan to intentionally provide space for those impacted by
injustices for their issues to be heard and addressed?

Before

During

How does the community measure/define success?

Before

During

After

How does the group make decisions?

How are conflicts or disagreements handled?

Who leads the engagement efforts, meetings, or events?

How are community members involved in developing the project?

During

During

During

During

How did you ensure your community engagement effort was culturally
and linguistically responsive?

Before

During

After

Who came up with the project goals and plan?

What strategies did you use to ensure all voices were heard?

Did your partners feel supported? What could be improved?

How did you loop back to the community to thank them and let them
know next steps and the impact of their involvement?

After

After

After

After

Checklist: Community Engagement

The following checklist can be used to support your Community Engagement Plan.

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Before:

□ Review the Key Principles of community engagement. Learn about the community and

reflect on any biases, assumptions, or privileges you have.

□ Identify the community members, community partners, or working partners you wish to

engage, and reach out as early as possible.

□ Notify District Offices of Local Health touched by your effort and involve them as appropriate.

□ Choose a method, place, date, and time of engagement that are culturally and linguistically

appropriate.

□ Review state ethics laws and ethical research guidelines and follow any applicable

processes.

□ Create an evaluation plan with the community or partners based on how they would

measure or define success.

During:

□ Get feedback from community leaders on your method, questions, and approach.

□ Identify potential barriers, access needs, and make a plan to mitigate them to ensure equal

opportunity for participation.

□ Intentionally listen, give value to all voices and perspectives, and prioritize space for those

impacted by injustices.

□ Only make promises you can keep. Be honest and forthcoming about what you can do with

the feedback you receive.

□ Evaluate the effectiveness of your partnership or community engagement effort during the

project and adjust as needed to structure, membership, and processes.

After:

□ Gather feedback from the community or partners about how the project went and use their

perspectives to inform your evaluation.

□ Share the results and next steps with the community, partners, and other Health programs.

□ Reflect on what can be improved for your future community engagement efforts.

□ Stay connected in order to maintain a long-term relationship.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Worksheet: Identifying Community

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The first step in state-led community engagement activities is to identify the community members
or partners you wish to engage. A health issue or public health project can impact many different
communities. Use this worksheet for each unique community.

• What is the specific project or health issue you are trying to address?

• Who may be impacted by this project?

• Who are your current partners?

o Do they reflect the communities you’re trying to serve?

o Are they respected within the community?

o How effective is your existing partnership?

o What are their priorities, needs, interests, resources, and assets?

• Who else is engaged in addressing this health issue?

o Who are your potential new partners?

o Do they reflect the communities you’re trying to serve?

o Are they respected within the community?

• Who interacts regularly with the community you are trying to reach?
• How will you ensure the community you are trying to reach is involved?
• What power or political structures could impact the community’s willingness to participate?

How will you actively address these power structures? What support do you need?
• What existing networks do you or other Health Department programs have that can be

leveraged?

Resource: Policy and Budget Impact Assessment Tool, Office of Racial Equity

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Relationship Challenges & Tools for Support

It can be tough to predict at the beginning of a partnership how it’s going to go, even if you’ve
carefully planned and used this guide to inform your process. Relationships with community
organizations or members can be complex and navigating challenging relationships is far more
nuanced than what can be offered in a guide. Here are some ideas that we hope will be supportive
if you find yourself in this situation. We also encourage you to work with your supervisor and the
Office of Health Equity Integration for support.

Set expectations.

• Often, we enter partnerships assuming we are all on the same page about what our roles

and responsibilities are going to look like. That can set us up for failure because
mismatched expectations can become wider divisions.

• Begin by co-creating a Community Engagement Partner Agreement, set of Meeting

Agreements, or by sharing expectations. The Office of
Health Equity Integration has a document on Creating
Meeting Agreements on the HIVE. A Community
Engagement Partner Agreement could outline roles and
responsibilities, mutually agreed upon norms, and how
conflict will be handled.

Be consistent.

• Building trust takes time and consistency. You’re not

going to be able to “make” anyone trust you or the system
when they’ve been shown the opposite. It’s unfair and
unrealistic.

Partner Agreements should
also include when supervisors
will be involved. When there
are challenges in a
partnership, both Health
Department and Community
staff should feel supported.
Sometimes, staff may need
support and coaching to do
community engagement well.

• What you can do as an individual person is to show up and show that you are trustworthy. It
will not make someone trust the Health Department as a whole. It will begin to build trust
between two individuals.

• Show up with cultural humility and for collaboration. You can’t just show up to further your

own needs and goals.

Revisit Expectations.

• When things begin to feel off in the partnership, revisit expectations that were set in the
beginning. If there were no expectations set, offer to discuss and set them now. This step
can always be revisited and revised.

•

Identify common goals and agree on how to work toward them.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Consider scripts.

•

In some situations, it might be helpful to develop a short script to prepare what you want to
say. By writing a “script” before a meeting, you are more likely to be able to deliver a calm
response. Examples might include:

o “When I hear you yelling at me, I feel discouraged. What I need is to feel mutual

respect and like we are working in collaboration. I don't feel that way when I'm being
yelled at. Would you like to take a break for few minutes?” (Nonviolent
Communication framework)

o “You can disagree with me without being mean or rude.” (De-Polarizing

Conversations)

Ask for Help.

• Work with your supervisor, the Office of Health Equity Integration, the Office of Racial Equity,
or  another  Division  at  the  Health  Department  that  has  a  good  relationship  with  the
community you are trying to engage.

• Ask for feedback, work to understand it, and make changes where you are able.

• At times, it might be possible to shadow another Health Department Staff member as they
do community engagement work. Every person brings their own style and experiences; you
may be able to learn from how others do this work.

•

If possible, is there someone else who could manage the relationship? Sometimes handing
off the relationship to someone else might be what’s best.

Some relationships will be challenging. It’s important to remember that our role in public health is
in service to the community.

Resources

 Seeds for Change has a short guide for Consensus Decision Making that outlines tips for

participating in consensus decisions that may be helpful.

 The Alaska Humanities Forum hosts a guide on De-Polarizing Conversations, regardless of
the topic. Importantly, these tools are for tackling conversations with people you are
connected to and intend to stay in relationship with.

Back to table of contents

Closing

Not sure where to start?

• Connect with other Health Department programs who may have existing partnerships within

the community you are trying to reach.

• Reach out to community-based organizations, nonprofits, racial and ethnic commissions,

health systems, philanthropy, and businesses that serve diverse communities as part of their
daily job or services.

• Choose an appropriate method, navigate technology options, and ensure your engagement

effort is accessible.

• Explore new and non-traditional partnerships. Ideal partners may not always be other health-

related agencies or organizations.

• Navigate efforts to rebuild trust with communities that have damaged relationships with the

State of Vermont, including the Health Department and others.

Thank you for using the Vermont Department of Health, Health Equity Integration Community
Engagement Guide, and for contributing to our agency’s efforts to build meaningful relationships
with the communities we serve and advancing health equity. The following references and
appendices provide additional resources. If you need any other assistance, please contact the
Office of Health Equity Integration at AHS.VDHOHEITeam@vermont.gov.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Community Engagement Continuum Resources
Methods to support each stage of the continuum

Back to table of contents

The following pages provide support for each of the stages listed in the Community Engagement
Continuum on page 8. These pages can help you deepen your Community Engagement Practices in
each stage.

Departure by Vermont Artist Amjed Jumaa

Methods to Inform

Town Halls, Community Meetings

Starting Point

Purpose

Communication
Direction

Works to…

Engagement
Methods

Promise

When to use

Inform

Led by state
State holds power

Share information, listen
for understanding, and
clarify information

One-way communication

• Identify your primary audience and vision for the

meeting or event.

• You will get the highest turnout if you host the

meeting in a place where the community
naturally and regularly meets on their own or
combine it with an existing meeting.

• Set a clear agenda with a designated moderator

and speakers.

• If appropriate, engage local media to help

publicize your event.

Address immediate
needs or issues

Technology Options

•
•

Town halls
Community
meetings

• Media, Social Media
• Materials
• Website
• Newsletters
•

Press releases

We will keep you
informed about our
project.

There is no alternative
because of urgency,
regulatory reasons, or
legal boundaries.

• There are many virtual options that can be used
to allow remote participation, feedback, and
testimony. It is important to prioritize what
community members find most accessible over
platforms that are used by the state.

• Instead of the state hosting a community space,

share power by working with a community
partner to host a virtual event using their
platform.

External Communications

Starting Point

• Begin by developing a communications plan with

your Information Director and/or the Health
Department’s Communications Office.

• Identify communications channels that will best

reach your primary audience.

• Ensure messages are tailored to your audience.

• Common  channels  include  the  web,  social
media, print materials, newsletters, press
releases, TV, and radio.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Methods to Consult

Consult

Led by state
State holds power

Get and incorporate
feedback

Purpose

Communication
Direction

One-way
communication

Works to…

Engagement
Methods

Promise

When to use

Inform the
development of state
programs

Listening sessions
Focus groups
Interviews
Surveys

•
•
•
•
• Working partner

groups
Public comment

•
• Workshops

We will listen to you
and incorporate your
feedback into our
project

You want to improve
an existing service or
program but the
options for change are
limited.

Listening Sessions, Focus Groups

Starting Point

•

Identify a trained facilitator and notetaker.

• Carefully plan how you will organize and recruit
for the listening session(s). Bring individuals
together with a common characteristic, and
structure the conversation to ensure all
participants are invited to share their honest
opinions.

• Prepare your questions so you can benefit
from group dialogue. Questions should be
open and elicit group discussion.

• Recording the listening session may be
beneficial for notetaking and facilitation
purposes but should be carefully considered
because it may inhibit participation from some
people. Obtain informed consent from
participants if you choose to record.

• Pay participants for their labor.

Technology Options

Host a virtual listening session. This can help
improve accessibility for participants who live
across Vermont.

Interviews

Starting Point

•

Interviews let you explore a particular subject
more in depth and allow you to learn
something you might not get from a survey.
They can also be used to build and strengthen
partnerships.

• Carefully plan your interview script and
approach. If you choose to conduct key
impacted party interviews, identify community
leaders who know their community and the
specific health topic or issue well.

• Use as a starting point to help you plan other community engagement efforts. The insight

and perspective you can gain from community leaders can help you plan more effective and
culturally appropriate community meetings, listening sessions, and community mobilization
efforts.

Technology Options

•

Interviews are best done in a way that is safest and most comfortable for the person being
interviewed. These can be held in person, over the phone, or with video conferencing tools.

Surveys
Starting Point

• Surveys can be used to collect information about attitudes, beliefs, opinions, needs, assets,

and behaviors of the community you wish to engage.

•

They are a quick way of getting information from a larger number of people and may be
more convenient for the participant and lower cost.

• Surveys can gain informal community feedback about a specific project.

Technology Options

• Paper-based and mail surveys may be effective in specific circumstances. You can broaden

your reach by using online or electronic surveys.

More Information

Conducting Surveys from Community Toolbox

Working Partners Groups
Starting Point

•

Identify your working partners.

• Plan to engage working partner groups early in the pre-planning stages. This helps ensure

transparency throughout your project.

• Conduct an impacted party analysis or partner mapping to understand concerns and

interests.

Technology Options

• Virtual options allow working partners who live remotely to participate and stay engaged in

ongoing project planning and meetings. Not everyone has access to virtual options so phone
or in person options may be a better fit.

More Information
Identifying & Analyzing Stakeholders, Their Interests, Community Tool Box4

4 This link uses the “stakeholder” language we are working to unlearn. Please substitute as you review.

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Methods to Involve

Purpose

Communication
Direction

Works to…

Engagement
Methods

Promise

When to use

Involve

Led by state
State holds power

Ensure community
needs and interests are
considered

Two-way communication

Advance solutions to
complex problems

•  Audience and user

testing

•  Advisory groups

•  Steering committees
•  Community

conversations

We will ensure your
concerns and needs are
reflected in our project.

You need community
perspective and buy-in
to implement the project
successfully.

Audience Testing, User Testing

Starting Point

• Audience and user testing can help ensure that
messages and products you create are informed by
your intended audience. Going back to individuals to
try out the message or product – or user testing –
can ensure that it makes sense to the people most
impacted.

• The goal is to understand the knowledge, beliefs,
attitudes, barriers, and cues to act of the people
most impacted.

• Clearly define your primary audience and think
about what you want them to know or do.

• Health promotion, behavior change, and
communication theories can help you plan your
testing.

• For user testing, choose a technique that fits your
session goals and plan for any equipment needs.

• For both audience and user testing, make sure to
pilot your questions and test ahead of time.

Technology Options

Can be done in-person, over the phone, over email,
and through online platforms.

More Information

Tips for analyzing your audience, University of Pittsburg

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Theory Models, Rural Health Information Hub

Health Literacy Online, Test your Site with Users with Limited Literacy Skills

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Advisory Groups, Steering Committees

Starting Point

• Advisory groups and steering committees are ideal for bringing together community groups
to inform and guide program decisions. Many groups meet on a quarterly basis to provide
strategic direction, but some meet more frequently for more hands-on work. There are often
existing groups or committees that you can engage with.

• Advisory groups and steering committees have different requirements. It is important to be

aware of requirements of each, including open meeting and public records laws.

• Effectiveness depends on the structure that is put in place at the beginning. It includes
thoughtfully planning and facilitating meetings and setting clear goals and expectations.

• Advisory groups or committees can be created to bring voices to the table who are often not
well represented in decision-making, for example: youth, people with intellectual disabilities,
and people who speak languages other than English.

• Plan a formal onboarding for your committee, council, or group members to ensure they have

a similar foundation related to your project and health equity overall.

Technology Options

• Video conference options may increase participation in meetings.

More Information
Elevating Student Voices through a Youth Advisory Board from CDC

Community Conversations
Starting Point

• Build a team to determine the goals for the conversation and host the event. Your team

should include community members to ensure their own goals, interests, and issues are well
represented.

• Choose a facilitator that is experienced and can create a trusting environment with

participants. Sometimes it is best to choose someone from within the community – such as
a cultural broker or community health worker – and sometimes it is more appropriate to
choose someone who is neutral and outside of the community.

• Create an inviting environment for dialogue, for example putting tables in a “U” form for in

person conversation and using break-out rooms for virtual discussions.

Technology Options

• Some online platforms may be used to facilitate a virtual community conversation. You will

need to plan carefully to ensure everyone has equal access to participate and that
conversation can flow naturally.

More Information

Leading a community dialogue on building a healthy community from Community Toolbox

Methods to Collaborate

Collaborate

Co-led
Power is shared

Purpose

Partner and share
decision-making power

Communication
Direction

Two-way communication

Works to…

Advance solutions to
complex problems

Engagement
Methods

Collective impact
Coalition building
Partnership building

•
•
•
• Workgroups

Promise

We will work with you to
plan this project.

When to use

Community members
have a strong desire to
participate, and you
have the time to develop
a partnership.

Collective Impact

Starting Point

• A ‘Collective Impact Model’ uses a structured
framework to bring organizations together to
work toward a common goal.

• The five core conditions of the collective impact

framework are:

oDevelop a common agenda, by
collectively defining the problem and
creating a shared vision to solve it.

oUse shared measurement to track
progress in the same way.

oBuild on mutually reinforcing
activities, where all participants’
different activities are integrated.

oEngage in continuous communications
to build trust and strengthen
relationships.

oProvide a backbone to move the work
forward, by having a team dedicated
to aligning and coordinating the work
of the group.

Technology Options

• Collective Impact initiatives are best started by
bringing people physically together in a shared
space.

• Video conference may allow representatives who
live remotely to participate and stay engaged in
meetings they can’t physically attend.

More Information

Tackling complex problems through collective impact , FSG

Evaluating Collective Impact: Five Simple Rules

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

Coalition Building
Starting Point

• Coalitions can be used to influence public policy, promote behavior change in communities,

and build a healthy community.

• Coalitions include a core group of impacted parties, community opinion leaders, and policy

makers.

• Some of the drivers for building coalitions include:

o Responding to negative events in the community (e.g., increase in suicides).
o Availability of new information becomes available (e.g., new research about a specific

disease).

o Circumstances or rules change (e.g., a new law).
o New funding is available (e.g., a federal grant that requires a coalition).
o A threat to the community (e.g., an important service might get cut).

Technology Options

• Coalitions are best started by bringing people together in a shared space.

• Video conferences may allow members who live remotely to participate and stay engaged in

meetings they can’t physically attend.

More Information

Coalition Building I: Starting a Coalition from Community Tool Box

Coalition Building II: Maintaining a Coalition from Community Tool Box

Developing Effective Coalitions: An Eight Step Guide from the Prevention Institute

Partnership Building
Starting Point

• Partnerships can be formal collaborations between two organizations, or can result in the
formation of a committee, coalition, council or other group of partners with representatives
from various organizations and therefore be more strategic in nature.

• Partnerships can also be informal agreements or collaborations that are short-term and

project specific.

• Determine which partners and what type of partnership is appropriate for your specific

project or problem you are trying to address.

Technology Options

•

Technology can be used to assist with ongoing collaboration of existing partners.

More Information
Creating and maintaining partnerships, Community Tool Box

Methods to Share Power

Share Power

Led by community
Community holds
power

Purpose

Support and follow the
community’s lead

Communication
Direction

Two-way communication

Works to…

Engagement
Methods

Promise

When to use

Problems and solutions
are defined by the
community

•

•

•

Attend community
meetings
Serve on
community-led
advisory boards
Provide funding,
data, & technical
assistance

• Develop testimony &

policies

We will implement the
project you come up
with.

Community members
want to own the project,
and you are committed
to a long-term
relationship.

Community Immersion

Starting Point

• Support initiatives and projects that are important
to the community, even if it is not a Health
Department priority.

• Speak to your supervisor about which community
events to prioritize in your work.

• Attend community events and gatherings with the
intent of listening and learning.

• Consult with the community event leads to see if you
are welcome; due to past harms, government is not
always trusted in spaces.

Technology Options

• Some communities may prefer to come together
online. Use relevant social media platforms to immerse
yourself.

Community Mobilization

Starting Point

• Ensure you have strong leaders and provide them
with the support they need.

• Establish a formal structure, which may include a
steering committee and sub-committees. Ensure the six
essential functions of community mobilization efforts
are covered:

1. Providing overall strategic direction
2. Facilitating dialogue between partners
3. Managing data collection and analysis
4. Planning communications
5. Coordinating outreach
6. Fundraising

Vermont Department of Health

Spring 2024

• Develop guiding documents such as organizational charts, rules of operation or bylaws, policy

statements, and formal letters of agreement.

• Engage community partners who share priorities and interests. Consider partners who work in

other health or social service organizations, business owners, policy makers, media
representatives, faith leaders, and others who have significant influence in their community.

Technology Options

• Community mobilization efforts are best started by bringing people physically together in a

shared space.

•

To do so effectively in an online space is possible and takes a time investment. Working
with a skilled online facilitator who has experience in online engagement can help you
bridge the gap.

• Remember that effective engagement strategies for in-person events and for online events
are very different. Good planning for hybrid audiences will include multiple methods of
engagement tailored to each audience and ways to integrate the two.

More Information

Strategies Guided by Best Practice for Community Mobilization, Advocates for Youth

February 2023 Health Equity Integration Spotlight Session: Power Sharing Recording and
Resources

Discussions By Us, For Us, About Us — Vermont Health Equity Initiative

