‘I am really impressed by your collaboration with key people’, says Maarten van Ooijen. The State Secretary of VWS paid an introductory visit to Pharos this morning. In various conversations with Pharos employees and experience experts, he heard what works in reducing health differences. Cross-domain approaches, a person-oriented approach and the courage to differentiate are essential. And of course working with the people involved.
In an interactive co-creation session, Van Ooijen saw that 2 key persons:, Laxmie-Esther Jawalapershad, Lina Gharabli and Dicky Gingnagel, language ambassadors at Pharos and the ABC Foundation, together with project leader Mara van Beusekom of Pharos, are investigating how key persons can be better supported in entering into partnerships at partner level. Equality is central to co-creation, by thinking, doing, making and deciding together. This approach leads to optimal space for the expertise of experts by experience, for appropriate developments with impact.
The State Secretary took part in the session: “In my experience, conversations really get going during a social gathering, such as dinner. Experts by experience are so important to listen carefully, then worlds come together,” he said. The key people recognized that completely.
Van Ooijen attends a co-creation session
Power of local approach
“As municipalities, we must continue to work to reduce health inequalities. Quitting is not an option. If we don’t do it already, who will? We will continue to work on this together with Pharos,” said Geertje de Kort, program manager for the Sustainable and Healthy City of the Municipality of Helmond. Together with Annelies Acda, program manager GezondIn (Pharos), she informed the State Secretary about the strength of the integrated local approach of health differences with and in GUIDE municipalities.
Neighborhood approach Stop smoking
Marieke Helmus, strategic advisor to Pharos and key persons Ahmad Zaaroura and Jozef Attawil showed how their neighborhood approach to Quit Smoking in Nijmegen successfully reached people in a vulnerable socio-economic situation and led them to suitable person-oriented smoking cessation help. Ahmad: ‘I know that people in my community can easily be reached with flyers in their own language, for example. In a group we talk about health and how to stop smoking.”
At the beginning of April, the State Secretary already started conversation with several Utrecht residents in the Overvecht district about the influence of chronic stress on their lives. These conversations also showed how important it is that professionals and residents in a neighborhood work together to arrive at appropriate solutions.
Van Ooijen in conversation with experts and experience experts about the Quitting smoking neighborhood approach