Students at the Colorado School of Public Health are launching an interactive, online community engagement tool April 4 during National Public Health Week called Everyday Colorado.
Everyday Colorado is investigating the intersection of the environment, public health and community development. The public engagement tool aims to generate knowledge from communities around the state about local environmental concerns, values, experiences and successes. It’s a statewide initiative involving the Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, Tri-County Health Department and public health professionals throughout Colorado.
Tom Butts, project co-director and Deputy Director of Tri-County Health Department, said: “The success of this project relies on people sharing their stories with us to inform how we do business. We want to know about the everyday concerns and priorities of people in the diverse communities of Colorado, from Denver to Silverton to Sterling and everywhere in between.”
The project explores both the everyday and emerging environmental health issues across Colorado’s varied and changing landscapes. Professor Jill Litt teaches Environmental Health Policy & Practice at the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and is a project co-director.
“Student involvement, through community engagement and developing content about environmental policies and action steps, is a critical component of this community-based learning project,” Litt said.
Jennifer Peel of the Colorado School of Public Health at Colorado State University and co-director of this project, said: “The ‘Everyday Colorado interactive online tool asks participants to identify values and rank concerns and offers the opportunity to learn more about emerging issues that may affect the health and well-being of Colorado communities.”
After obtaining stories from Colorado residents that are shared online, Everyday Colorado will publish a comprehensive results report later this year, highlighting local and professional perspectives about Coloradans’ values and necessary action steps to prepare the state for emerging challenges.