Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan
Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan
The study is evaluating the effectiveness of an implementation strategy called Neighborhood Connect, which is designed to support residents' engagement in activities that improve the attractiveness, safety and livability of Worcester, MA neighborhoods. The program focuses on the built environment (i.e., the human-made, physical surroundings of Worcester neighborhoods including indoor public places and outdoor spaces like parks, streets and sidewalks) and aims to build capacity of community members to strengthen their neighborhoods. Participants will include residents and others who care about local built environment conditions. Neighborhood Connect is delivered by a built environment specialist from the local health department in collaboration with a statewide coalition.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Stephenie.Lemon@Umassmed.edu15088564098
The study is the core research project of the Prevention Research Center at UMass Chan. Under the guidance of a Community Advisory Board, the program aims to build capacity of the local health department and local residents to influence built environment change in neighborhoods. The program includes a training and technical assistance approach. The local health department built environment specialist learns about the built environment and how to determine how related decisions are made. The built environment specialist delivers the Zoom-based group program for residents. This six session training and technical assistance model includes 3 components: Connect with Community, Connect with Environment and Connect with Process. Through Neighborhood Connect's structured learning and applied activities, participants: Strengthen interpersonal connections and social networks within neighborhoods, Explore their neighborhoods and identify their priorities for change or improvement, Learn how decision-making processes affect their communities and Collaborate on ideas for small-scale neighborhood improvements. The implementation strategy is being evaluated in a mixed methods study. Through a stepped wedge design with 8 waves (neighborhood/area) rolled out in 4 steps (2 neighborhoods/areas per wave), the resident-focused component of Neighborhood Connect is being evaluated. Both the resident and health department components are being evaluated using qualitative methods.
Stephenie.Lemon@Umassmed.edu5088261325