Community Health Champions are every day people in York who voluntarily offer their skills and passion to transform health and wellbeing in their local neighbourhood.

Trained and supported by the City of York Council, the idea is for individuals to reach out to people in their own community and make a positive difference.

Champions gain skills and knowledge themselves, whilst empowering and motivating the community, and also bridging the gap between communities and the council, enabling residents to influence and shape local services.

The role of the Community Health Champion is to encourage people to get involved in healthy activities, and be aware of what is happening in their community so they can signpost people to relevant opportunities in their local area, and through talking and listening to locals, creating new activities that meet their needs.

The benefits of how a Champion can help individuals and communities are threefold, they aim to improve:

– lifestyle behaviours

– mental wellbeing

– social outcomes

Together this brings happiness, confidence and better social networks whilst reducing anxiety, depression and loneliness.

Would you like to be a Community Health Champion?

There is no specific criteria except to be passionate about health and helping people. But it would help if you were a good listener, well connected in your local area and be able to empathise.

You don’t need to offer a specific number of hours, but each Champion supports a number of beneficiaries in their local area.

The Council are hoping to recruit more Champions from Westfield/Acomb, Clifton, Tang Hall, Haxby, Huntington and New Earswick right now. To get involved drop them an email at: healthchampions@york.gov.uk

This leaflet  tells you a whole host more.