Reducing Health Disparities in Communities
YPEC is committed to addressing health inequalities that affect vulnerable and marginalized young people and communities across the UK. We recognize that not all communities have equal access to health information, services, and opportunities to make positive health choices.
Through targeted interventions, partnerships with the NHS, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), and local authorities, we work to reduce health disparities and promote health equity. Our holistic approach ensures that every community has the chance to achieve their full health potential regardless of their background or circumstances.
Comprehensive Health Inequality Solutions
Working collaboratively with communities, NHS, ICBs, and local authorities to promote health equity and positive behavioural change.
Community-Centered Approaches
We work directly with communities to co-produce solutions that address their unique health needs.
- Healthy Choices: Promoting and supporting positive choices and behaviours.
- Health Interventions: Developing and implementing public health and social campaigns.
- Addressing Health Inequalities: Working with communities, local authorities / NHS / ICBs to reduce health inequalities.
Awareness & Empowerment
Creating culturally sensitive resources and campaigns that empower communities to make informed health decisions.
- Raising Awareness: Implementing creative communication and engagement, e.g. calendar of events, workshops, resources, etc.
- Promoting Positive Behaviours: Collaborating and co-producing tailored campaigns with communities.
- Health and Wellbeing: Providing a holistic approach that addresses physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
Health Inequality Programmes
Community-led initiatives delivering measurable improvements in health equity and access.
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Community Immunisations Engagement and Awareness Programme
Timeline: November 2024 - April 2025
Requirements
Enhance community engagement and awareness to improve pregnancy and childhood immunisations uptake in targeted communities.
How We Supported
- Facilitation and delivery of research and engagement methodologies with targeted community groups and professionals to understand views and opinions about immunisations
- Helped break down barriers and concerns around immunisations and shaped the development of ongoing community outreach immunisations initiatives
- Supporting community organisations organising and running community health-based events
- Working with community members and local professionals to co-produce a portfolio of different community targeted resources and tools that are culturally sensitive, visual, easy to read, available in different languages, and support additional needs
Outcomes
- 14 different community engagement and awareness events were carried out between 14th February 2025 and 3rd May 2025
- Reached a wide range of community participants, offering out resources, having conversations with community participants, focus groups, resources research and development, survey promotion and spreading of key immunisations awareness information
- Over 200 survey participants, 40+ participants engaged in focus groups and resources sessions, and approximately 500+ participants engaged at events and community discussions
- Comprehensive report with key findings, key themes, challenges, barriers / concerns, recommendations and outcomes
'Best Start in Life' Health Hack
Timeline: February 2023 - Ongoing
Partnership: Birmingham NHS, Perry Barr and Ladywood Locality Partnership, and the Fairer Futures Fund
Programme Context
Best Start in Life (BSIL) Health Hack programme focuses on helping to reduce risk of maternal poor health and higher infant mortality (the death of young children under the age of 1). Birmingham currently has higher than average rates of infant mortality. This programme is part of a wider strategy to address this public health concern.
Health Hacks aim to transform the life chances of mothers and fathers-to-be and their future children by educating, inspiring and equipping young people with the information they need to give their babies the 'Best Start in Life', and to spread the word within their school and local community as student leaders.
Outcomes
- Providing educational establishments workshops designed to increase awareness and education around health attitudes and behaviours and the impact they can have on health, in particular reproductive health
- Increase awareness of the different career opportunities supporting best start in life, with an opportunity to meet local NHS / Health professionals
- BSIL educational workshops delivered to over 1000 students in schools and colleges across the city
- Students developed public health campaigns on a wide range of health related topics to spread the word within their school and local community
- 98% of students said they found the workshop 'very useful'
- 95% of students said they felt empowered to spread key messages
Review and Implementation of Vacc-Immune Project
Timeline: June - September 2022
Requirements
- A community-based consultation, engagement and empowerment programme designed to improve vaccine uptake for the routine vaccination programme across the life course
- To raise awareness of the importance of immunisations and diseases they prevent in the key target communities
- Increase trust in local health providers / strengthened public trust
- Support for NHS in rollout of immunisation programmes
- To reduce stigma and mistrust
- To increase opportunities for other healthcare interventions
Outcomes
- Completion of over 650 community and professionals' surveys providing vital evidence and analysis on vaccine awareness, knowledge, barriers, views, and opinions
- Final outcome report with recommendations, key findings and evaluation of the project
- Mobilisation, implementation, delivery, and evaluation of the project completed in a short timescale (3 months)
- Portfolio of resources to promote the project, including posters, leaflets, social media assets, etc.
- Development, delivery, and attendance of 29+ different events across the five wards to promote the Vacc-Immune Project
