More about the initiative

The Sustainable Communities Initiative aims to strengthen relationships and mutual understanding, break down silos, co-create locally tailored solutions, and collaboratively identify priorities, strengths, and gaps to develop sustainable, community-owned solutions.

This work can focus on challenges such as retention and recruitment of health-care providers, access to care, community needs and/or system fragmentation.

Approach

These are approaches often used within the Sustainable Communities Initiative. However, RCCbc recognises that every rural and remote community is different, which is why each Sustainable Communities dialogue looks a bit different. Examples of what previous Sustainable Communities dialogues have looked like include a 1-day meeting, a 2-day health summit, or pre-survey work that culminated in a 1-day gathering.

Partnership Pentagram Plus framework

Utilising the Partnership Pentagram Plus framework, which brings together six essential perspectives: policymakers, health administrators, health providers, academics, community members, and linked sectors (non-profit and industry).

Facilitation methods

Facilitation may include:

Appreciative Inquiry, which works through four phases:

• Discover: appreciating strengths and successes
• Dream: envisioning possibilities
• Design: co-creating practical solutions
• Deliver: implementing and sustaining innovation

Breathing and Weaving, which alternates rounds of discussion and deliberation between partner and peer groups.

Other established methods, as needed.

Working group and advisory group support

Support in developing and participation in a working group and advisory group to plan what the community dialogue would look like, what is needed to support the dialogue, as well as follow-up afterwards to sort through next steps.

Funding and support

Up to $75,000 per community:~ $25,000 to support planning and facilitation expertise of dialogue. ~$50,000 of these funds available to support with change management and implementation of the locally driven plan that comes out of the community dialogue.

Additional grant funding, by application, to support communities who have gone through the Sustainable Communities Initiative to further support the implementation of a plan or planned idea. More information to be shared in spring 2026.

Note: Funds cannot support direct clinical service delivery.

Requirements

Invitation from providers, health authority partners and, ideally, local community or government to engage in this work.

Readiness

• A local contact (or small planning group) to coordinate with RCCbc
• Commitment from key partners to participate in the dialogue and follow-up
• Willingness to include community perspectives and work across roles respectfully