Page 54 - WCEN Dr Rochelle Burgess evaluation report\ Baloon

Beyond this, there is a need to increase support to the sites from WCEN, which would only be achieved
through increasing capacity of the WCEN hub itself. The overreliance on the skills, personal attributes
and commitment of a single individual has been the networks’ biggest strength and also presents its
biggest risk. The network must increase its capacity at an organisational level ideally through the
creation of a new posts. Suggestions for this include monitoring and evaluation of programmes,
community network training and support, and budget management. Finally, within community
organisations themselves, there is also overreliance on key individuals, who often have multiple
responsibilities in various domains of their life. As such, there is a need to ensure that community
organisations are supported in developing further staff level capacities within each organisation – for
example, bringing new individuals in as part of project expansion, and training and mentoring for these
individuals about the processes involved in participating within the network and coproduction more
broadly.

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Conclusions
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Findings from this evaluation highlight that the WCEN model to coproduction is theoretically innovative
and promotes wider systems change. It has managed to create safe spaces that lead to the
empowerment of communities and individuals facing multiple disadvantage. In the current context of
wider shifts in health systems priorities, WCEN has an unique opportunity to develop and embed these
changes in the wider health system. The task remains to ensure that these changes are sustained and
communities are able to work as true partners with health sectors in responding to their health related
needs.

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