REACH (Research and Engagement across Communities for Health) County Durham Community Involvement
Introduction
The REACH County Durham partnership approach to co-production of knowledge with our communities will be at the heart of our research and evaluation activity. This will help us as partners to better understand the differences across our communities, towns, villages and rural areas, and find ways to better support all our residents to thrive and live happy, healthy and connected lives.
Why a health determinants partnership project?
Research into the wider determinants of health (WDOH) will help us to fully understand the experiences of our communities, and how they are affected by the social, economic, and environmental factors that impact on people’s health.
How are VCSE organisations involved?
Acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the REACH County Durham delivery team, the Community Involvement Steering Group will provide knowledge and insight to shape community involvement within health determinants research and evaluation activity through:-
- Supporting the co-design of research identified within the scope of REACH County Durham (from conception to completion)
- Their coproduced the community involvement framework
- Helping identify approaches to involvement of specific communities relevant to research priorities
- Supporting the embedding of the County Durham Partnership Approach to Wellbeing
Current Projects
Creative Health in Tow law: REACH County Durham, a partnership between Durham County Council Public Health, Durham Community Action and Durham University, secured £10,000 through the NIHR Public and Community Partnerships Award to launch a new creative health research project
Documents
Getting involved
For more information about the Community Involvement Steering Group, or other Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) roles within REACH such as our Supporting Practice Research and Innovation Groups (SPRIGs) please complete this REACH Expression of Interest Form 2026 or contact Rio Floreza, REACH County Durham Community Involvement Lead, publichealth@durham.gov.uk for more information.