Apply for Healthy Workplace Initiatives Program Funding

Tips and Hints for Developing a Successful Application

Suzanne Jolly, M. EdHSE Coordinator (Health Promotion Programs)Health, Safety and Environment

Health Promotion

“Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to

improve, their health.”

World Health Organization, 2009

Why do we care about health/wellness at work?

Reduce absenteeism

Increase retention and recruitment

Increase productivity and work satisfaction

Increase communication and teamwork

Develop further safety and security in the workplace

A Guide to Developing an Unsuccessful Health Initiative

Over lunch one day, two employees (who shall remain unnamed…)

They think they’ve come up with a great “social health” idea.

And a way to get funding for what they want!

What’s the Problem?

• They come up with something that they want, then find a way to fund it.

• The best strategies are ones that assess workplace issues, identify a core problem that effects a large number of faculty/staff, explore a variety of ways to address that issue, consult their peers on the pros/cons of each, then develop an application (which can be their “action plan.”)

How to Prepare A Great Healthy Workplace Initiative

• Assess & Plan Usually Completed Prior to ApplicationSubmission

• Implement• Evaluate

Good Prevention Strategies

• Strategies are on-going, not one time “inoculations”

• Develop sustainability into the plan by:– Involving a number of people in the planning

process– Finding a variety of funding sources (individuals,

departments, other organizations, in-kind, etc)

A Successful Route to Developing a Health Initiative

1. Assess: Identify an issue(s) in your workplace (survey or informally talk to your colleagues)

2. Assess: Research the root causes of such issue(s)3. Plan: Research the various ways to intervene (early

intervention, prevention and reactive initiatives)4. Plan: Share the various ideas with colleagues,

assess the pros and cons of each.5. Implement: Work on your application6. Evaluate: Develop a way to evaluate your initiative

Three Major Components of Health/Wellness

Individual

EnvironmentalOrganizational

A Closer Look at the Criteria

• Program Objectives– What issue(s) do you want to address? – Be specific (and it should be health-related!).

Why does this matter to your department/unit?

A Closer Look at the Criteria

• Rationale– Why will this initiative be the best fit for you to

address this issue? Explain why you have chosen this initiative.

How does this address long-term/chronic health issues?

A Closer Look at the Criteria

• Methods and Feasibility– Show how this initiative will be run, and how

realistically it will work– Explain how you plan to implement it

Be detailed. Think about sharing responsibilities. Explain about the logistics. Show us that you have thought deeply about how to implement your plan.

A Closer Look at the Criteria

• Budget and Budget Plan– Give estimates for each item, with a grand total.– Outline when/how the funds will be spent.

Show us that you’re using funds wisely, and how other funding/support/resources are being used as well.

A Closer Look at the Criteria

• Come up with ways that you will help us get the word out about HWIP– Social Media– Newsletters (electronic or otherwise)– Multimedia (short video clips?)

– Use the resources in your department, make it realistic!

A Closer Look at the Criteria

• Evaluation– How will you know your initiative is successful?– Use tools that are already developed, such as the

Wellness Assessment that is on SunLife’s website (for those employees with benefits)- you can use it as a pre and post survey.

Don’t Waste Your Time

Funds will not be granted:1. To fund operating expenses.2. For activities not designed to benefit staff

and faculty.3. For renewal applications (unless it has been

a year since you were funded).4. To conduct research-oriented activities.5. For building renovations.

Get Your Application On TopEnsure that your application shows that:– It promotes the longevity/health of the UBC workforce.– It focuses on promoting healthy behaviors.– It benefits as many people as possible.– It is seen as having a long-term plan.– It would not be funded by another department/agency.– It uses UBC sites/resources/expertise.– Your initiative will develop collaboration with faculty and

staff and multiple departments/units

Writing Successful Applications

• Clear and concise (bulleted points, tables, not long lengthy paragraphs)

• Be specific.• Research best practices and UBC resources.• Show what is going to be matched/provided/done

without HWIP funding• Show us how your initiative will be a model for

others and what you will give us to help us promote HWIP in the future

Questions to Ask Yourself

• How is this initiative preventing chronic disease or illness?

• Does it merely focus on physical health? Is there a way to expand the program to look at other dimensions?

• How could it be more inclusive of all abilities?• What other partners from UBC (or outside) could you

include in the planning process?• Could this be a collaborative application?

What is A Multidisciplinary Committee?

• A group of like-minded applicants who have been invited to join a committee to collaboratively work towards a shared outcome, with shared funding.

• Applications are determined worthy of multidisciplinary status if they share similar goals/program plans on similar topics.

Submitting Your Application

• Please submit only one application.• We prefer digital format, but you can submit it

via hardcopy if necessary.• Please make sure to have your

department/unit head sign it.– If submitting a collaborative application, please

have the signatures of the various departments/units involved.

Thinking Strategically to Conserve Resources

• Create rituals• Share responsibility• Use existing programs• Develop flexibility• Collaborate with like-minded departments• Start with what is easy• Ask for help and for permission• Use peer to peer influence

Resources from Health Promotion Programs that You Can Tap Into

• Employee Family Assistance Program• Breastfeeding Friendly Spaces• Major Healthy UBC Programs• Lunch Time Healthy UBC Programs• Healthy UBC Network• Office Ergonomics Representative Program• Website

Thank you for helping us to create a Healthy UBC.

Suzanne Jolly, M. EdSuzanne Jolly, M. Ed

HSE Coordinator (Health Promotion Programs)HSE Coordinator (Health Promotion Programs)

Phone: 604-822-8762Phone: 604-822-8762

Email: Email: jolly@hse.ubc.ca

Website: Website: www.hse.ubc.ca

Twitter: Twitter: www.twitter.com/healthyubc