MISSION:
The mission of the Humboldt Partnership for Active Living (HumPAL) is to improve individual, family and community health and well-being through the seamless integration of routine physical activity into daily life ("active living"). HumPAL accomplishes this through education, policy change and support of community design that encourages active living.
WHO WE ARE:
HumPAL is a coalition of individuals and organizations with a common interest in improving Humboldt County residents' opportunities to integrate and increase physical activity into their daily lives. The partnership includes community organizations, professionals from diverse disciplines such as public health, transportation engineering, community development, economic development, environmental consultants, social services and others, advocacy groups and interested community members. With grant funding from The California Endowment, HumPAL is staffed by the Natural Resources Services Division of Redwood Community Action Agency. NRS staff coordinates the HumPAL program and projects, an advisory steering committee, and three active subcommittees. Some of the most active HumPAL partners currently include the County Department of Health & Human Services, Caltrans District 1, Area 1 Agency on Aging, Spencer Engineering & Construction Management, Inc., Greenwheels, Planwest Partners, the City of Arcata, Humboldt County Office of Education and County Department of Community Development.
HumPAL is an innovative, multi-disciplinary effort to address the relationship of land use choices, community design and public health by implementing small projects to increase physical activity; prioritizing use of scarce resources; and analyzing and addressing related land use policy issues. The desire to pursue a holistic approach to public health and improve service to the most at-risk populations has brought together a diverse partnership, including leaders and professionals from traffic, public works and planning departments, County Public Health, Humboldt State University, non-motorized transportation planners and activists, nutrition and education advocates and service providers, senior advocacy organizations, and members of neighborhood groups.
HumPAL participants feel that working to increase physical activity is an excellent way to prevent chronic disease in at-risk populations on a large scale , and that together, it can be more effective than what individual organizations or small groups of service providers can accomplish on their own.
WHAT WE DO:
We catalyze
Since its formation, HumPAL has been able to catalyze a new regard for and approach to reducing the health impacts of our built environment. We introduce seemlingly disparate groups to each other and help them work together - for instance public health staff and transportation engineers, or senior advocates with active transportation advocates. With strength in its diversity, this partnership reaches across institutional, organizational, bureaucratic and cultural barriers to help communities as well as particular populations (elders, schools) identify tangible ways to increase access to an active and healthy lifestyle. HumPAL to date has focused on providing Active Living by Design (ALBD) and active transportation training and tools to community organizations, public health staff, school staff, and government staff and elected decision-makers.
We fill gaps
Through a diverse partnership and a variety of projects, HumPAL identifies and works to fill gaps in at all levels of a community with projects that encourage collaboration between seemingly dissimilar organizations and groups. Some examples include:
* Safe Routes to Schools: encouraging schools and transportation departments to work together to improve the ability of families and children to walk and bike to school.
* Walkability Audits: bringing community members, local government, schools and/or businesses together to identify ways to improve pedestrian safety.
We convene
Perhaps HumPAL's greatest strength lies in the role as a convener of groups that are not accustomed to working together. HumPAL is able to facilitate interaction of these groups through research, education, outreach policy recommendations, and project work. When unconventional partnerships are established, groups that make decisions about the built environment and that are impacted by the built environment have new paths for seeking different solutions to active living challenges.
For example, a Safe Routes to Schools Summit hosted by HumPAL in June 2008 brought members of the public and professionals together to learn about best practices, discuss challenges and team up to write work plans intended to help our schoolchildren transport themselves to school more safely in the upcoming school year. Staff from County Public Health, school districts, school bus departments, local jurisdictions, law enforcement, Caltrans, Public Works Departments, parents and advocacy groups came together and were able to see connections between individual community efforts to improve transportation safety for children in Humboldt County.
We build capacity
HumPAL shares cutting edge information and connections with the community. By attending both local and out-of-area trainings, staff and partners are able to share current information about Active Living by Design tools and resources, social marketing and media advocacy techniques, land use and active transportation planning and school wellness efforts.
HumPAL has also been able to bring renowned members of the health and built environment fields to Humboldt County to share knowledge and resources.HumPAL brings home tools and techniques originally created for more urban environments and adapts them to Humboldt County's unique rural setting. HumPAL has established a reputation as a creative and effective resource for converting urban resources into rural applications.