smc-5492-20-Advocacy strategies

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 021

Describe TWO strategies a local council could implement to promote SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) for improving youth mental health, including indicators of success. (4 marks)

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Strategy 1: Create youth-specific public spaces

Councils should build infrastructure such as skate parks, basketball courts and quiet zones with free Wi-Fi.
These spaces provide safe, accessible environments for social connection, physical activity and stress relief.
Success can be measured through electronic usage data, reduced vandalism rates in surrounding areas, youth satisfaction surveys and increased physical activity levels among local young people.

Strategy 2: Develop connected walking and cycling paths

These types of initiatives should prioritise linking schools, youth centres and residential areas and have adequate lighting and safety features.
This promotes active transport, reduces isolation and creates opportunities for incidental social interactions.
Success indicators could include hard data on increased pedestrian/cyclist counts or mental health presentations to emergency departments of young people.
Surveys could also be used as evidence of success by showing improved perceptions of neighbourhood safety.

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Strategy 1: Create youth-specific public spaces

Councils should build infrastructure such as skate parks, basketball courts and quiet zones with free Wi-Fi.
These spaces provide safe, accessible environments for social connection, physical activity and stress relief.
Success can be measured through electronic usage data, reduced vandalism rates in surrounding areas, youth satisfaction surveys and increased physical activity levels among local young people.

Strategy 2: Develop connected walking and cycling paths

These types of initiatives should prioritise linking schools, youth centres and residential areas and have adequate lighting and safety features.
This promotes active transport, reduces isolation and creates opportunities for incidental social interactions.
Success indicators could include hard data on increased pedestrian/cyclist counts or mental health presentations to emergency departments of young people.
Surveys could also be used as evidence of success by showing improved perceptions of neighbourhood safety.

Outline how a social media campaign could be used to advocate for SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) in reducing youth vaping rates and how its effectiveness could be measured in the short and longer term. (3 marks)

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A social media campaign could enlist peer influencers who share personal stories about quitting vaping and suggest healthier alternatives.
Effectiveness in the short term can be measured through engagement metrics including likes, shares, comments and pre/post campaign surveys on vaping attitudes.
Effectiveness in the longer term can look at youth vaping statistics in the local region, school-based data on vaping incidents and health service usage for vaping-related issues as evidence of behaviour change.

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A social media campaign could enlist peer influencers who share personal stories about quitting vaping and suggest healthier alternatives.
Effectiveness in the short term can be measured through engagement metrics including likes, shares, comments and pre/post campaign surveys on vaping attitudes.
Effectiveness in the longer term can look at youth vaping statistics in the local region, school-based data on vaping incidents and health service usage for vaping-related issues as evidence of behaviour change.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 019

During a school placement at the local hospital, 16-year-old James observes that young people presenting to emergency with mental health crises often wait 8-10 hours before receiving appropriate care.

Describe a multi-level advocacy approach James could develop to address the lack of youth mental health services in his regional community. (4 marks)

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Individual level:

James could collect stories from young people about long wait times, showing the real impact of delayed care on wellbeing and recovery.

Community level:

He could partner with local schools, youth groups and parents to raise awareness, organising forums or petitions calling for improved mental health services.

Government level:

James could present evidence and community voices to local MPs and health authorities, advocating for funding of initiatives like headspace services and youth-specific crisis teams.

Media level:

Using local newspapers and social media campaigns, he could highlight inequities in regional care and build broader public support.

Show Worked Solution

Individual level:

James could collect stories from young people about long wait times, showing the real impact of delayed care on wellbeing and recovery.

Community level:

He could partner with local schools, youth groups and parents to raise awareness, organising forums or petitions calling for improved mental health services.

Government level:

James could present evidence and community voices to local MPs and health authorities, advocating for funding of initiatives like headspace services and youth-specific crisis teams.

Media level:

Using local newspapers and social media campaigns, he could highlight inequities in regional care and build broader public support.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 018

Sarah, a 17-year-old student from Western Sydney, notices her grandmother frequently misses medical appointments because the closest specialist is two hours away by public transport. After researching, she discovers many elderly residents in her multicultural community face similar barriers, with some avoiding healthcare entirely due to language difficulties and transport costs.

Describe THREE strategies Sarah could implement to advocate for improved healthcare access in her community. Consider both immediate actions and long-term systemic changes. (5 marks)

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Immediate action:

Organise a community transport network.
Sarah could coordinate with local churches, community centres and youth groups to establish a volunteer driver program. Volunteers would provide transport to medical appointments for elderly residents.
She could create a simple booking system using social media or phone calls to match drivers with those needing assistance.

Medium-term advocacy:

Partner with medical students for language support.
Sarah could contact Western Sydney University’s medical program to recruit bilingual students as interpreters.
These students could accompany elderly patients to appointments, gaining clinical experience while addressing language barriers. This creates a sustainable model benefiting both parties.

Longer-term advocacy:

Sarah could document the health impacts of poor specialist access through surveys and case studies and present the data to local government
By presenting this evidence at council meetings and to the local MP, she could advocate for mobile specialist clinics or telehealth hubs in community centres.
This initiative would permanently improve healthcare accessibility for her community.

Show Worked Solution

Immediate action:

Organise a community transport network.
Sarah could coordinate with local churches, community centres and youth groups to establish a volunteer driver program. Volunteers would provide transport to medical appointments for elderly residents.
She could create a simple booking system using social media or phone calls to match drivers with those needing assistance.

Medium-term advocacy:

Partner with medical students for language support.
Sarah could contact Western Sydney University’s medical program to recruit bilingual students as interpreters.
These students could accompany elderly patients to appointments, gaining clinical experience while addressing language barriers. This creates a sustainable model benefiting both parties.

Longer-term advocacy:

Sarah could document the health impacts of poor specialist access through surveys and case studies and present the data to local government
By presenting this evidence at council meetings and to the local MP, she could advocate for mobile specialist clinics or telehealth hubs in community centres.
This initiative would permanently improve healthcare accessibility for her community.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 014

Discuss two challenges faced by Australian communities in achieving equitable health outcomes in an urban environment and the strategies that could address these disparities. (6 marks)

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Challenge 1: Socioeconomic disparities

[P] Low-income urban residents face significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare.
[E] This occurs because private healthcare costs too much for disadvantaged populations while public services experience long wait times.
[Ev] Western Sydney residents have lower median incomes and poorer health outcomes than affluent eastern suburbs.
[L] This demonstrates how income inequality directly impacts health equity in cities.

Strategy: Implement community health hubs in disadvantaged areas

[P] Establishing integrated health centres addresses multiple barriers simultaneously.
[E] These hubs combine medical services, mental health support and preventive programs in accessible locations.
[Ev] Illawarra’s Healthy Cities initiatives show multi-service approaches improve engagement.
[L] This holistic strategy reduces health disparities.

Challenge 2: Cultural barriers limiting healthcare access

[P] Culturally diverse urban populations often underutilise mainstream health services.
[E] Language barriers and cultural misunderstandings prevent effective healthcare delivery.
[Ev] ATSI Peoples report lower satisfaction with healthcare despite availability.
[L] Cultural competency gaps create inequitable health outcomes.

Strategy: Develop culturally responsive healthcare services

[P] Training healthcare workers in cultural competency improves service delivery.
[E] This ensures providers understand diverse health beliefs and communication styles.
[Ev] Employing bilingual health workers and interpreters increases service utilisation.
[L] In this way, culturally appropriate care reduces barriers and improves health equity.

Show Worked Solution

Challenge 1: Socioeconomic disparities

[P] Low-income urban residents face significant barriers to accessing quality healthcare.
[E] This occurs because private healthcare costs too much for disadvantaged populations while public services experience long wait times.
[Ev] Western Sydney residents have lower median incomes and poorer health outcomes than affluent eastern suburbs.
[L] This demonstrates how income inequality directly impacts health equity in cities.

Strategy: Implement community health hubs in disadvantaged areas

[P] Establishing integrated health centres addresses multiple barriers simultaneously.
[E] These hubs combine medical services, mental health support and preventive programs in accessible locations.
[Ev] Illawarra’s Healthy Cities initiatives show multi-service approaches improve engagement.
[L] This holistic strategy reduces health disparities.

Challenge 2: Cultural barriers limiting healthcare access

[P] Culturally diverse urban populations often underutilise mainstream health services.
[E] Language barriers and cultural misunderstandings prevent effective healthcare delivery.
[Ev] ATSI Peoples report lower satisfaction with healthcare despite availability.
[L] Cultural competency gaps create inequitable health outcomes.

Strategy: Develop culturally responsive healthcare services

[P] Training healthcare workers in cultural competency improves service delivery.
[E] This ensures providers understand diverse health beliefs and communication styles.
[Ev] Employing bilingual health workers and interpreters increases service utilisation.
[L] In this way, culturally appropriate care reduces barriers and improves health equity.

HMS, HAG EQ-Bank 013

Outline three strategies that could be used to advocate for improved health outcomes in a rural Australian community. (3 marks)

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Answers could include any three of the following:

Establish community health committees that bring together local residents, healthcare workers, and council representatives to identify priority health issues and develop solutions.
Organise petition campaigns and meetings with state MPs to secure funding for essential services such as mobile health clinics.
Partner with local media to raise awareness about health disparities, sharing community stories that highlight the need for improved healthcare access and infrastructure.
Implement school and youth-based advocacy programs that empower young people to promote healthy lifestyles.

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Answers could include any three of the following:

Establish community health committees that bring together local residents, healthcare workers, and council representatives to identify priority health issues and develop solutions.
Organise petition campaigns and meetings with state MPs to secure funding for essential services such as mobile health clinics.
Partner with local media to raise awareness about health disparities, sharing community stories that highlight the need for improved healthcare access and infrastructure.
Implement school and youth-based advocacy programs that empower young people to promote healthy lifestyles.

HMS, HAG 2023 HSC 32ai

Describe the contribution of intersectoral collaboration to the sustainability of ONE health promotion strategy. (3 marks)

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Sample answer

Intersectoral collaboration in health promotion occurs when multiple sectors work together toward a common health goal.

The Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide campaign’s sustainability benefits from collaboration between:
- Government funding ($10 million)
- Cancer Council Australia’s implementation expertise
- Schools’ educational outreach
- Media partners’ promotional support
This collaboration ensures program continuity, resource sharing, broader community reach, and consistent messaging across multiple settings.

Show Worked Solution

Intersectoral collaboration in health promotion occurs when multiple sectors work together toward a common health goal.
The Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek, Slide campaign’s sustainability benefits from collaboration between:
- Government funding ($10 million)
- Cancer Council Australia’s implementation expertise
- Schools’ educational outreach
- Media partners’ promotional support
This collaboration ensures program continuity, resource sharing, broader community reach, and consistent messaging across multiple settings.

♦ Mean mark 52%.

HMS, HAG 2023 HSC 26

Explain how ONE government health promotion initiative addresses social justice by reorienting health services. Provide examples to support your answer. (8 marks)

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The National Immunisation Program demonstrates how government initiatives reorient health services toward prevention while addressing social justice principles. This program works by providing free vaccines to eligible Australians which shifts focus from hospital-centred treatment to community-based prevention approaches.
Service reorientation occurs because the NIP establishes multiple community access points including schools, Aboriginal health services, and local GP clinics. This approach creates greater accessibility by bringing prevention services directly to communities rather than requiring hospital visits. The Australian Immunisation Register enables integrated federal tracking which allows healthcare providers across all jurisdictions to access patient histories seamlessly.
Social justice principles are addressed through equity-focused strategies that ensure equal access regardless of socioeconomic status. Free HPV vaccines demonstrate this approach because all Australian adolescents receive protection nationwide without financial barriers. Tailored strategies work by providing culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities alongside multilingual resources.
These reorientation efforts result in measurable health equity improvements. Childhood immunisation rates have increased substantially nationwide because prevention services became more accessible. Most significantly, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous immunisation rates has narrowed markedly, demonstrating how service reorientation can effectively address historical health inequities through systematic prevention-focused approaches.

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The National Immunisation Program demonstrates how government initiatives reorient health services toward prevention while addressing social justice principles. This program works by providing free vaccines to eligible Australians which shifts focus from hospital-centred treatment to community-based prevention approaches.
Service reorientation occurs because the NIP establishes multiple community access points including schools, Aboriginal health services, and local GP clinics. This approach creates greater accessibility by bringing prevention services directly to communities rather than requiring hospital visits. The Australian Immunisation Register enables integrated federal tracking which allows healthcare providers across all jurisdictions to access patient histories seamlessly.
Social justice principles are addressed through equity-focused strategies that ensure equal access regardless of socioeconomic status. Free HPV vaccines demonstrate this approach because all Australian adolescents receive protection nationwide without financial barriers. Tailored strategies work by providing culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities alongside multilingual resources.
These reorientation efforts result in measurable health equity improvements. Childhood immunisation rates have increased substantially nationwide because prevention services became more accessible. Most significantly, the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous immunisation rates has narrowed markedly, demonstrating how service reorientation can effectively address historical health inequities through systematic prevention-focused approaches.

♦♦♦ Mean mark 33%.