The Evanston Health Department is reaching out to Northwestern student groups to promote health in Evanston.
Two officials from the Health Department briefed the New Life Volunteering Society, an NU group that volunteers a Chicago clinic every week, about volunteering opportunities at Evanston clinics and public functions Thursday. The department is also working with Inspire Media to produce a promotional video introducing the health services available to residents.
Carl Caneva, division manager of the Environmental Health Department, said he thought of working with NU students after collaborating with a global health class on a project this year. In the class project, he provided data from community surveys, and the students analyzed the figures and provided recommendations to the department.
“We wanted to take advantage of the great opportunities that the city’s relationship with Northwestern University allows us,” he said.
Caneva said he hopes a promotional video produced by students to let residents hear from their neighbors about the impact of health services will be more effective than official channels, such as city council meeting presentations and press releases, and will promote health in Evanston.
“If somebody from the government comes and tells you what the government program does, then it’s interesting,” he said. “But if you see it impacting someone’s life from that person’s point of view, I think people can learn more about the program.”
The program is in line with Inspire Media’s mission of creating positive social change using the media and gives the group a chance to expand, Inspire Media Co-President Sky Dylan-Robbins said.
“We have those abilities, the Evanston Health Department has the message,” the Communication senior said. “So why not partner with them to create something that’s really going to make waves, and let other people know about the great things that they’re doing?”
This expansion is especially beneficial for Inspire Media, a new group on campus, said Medill sophomore Lauren Manning, vice president of production management.
“This type of outreach, from my perspective, is really one of our goals and having the opportunity to be recognized by important groups in Evanston for the work that we do and be able to really expand our interest base to help them is something that I hope can continue,” she said.
Apart from making use of the resources and talent at NU, these partnerships can also alleviate the city’s financial issues, said Jonathan Webb, Evanston’s community health division manager.
“Given the financial challenges our city is dealing with but still trying to provide quality services, we’re trying to find creative ways to address that,” he said. “One of the ways is through volunteerism and what a young, energized base like Northwestern students can provide.”
NLVS volunteers run medical tests, conduct surveys of patients and provide health education to patients at a clinic, and their work is unique because they can directly interact with patients, said general board member Sabeen Admani. She said she hopes their work in Evanston can improve town-gown relations while serving patients.
“Even though I go to school in Evanston, I don’t feel connected to the people of Evanston at all,” the McCormick junior said. “I feel like this volunteer opportunity is a way for students and the people of Evanston to be a little more connected, since we’re all in this community, this is a way to bring it all together and show that.”
