Assets for policy making in health promotion: Overcoming political barriers inhibiting women in difficult life situations to access sport facilities

Although the need for intersectoral policy making in health promotion has been commonplace and a high priority for several decades, there is still a lack of appropriate methods available to assess the inputs, processes, and outcomes associated with the effectiveness of such approaches, particularly in relation to sectors outside of health. This paper demonstrates how asset based models to intersectoral policy making in health promotion can improve the effectiveness of projects aiming to improve health and related outcomes. In particular, it summarises how asset based approaches to the planning and implementation of health promotion programmes can be used to develop our methods for assessing intersectorial actions. The paper is based on the findings from a local neighbourhood project based in Erlangen, Germany, aiming to improve the opportunities for physical activity among women in difficult life situations. The neighbourhood was characterised by high rates of unemployment, social welfare recipients, and migrants. Ethnographic methods enabled us to highlight the range of health related assets available in the neighbourhood which could be activated to improve access to and uptake of physical activity amongst the target population. Results indicate that intersectoral policies seeking to improve health outcomes, are more likely to be successful if they maximise the opportunities for making the most of the assets that exist in individuals, communities and organisations. This study demonstrates how the asset model was used to create the supportive environments which facilitated women from the target population to work with policy makers on an equal footing. Their involvement in project planning and implementation helped to achieve the structural changes required to achieve the aims of the project. These included the establishment of a new job position at the city office for sports and improved access to sport facilities for women in difficult life situations.