Communities of Practice (CoPs)

To go fast, go alone. To go far, go together (African Proverb)

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are learning networks of people who share an interest or issue.  They connect with each other to get better together.

SLHI facilitates more than 90 CoPs by providing an online community platform (www.slhinet.org) and welcoming hundreds of face-to-face meetings in our offices each year. People share knowledge, learn from each other, build collective identity, and collaborate on community projects. Some examples:

• The Reinvent Phoenix CoP (15 members) has just been established to foster closer connections among collaborators engaged in the City of Phoenix’s ambitious plans. With a focus on five distinct transit districts along the light rail line, participants are pursuing thoughtful transit-oriented development in the context of public health, sustainability and an enhanced civic culture – all key elements of healthy living.
• The Community Gardens CoP (87 members) continues as a robust collaboration sharing ideas, developing volunteers, mutually supporting events, triggering infrastructure development, and sharing both resources and successes.
• The Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics hosts ten different CoPs (with up to 93 members) in order to foster a more robust peer connection amongst pediatricians. Whether the topic is childhood obesity, medical homes, critical care, or advocacy AzAAP is getting things done using communities of practice.

As costs to participate decrease, collaboration increases. In FY2012 membership increased to nearly 2,100 active participants.