Prof. Anthea Rhoda

he vision of the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences is to “Impact Society through Knowledge and Research”. To realise this vision, part of our mission is to transform and sustain the health and wellbeing of communities. Both our vision and mission are conceptualised within a social justice framework. Community engagement is implemented by all departments, schools, and research centres in our faculty, either on an individual basis, or through collaborative initiatives. Outreach activities are executed by staff and students from four faculties at UWC, namely, CHS, Science (School of Pharmacy), Law, and Dentistry, often partnered with the Western Cape Government – Health, and/or the City of Cape Town.

The flagship offerings are the outreach programmes, administered within four identified community settings, namely, Bellville CBD, Fisantekraal, Mitchell’s Plain, and Genadendal, facilitated by the Interprofessional Education Unit, with the focus on collaborative community engagement activities.

To respond to the health and wellness needs of these specific communities, teams, comprising UWC staff and students, conduct health screening, health education, mental health awareness, as well as legal education and advice.

As an essential component of these outreach activities, individuals are referred to relevant healthcare facilities for continued, necessary professional services. Additionally, entities within FCHS engage their international partners, to focus on capacity building of community members, as well as community health workers.

Parallel to these services, a number of research studies are implemented to measure the impact of our engagement. Communication on Science development and knowledge transference are aspects central to the research conducted, while a concerted effort is made to include community members in the design, implementation, and dissemination of research.

This address provides a snapshot of the activities at CHS, which are aimed at impacting society through knowledge and research.