At My Health Hub, crafting engaging and informative content that resonates with audiences fosters learning and growth. Our education co-ordinator, Pauline Proud (pictured), is our facilitator who assists speakers to present on a wide range of health topics, ensuring they are comfortable onscreen, using the technology and equipment to present well, introduce speakers to the audience (large and small), and generally ensure a positive experience for both speaker and audience. She began her role at My Health Hub in 2011 and came to the organisation already armed with the knowledge, technical skills and passion; with a solid background in nursing, project and programme management, training development and delivery, including organising an international conference for the University of Auckland, and community consultation.

She recalls a time when she organised and delivered training for a range of Māori, Pasifika and mainstream health providers.

“I provided training for many rural communities, for example the Chatham Islands and Te Puia Springs, working with teams who were struggling, with few resources and high needs in their communities. In one of the remote rural communities, I set up the mobile computer in an open garage with a dog under my feet and their baby on my lap, whilst showing the two (volunteer) community workers how they could fund and access the WWW to help with their smokefree mahi. On a few maraes over this period, I learned to take a very long cable because there would likely be a toll bar on the phone in the main building, but one of the kaumatua flats would likely let me use their phone for the dial-up connection. Only by introducing myself, the project and partnering with a kaimahi or kaumatua who could ‘bring me on’ to the marae, were these sessions possible.”

“So, I had already a passion for getting stuck in and making sure the resources and training were available to those who might otherwise miss out – within a project which had an overarching strategy of achieving equitable health outcomes. And this job provides more opportunities to do that. I no longer need to take planes, hire cars and travel with my data projector, cables, and laptop – I just sit in my office and arrange things! But it is the same feeling of contributing meaningfully to support the work done by our valuable and under-resourced health professionals.”

“In this job, every individual learning session brings an element of success which is rewarding; ensuring the presenters are comfortable and competent and use their equipment effectively, ensuring the Zoom session runs as planned, and hearing the immediate feedback from participants, as well as seeing the evaluation reports that ensue.”

Thanks to Pauline’s expertise and dedication, our online education program continues to make a significant impact in the healthcare community, empowering professionals with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver quality care to patients and become catalysts for change within their communities.

For more information, visit myhealthhub.co.nz