1. How to set up a Community of Practice (CoP) for Nutritionists
See What is a CoP and how do I use this resource?

2. See Why a Community of Practice?
Introduction
You have decided to set up a COP for nutrition professionals- Great!
The aim of this presentation is to guide you on how to create a successful and sustainable CoP
We hope to offer you practical tips and help you navigate common issues
Plus provide you with useful resources via hyperlinks
See Why a Community of Practice?

3. Introduction Setting up a CoP can be divided into these steps Inquire
Design
Prototype
Launch
Grow
Sustain
Evaluate

4. Key Definitions Domain- a particular shared Nutrition interest
Community- a group of people (Nutrition professionals from a specific health field or region)
Practice- practical implications and applications of professional knowledge

5. Inquire
Make a case to employers to allow you to dedicate time to a CoP
Potential benefits to organisations include:
Employee efficiency, in terms of time and cost, in retrieving information
Industry benchmarking capacity
Involvement in key industry and national initiatives
Organisational reputation as a contributor in building new capabilities
Increase access and use of evidence

6. Inquire Summary of the advantages of a CoP
Short-term value
Long-term value
Help with challenges
Access to expertise
Confidence
Fun with colleagues
Meaningful work
Personal development
Reputation
Professional identify
Network
Marketability
Problem solving
Time saving
Knowledge sharing
Synergies across units
Resuse of resources
Strategic capabilities
Keeping abreast
Innovation
Retention of talents
New strategies
Members
Organisation
See CoP versus other forms of professional development

7. See CoP Charter Template
Design
Draft charter or group guidelines with three to five members including:
Mission
Scope
Goals
Objectives
Participant expectations
See CoP Charter Template

8. Design Identify leaders in your CoP Allocate two primary roles
Find a skilful and reputable coordinator that has an interest in the domain
Allocate two primary roles
Community leader: Takes overall organisational responsibility for the CoP. Helps the group stay focused and aligned with the charter
Community sponsor: encourages member participation and access to technology or resources
See Case for Sponsorship Brief

9. Subject Matter (domain) of CoP
Design
Subject Matter (domain) of CoP
Identify topical/controversial/common issues related to the circumstances of the profession
Groups are best for problem solving
Find Subject Matter Expertise (SME). These will be people who are considered knowledgeable and leaders in identified domains
See SME Tip Sheet

10. Subject matter expertise:
Case Study
Subject matter expertise:
The CoP for PHNs working with remote retail stores aimed to increase access to the evidence base for this unique and newly emerging field
This included access to six experienced professionals who previously and currently work in the field, at different times during the groups existence
Sessions were conversational in nature allowing members to ask questions of such experts where they may not have had access or felt comfortable to do so in another professional development forum

11. See Facilitation Tip Sheet
Design
Choose a facilitator to keep conversations focused, relevant and inclusive. There are many different ways to do this, some options include:
Most experienced person facilitates/chairs meetings
Facilitators rotate monthly or each session
See Facilitation Tip Sheet

12. Consider timing of meetings
Design
Consider timing of meetings
Frequency ideally six weekly to ensure no long gap between meets
Duration (depending on size of group ~two hours)
Face-to-face meetings (this can especially be useful for members in rural/remote areas, trying to meet 1x year i.e. at a major national professional conference once per year

13. Design
Communication: consider accessibility, cost, reliability, practicability
Video/audio conferencing e.g.
Google Chat (free)
Adobe (cost) – lets users present documents and screen share
Skype (cost for group conference)
Telephone
Face to face
See Technology Tool Comparison

14. Management of knowledge
Design
Management of knowledge
Record of meetings e.g. allocate a scribe
Inform members who miss sessions
Have a way to follow up on issues raised for future meetings
Prompt dialogue between meetings through chat room or s
Encourage sharing of reflections whilst they occur in the workplace

15. It is time to test the CoP out with the core members
Prototype
It is time to test the CoP out with the core members
Refine method of communication and technology tools the community will use
Ensure each core member’s role is clear
Go through “case scenarios” to test the functionality of meetings
A group of remote Public Health Nutritionists may test out their CoP with a topic like ‘The process of developing a store nutrition policy’

16. Launch
Use the below templates as one example of how to get the word out to potential members
To recruit members try
ing past and present colleagues
Social and research network sites such as Facebook, ResearchGate, Linkedin, Twitter
Professional bodies i.e. DAA, PHAA, Nutrition Society of Australia and special interest groups within these bodies
See Formation Announcement Template
See Invitation Approach

17. Launch
Membership
Consider the size of your group, evidence suggests groups of around ten are most manageable
Use the template below to track membership skills, contact details
See Membership Tracking Template

18. Grow Aim to increase participation and member contribution:
Create subgroups to support emerging group activities
Publicise successes and encourage sharing of stories from the front line
Consider rewards for participation such as CPD points (may need to involve and discuss with professional bodies i.e. DAA)
Involve experts and develop the evidence base with research and university bodies
See Maximising group effectiveness

19. Value the work of communities
Sustain
Value the work of communities
Actively encourage ideas, sharing of knowledge
Create a newsletter to summarise activities of the CoP and to plan for next meetings
Keep stakeholders and your organisation informed of your involvement
See Newsletter template
See Sustaining a CoP

20. Evaluate Individual and/or group reflection and evaluation
See Evaluation interview guide
Employ the Most significant change technique
See MSC guide
Facilitator diaries
See Evaluating a CoP

21. Summary Go and set up your own CoP
The creation and evolution of a CoP can be broken down into simple steps.
Use the hyperlinks to help you set up your CoP but remember they are just a guide. It is important to just work with what suits the groups needs.
Aim to create a CoP that empowers its nutrition members and encourages them to Collaborate, Apply, Support and Engage for lifelong learning and career development.
Go and set up your own CoP