Connected to Lead: How CHWs Build Knowledge Through Networks

10 Oct, 2025

Connected to Lead: How CHWs Build Knowledge Through Networks

CHW News, CHW Professional Development, CHWs, Health Equity

Community Health Workers (CHWs) have always been connectors, linking people to care, resources, and support. In Mecklenburg County, CHWs are not only sharing tools and stories; they’re shaping strategy, identifying best practices, and strengthening one another through intentional networks at the local, regional, and statewide levels. These connections form the foundation for workforce development, collective problem-solving, and stronger systems of care. During the 2024 Movers & Shakers CommUNITY Forum, CHWs and community partners explored the Cultivating Community Change Together action plan, and CHW Strategy 1.2—focused on building networks to share best and emerging practices—stood out as the most resonant. In this post, we explore how CHWs are bringing this strategy to life across Mecklenburg County and how we can continue to support and sustain these efforts.

Peer Learning That Drives Micro-Level Systems Change

Under the Community Health Worker Initiative’s (CHWI) Cultivating Community Change Together Plan, CHW Strategy 1.2 encourages CHWs to connect across platforms, meetings, and communities to elevate emerging practices and address persistent gaps. At its core, this strategy affirms that when CHWs are connected, the entire system grows stronger; communities, institutions, and the workforce itself.

💡 CHW STRATEGY 1.2 CHWs connect and network to share resources, and best and emerging practices via online platforms and local, state, and regional meetings.

CHWs across Mecklenburg County are building knowledge through relationships, networks, and intentional peer learning. These spaces go beyond information-sharing, they offer empowerment, collaboration, and momentum for systems-level change at the micro level. CHW Strategy 1.2 recognizes that when CHWs connect locally, regionally, and statewide, they not only strengthen their own practice but also contribute to more coordinated, responsive systems of care. ¹

Regional Connections: Region 3 CHW Networks – Through Region 3 CHW meetings, CHWs engage in dedicated spaces to connect with peers across counties, share best practices, and stay informed on policy shifts. These meetings foster relationship-building, inspire creative problem-solving, and provide tangible tools and support to sustain the workforce.
Statewide Engagement: NCCHWA Convenings and Roundtables – Mecklenburg CHWs actively participate in events hosted by the North Carolina Community Health Worker Association (NCCHWA), including the CHW Summit, Advocacy Day, Roundtables, and Coalition meetings. These gatherings offer professional development, advocacy tools, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities, ensuring CHWs have a voice in shaping policies and programs that affect their work and communities.
Local Leadership: Queen City Community Connect Coalition (QC4) – Locally, CHWs are leading QC4 coalition meetings to surface shared challenges and co-develop solutions. These gatherings center CHW voices and promote collaboration around key issues like language access, referral barriers, and consistent follow-up.
Online Platforms: Staying Connected Digitally – In addition to in-person spaces, CHWs use digital tools, such as platforms like the National Association of Community Health Worker’s (NACHW) CHW Connector, to share resources, troubleshoot challenges, and stay connected across time and space. These platforms create informal but effective infrastructure for rapid knowledge exchange and ongoing peer support.

Building and sustaining these connections requires more than participation—it requires intentional design of how networks function within a larger system. When CHWs are supported with the right infrastructure, mentorship, and leadership pathways, they can focus their energy on problem-solving and community impact rather than being overburdened with systemic accountability that exceeds their capacity. ² This is where CHW Strategy 1.2 shifts from concept to practice, outlining tangible activities that ensure networking efforts are purposeful, sustainable, and equitable.

From Strategy to Action: Operationalizing CHW Strategy 1.2

The Cultivating Community Change Together plan outlines four key activites for CHW Strategy 1.2:

CHW 1.2.1 – CHWs understand and identify the networks at the local, state, and regional levels.
CHW 1.2.2 – CHWs actively participate in local, state-wide, and regional meetings to share best practices, insights, and information about programs and resources.
CHW 1.2.3 – CHWs explore and use online platforms to exchange information about programs and resources.
CHW 1.2.4 – CHWs work collaboratively to examine complex patient and community challenges, problem-
solve, and build best practices.

To further operationalize these activities, networks can be strengthened using systems thinking approaches. Social network analysis—proven effective in other public health sectors—can uncover gaps, highlight collaboration opportunities, and ensure resources reach the communities that need them most. This process makes invisible connections visible, providing a clearer picture of how CHW networks function and how they can grow stronger.

Examples of operationalizing CHW Strategy 1.2 include:

Create a shared network map – Document all local, state, and regional CHW networks, including points of contact, meeting schedules, and focus areas, so CHWs know where and how to plug in.
Integrate peer learning into regular meetings – Dedicate time in each coalition or network meeting for CHWs to share case studies, tools, and emerging practices.
Leverage digital infrastructure – Build and maintain shared drives, group chats, or online forums to make resources and updates accessible between meetings.
Facilitate cross-network collaboration – Host joint sessions between local, regional, and statewide networks to tackle shared challenges like referral gaps, transportation barriers, or data access.

Conclusion

One of the biggest barriers to systems change is misaligned responsibility. Too often, the micro level—frontline professionals like CHWs—is tasked with solving structural problems without the authority, tools, or resources to do so. For CHW Strategy 1.2 to have lasting impact, responsibility must align with capacity, with meso-level institutions building the infrastructure and supports to sustain engagement, and macro-level systems leading on policy, funding, and structural reforms. When CHW networks are supported at every level, they shift from isolated efforts to a coordinated system of shared knowledge—transforming Strategy 1.2 from a plan on paper into a framework for a stronger workforce, better collaboration, and healthier communities.

References

Mecklenburg County Public Health – Community Health Worker Initiative. Cultivating Community Change Together: Mecklenburg County’s Community Health Worker Initiative Comprehensive Action Plan to Improve Access to Care. Mecklenburg County Government; 2024. Available from: https://mecknc.widen.net/s/sv7vghcmxj/hlt—chwi—cultivating-community-change-together
Impact Narrative Consulting LLC. Framing Public Health Systems Change: A Micro, Meso, and Macro Lens. Impact Narrative Consulting Blog; 2025. Available from: https://theimpactnarrative.org/blog/framing-public-health-systems-change