The ORC #2 - SBCC Formative Research and Analysis

The ORC #2 - Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Formative Research and Analysis

May 13 2010

The ORC is an e-magazine supported by C-Change and prepared by The Communication Initiative in cooperation with C-Change partner Ohio University. It is dedicated to alerting you and your organization to resources, training, links, and other opportunities for capacity strengthening in social and behavior change communication (SBCC), all vetted for quality and relevance by AED and Ohio University.

In this edition we are focusing on one of SBCC's core competency areas - formative research and analysis. This is the first step in any planning process for SBCC and relates to what you need to do to understand a situation well enough to make evidence-based, informed decisions on the SBCC approaches to use, how to focus your program and strategy on the groups of people most affected, and who partners, allies, or gatekeepers are. Below you will find core resources and trainings designed to strengthen capacity to do the initial research so vital to the success of any SBCC program.

The Capacity Strengthening Online Resource Center is a living resource designed to provide the best resources and training opportunities available and we welcome your contribution. We are looking for case studies, strategic thinking, support materials, and other resources relevant to SBCC capacity strengthening. If you want contribute, please contact cchangeorc@comminit.com

In this issue:

C-Change Capacity Strengthening News
Worth Reading
Focus on Formative Research and Analysis
• Core Resources
• Training
• Work Sharing
• Networks and Discussions

C-Change Capacity Strengthening News

1. C-Modules Launched

This learning package for social and behavior change communication is a complete training course that takes the user through a step-by-step process to research, develop and measure a SBCC campaign. Officially launched on April 9, the C-Modules can be downloaded here

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2. Albania Study Tour
A group of faculty from the University of Tirana in Albania will be travelling to the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa to learn from the work done by Soul City and the Witwatersrand School of Public Health on the SBCC Center of Excellence.

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3. C-Hub Launched
C-Change has launched an online database of communication materials for development. Users can search or browse for communication materials across a wide variety of health areas. C-Hub will also include materials related to the environment and civil society sectors.

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Worth Reading

4. Advocacy in Action - A Toolkit to Support NGOs and CBOs Responding to HIV/AIDS
This toolkit, shows non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) how they can use advocacy to influence policy makers and political elites to create a social and political environment that protects the rights, health, and welfare of everyone - whether HIV positive or negative.

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Formative Research and Analysis
Select Core Resources:

5. C-Modules: A Learning Package for Social and Behavior Change Communication
Module 1: Understanding the Situation
This module illustrates how a full analysis of the situation can help build a program based on evidence, instead of assumptions, and will reveal ways in which behavior change communication, social mobilization and/ or advocacy can bring about a positive change.

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6. Qualitative Target Audience Formative Research for Health and Development Communication: Soul City Fieldworker Training Manual 1 - Qualitative Interviewing

This manual was developed to support skills training in qualitative interviewing, aiming to teach individuals and organisations to conduct formative audience research in support of health and development communication and the production of edu-tainment programmes.

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7. A Field Guide to Designing a Health Communication Strategy

The purpose of this strategic communication resource is to provide practical guidance to those who are in a position to design, implement, or support a strategic health communication effort.

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8. Role of Information and Communication Networks in Malaria Survival
This research from the Malaria Journal, Volume 6(1):136, investigates the impact of information and communication network (ICN) density variables on malaria death probability.

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9. Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal, Starting with the People

This handbook describes the procedure for planning and conducting Participatory Rural Communication Appraisal (PRCA) as the first step in the design of cost-effective and appropriate communication for development programmes, strategies and materials at the field level.

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Training
Select Courses:

10. Social and Behaviour Change Communication Approaches Certificate Course - July 19-23 2010 - Johannesburg, South Africa

This Social and Behaviour Change Communication unit will develop capacity in understanding the evidence-base for approaches that aim to influence the social and behavioral determinants of health including advocacy, social mobilization, edutainment, and social marketing.

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11. Planning and Implementing Health Communication Strategies for Social and Behaviour Change Certificate Course – August 16-20 2010 - Johannesburg, South Africa

This is a unit for Part II of the MPH qualification in the field of SBCC. The unit aims to develop capacity in applying formative research to programme planning.

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12. University of Oxford Global Health Summer School

The Global Health Summer School aims to aid in developing appropriate skills in relation to participants' work in global and public health and to help participants understand how research evidence, ethical frameworks, and program evaluation can impact on and be used in global and public health. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance for the program.

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Worksharing
Select Opportunities:

13. Centers for Disease Control Health Communications Training Program

This program is open to students and professionals seeking internships or fellowships in the field of Health Communications. Candidates may apply for fellowships or internships. Participants may be engaged with conducting research for marketing and communication initiatives, campaign development, the production of communication materials, and additional hands-on opportunities.

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14. CARE USA Fellowships

The Visiting Fellows Program offers a small number of graduate students and practitioners with support from outside sources the opportunity to work with projects and conduct research in various CARE Country Offices.

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15. Academy for Educational Development (AED) Internship Program

Interns are involved in a variety of activities such as research and writing; coordination of itineraries and meeting schedules for consultants, visitors, and students; and proposal preparation and production.

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Networks and Discussions
Select Forums and Communities:

16. Capacity Development Network (Capacity-Net)

SA HealthInfo aims to develop a national health knowledge network to support and stimulate innovation and improved decision making within South Africa's health system. It provides information and hosts forums related to HIV and AIDS, Malaria, alcohol abuse, nutrition, and traditional medicine.

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17. African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)

The FEMNET discussion board aims promote the sharing of experiences, information, and strategies among African women's non-governmental organizations (NGOs) through advocacy, training, and communication, as well as resources for planning, implementing, and evaluating women's programs to advance African women's development, equality, and other human rights.

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18. African Networks for Health Research and Development (AFRO-NETS)

The AFRO-NETS mailing list facilitates the exchange of information between networks active in health research for development in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region.

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Development of the C-Change Online Resource Center is guided by C-Change partner Ohio University in cooperation with The Communication Initiative. C-Change is a project implemented by AED and partners and funded by USAID. For a complete list of C-Change Partners, click here.

This publication is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the terms of Agreement No. GPO-A-00-07-00004-00. The contents are the responsibility of the Communicative Initiative and the C-Change project, managed by AED, and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

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