Resources - Quest: Participatory communication training
Information and communication resources are not produced in a vacuum! The development of any communication, should involve thinking about who it needs to reach, why it's message is important , how it will work, and its social and cultural impact.
Our communication training package - Quest - supports organisations to produce well thought out communication and information resources. The training includes a workshop with Healthlink Worldwide staff, follow up activities and a series of printed materials. It has been developed in recognition of the need for our partners to have practical guidelines to support them with their communication activities.
More than resources
As well as being used to
produce individual resources Quest can also be helpful for developing an
organisation's communication strategy. It helps organisations to focus
on the processes that create good communication (interaction, networking,
participation and so on). Organisations who wish to develop programmes
and resources that are grounded in local contexts or involve dialogue between
diverse stakeholders will benefit from Quest.
Change agents
By facilitating a process of dialogue and debate among
stakeholders, including traditionally silenced and marginalised groups,
Quest assists people, organisations and communities to generate and
distribute information and resources for their own particular context.
The participatory approach of Quest consciously builds on existing
strength and experiences and supports organisations to move towards
sustainable, longer-term and collective social change. At its core are
the principles of;
- Participation - people to be active agents of their own change
- Empowerment - informed choices through dialogue and sharing knowledge and experience
- Equity and social justice - getting traditionally unheard voices onto the agenda
- Local ownership.
Get the best from Quest
Whether used to produce specific resources or for wider communication
purposes, Quest training takes users through the process of resource
development and production in a participatory way. Rather than follow
instructions, participants actively engage with the issues and questions
key to each stage. The training develops capacity by facilitating the
sharing and analysis of experience, enhancing knowledge, developing
necessary skills, and fostering reflective practice and learning.
The package offered by Healthlink Worldwide includes an initial workshop (ideally 5 days) with support and follow-up activities by highly experienced, Healthlink Worldwide staff, trained in participatory communication methods. The workshop forms one stage in the process; the approach works best through practice and implementation in the field, over time.
We work with organisations as part of our larger programmes and projects, for example within the Communicating for Advocacy project, and the Inclusive communication for development programme, as well as individual workshops for those wishing to look at specific aspects of their organisation's communications.
Supporting material
The training workshops are based on two main materials:
- The manual – A guide to the resource development process. It is divided into stages which include; assessing needs, planning, research, format, developing content, testing, production, dissemination and evaluation.
- How to... guides – short, practical skill guides on how to develop resources.
The value of participatory communication training Throughout the process, attention is drawn to how organisational cultures influence work practice and impact. In this way, participants are stimulated to consider the issues in relation to their own work environment.
Different organisations can take the Quest approach forward in different ways. Healthlink Worldwide seeks to provide overall support in order to facilitate learning, exchange and follow-up guidance.
Interested?
If you or your organisation would like to know more about Quest then
please contact David Curtis, Head of Programme and Capacity
Development at Healthlink Worldwide. curtis.d@healthlink.org.uk