Information and knowledge management
Overview
Information and knowledge management is a vital component of a joined up health communication approach. We have a unique track record of managing information and knowledge in partnership with organisations in developing countries.
Healthlink Worldwide’s information and knowledge management approach encourages people to share relevant information and contacts, helps organisations to develop ways of documenting what they know in their own context, and supports people to map their learning and identify knowledge gaps. All this strengthens an organisation’s capacity to respond to complex health and development situations.
Our support includes the following:
- Information and communication needs assessments
- Resource centre training
- Support to develop electronic communication tools
- Support to develop effective information resources
- Access to information resources on health and disability (Source International Information Support Centre)
Information and communication needs assessments
We use tried and tested participatory methods to carry out needs assessments,
which are tailored according to organisational and project requirements.
We recently completed an information needs assessments
with nine African National AIDS Councils (NACs) as part of the Support
to the International Partnership against AIDS in Africa (SIPAA) programme.
This led to Healthlink Worldwide supporting the National AIDS Council, Ethiopia to develop a national strategic framework on information and knowledge management. The framework contributed to a joined up national response to HIV and AIDS.
More on the SIPAA project needs assessments
Resource centre training
Healthlink
Worldwide’s highly respected Resource centre manual
explains how to set up, develop and manage a resource centre. Much of
the information is drawn from the experience of Healthlink Worldwide and
our partners in developing and managing resource centres that specialise
in health and disability issues.
A short workshop for China Center for Disease Control (CDC) in Beijing, based on the Resource centre manual, covered the role of resource centres, databases, classification schemes, assessing needs, and repackaging information. The workshop led to the development of the China HIV/AIDS Information Network (CHAIN).
More on the Resource centre training
Electronic communication tools
We provide support with electronic communication tools such as websites,
CD-ROMs and email discussions, always emphasising relevant electronic
tools that meet an identified communication need.
Healthlink Worldwide developed a new HIV and AIDS taxonomy for the DFID AIDS portal project (www.aidsportal.org), based on our own classification scheme and experience in helping partner organisations develop and adapt classification schemes for health related taxonomy. The taxonomy underpins how existing resources on the web portal are organised and helps to identify gaps where more resources and research are needed.
Effective information resources
Healthlink Worldwide’s participatory communication training helps
organisations develop effective health communication materials and strategies.
Going through this process often highlights a need to manage information
and knowledge. In turn, finding out what is already known and organising
information so that it is accessible helps people decide what new materials
are needed.
More on participatory training - Quest
Access to information resources - Source International Information Support
Centre
Healthlink
Worldwide is a partner in Source International Information Support Centre,
which provides access to a huge number of health and disability information
resources. Concise resource lists – Key
lists – highlight
priority publications, websites and organisations that have been selected
for particular audiences. These are available on line and in print,
and more recently on CD-ROM.