Advances course: Advancing ahead

The 15th Advances in Family Health and Social Communication Workshop provided the selected group of program managers and others concerned, through review of the latest findings in health and social communication, an opportunity to enhance Behavior Change Communication (BCC) understanding, knowledge and skills. The highly participatory approach of the workshop is designed and aimed at helping participants develop effective advocacy, social mobilization and program communication strategies while strengthening their ability to implement dynamic communication programs. The workshop was held at BARD, Comilla from August 12-23, 2007 where twenty nine (29) senior and experienced professionals from Government and NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP) attended this workshop.
Strategic Communication Planning and Evaluation (SCOPE) was one of the key attractions of this workshop. This is an inventive computer software program for developing and designing specific communication programs following the program planning tool - P process. This interactive exercise had driven the workshop more to a participatory and interesting manner that provided a unique opportunity for the participants to have a practical application of the theoretical sessions. By the end of the workshop, each group designed and developed communication programs for their selected target audiences.
According to the participants’ feedback, the workshop was a great success. Participants completed three types of evaluation instruments during the workshop; the pre-test, session feedback forms and final evaluation form. The participants found this workshop very useful and were very satisfied with the methodology, content and management of the workshop. Their feelings expressed through the evaluation formats where out of a 10 point scale they rated the workshop a) as a whole 8.93 b) the course content 8.62 and c) SCOPE exercise as 8.48. The pre and post-test result also showed a significant increase in knowledge regarding strategic communication and designing communication programs.