Basic
Principles
At
every stage of the P Process, there are basic principles
for strategic communication programs:
Strategic
Thinking
Identify communication not as posters and brochures or even
television spots and radio dramas, but as a continuous, direct,
and major influence on behavior and policy. Mobilize and deploy
the power of communication at all levels to promote and support
good health practices.
Leadership
Support
Build support among national and local leaders continuously,
from the initial assessment to the sharing of evaluation results.
Enable political, religious, and community leaders to share
credit for program accomplishments.
Audience
Participation
Encourage your audience to be actively involved at every stage
assessing their needs, planning the strategy, carrying out local
activities, assisting in monitoring and evaluation, and engaging
in advocacy. Develop key messages around the needs of the audience
and the benefits for the audience.
Interdisciplinary
Approach
Work with people from different disciplines and backgrounds,
including nurses, marketing professionals, social scientists,
auxiliary health personnel, physicians, pharmacists, epidemiologists,
anthropologists, and communication specialists throughout the
life of the program to secure the diverse skills and technical
expertise needed.
Coordination
with Service Providers
Design communication programs to identify and reinforce service
facilities and to promote access and quality. Encourage and
train health care providers to use or refer to appropriate materials
and messages in dealing with clients. Encourage communication
experts to highlight the role of good providers.
Public-Private
Partnerships
Build partnerships among government agencies, nongovernmental
organizations, and the commercial sector to reinforce communication
programs and to share materials, messages, training, and other
resources. Learn from one another.
Multiple
Channels
Establish a lead agency and a lead channel to carry the message
and reinforce it with other appropriate mass, community, and
interpersonal media. Use media that reach the intended audiences
best to achieve the most cost-effective program.
Enter-Educate
Approaches
Never underestimate the power of entertainment to reach and
persuade audiences, especially young people and those who are
not health professionals. Develop and adapt entertaining materials
for mass media and community distribution.
Training
and Capacity-Building
At every step, train individuals and build institutional capabilities
to carry out effective programs. Use educational sessions and
on-the-job training to create a critical mass of communication
experts.
Monitoring
and Evaluation
Plan for evaluation from the start to measure changes in the
intended audiences and to know whether objectives are achieved.
Monitor project outputs regularly and make necessary adjustments.
Share findings widely to improve future programs.
Continuity
and Sustainability
Plan for continuity from the start with activities that can
become sustainable over time. Expand programs, services, activities,
and coalitions as appropriate to build a larger base for advocacy
and community support.
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