2006 Working Group Highlights

Conducted a BEHAVE Training of Trainers Workshop in San Diego January 23-27 for 24 PVO Field Project Managers, Regional, and/or HQ Managers who will be designing, implementing, and evaluating behavior change strategies or who will be managing those implementing such strategies. Sixteen participants were from HQ offices and eight from country offices, representing 16 organizations. Participants went on to replicate the training with their field staff in multiple countries including Bangladesh, India, Haiti, Albania, and Mali. Additionally, one of the independent consultants who participated in the workshop stated that she would incorporate what she had learned in the courses she teaches at San Diego State University.

Co-facilitated an Africa regional workshop on qualitative methodologies to improve PVO field staff skills in using qualitative approaches to conduct formative research and improve social and behavioral change approaches in their programs. Twenty-eight individuals participated, representing eight countries (The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, and the U.S.), nine organizations (CCF, Freedom from Hunger International, CARE, AFRICARE, SAWSO, CRS, AMREF, World Vision, World Relief), and the Kenyan MOH. The curriculum is available through the CORE Group website.

Co-hosted a workshop in Mozambique with World Relief (WR) on the Care Group model for volunteer, community-based health educators. This approach uses a group of 10 to 15 volunteer community-based health educators to provide peer support, develop a strong commitment to health activities, and find creative solutions to challenges by working together. With CORE Group's support, WR developed a guide to offer criteria to assist project managers in determining the feasibility of using this approach within their own programs, and provide step-by-step information for starting and sustaining care groups. WR is now also using the Care Group approach in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malawi, and Rwanda. As a result of the CORE Group diffusion efforts, six other NGOs have also adopted the approach and are variously using it in Angola, Cambodia, DR Congo, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mozambique, and Zambia, with additional NGOs in other locations considering using it as well.

2005 Working Group Highlights:

• Developed a week-long BEHAVE Framework training for PVOs, to be field-tested in San Diego, CA, in January 2006.

• Developed and hosted an 8-day regional Qualitative Research Methods Training Curriculum and Workshop for PVOs/NGOs in Nairobi, Kenya in December 2005 to improve qualitative formative research skills in design, implementation and analysis of observational data, interviews and focus groups.

• Developed behavior change learning sessions for USAID's Child Survival and Health Grants Program's June 2005 Mini-University.

2004 Working Group Highlights:

Applying the BEHAVE Framework: Workshop Facilitator's and Participant's Guides
The BEHAVE Framework is a tool that enables public and private organizations to change the way they approach strategic planning for behavior change. Beginning in 2002, the SBC Working Group partnered with the Academy for Educational Development (AED) CHANGE Project to adapt the tool for use by the child survival community. The resulting product, "Applying the BEHAVE Framework: A Workshop on Strategic Planning for Behavior Change in Child Survival," responds to community health managers' and planners' need for a practical behavioral framework for strategic project planning, design, research, and monitoring and evaluation.

The workshop guides enable participants to: 1) practice data-based program planning; 2) learn the four basic planning decisions of the BEHAVE Framework (select a priority group, define behavioral objectives, identify the key factors influencing behavior, and plan program activities); 3) integrate the BEHAVE framework into existing program approaches such as trials of improved practices, social mobilization and participatory planning; 4) sharpen skills in planning for an d using results of qualitative and quantitative research in program development; and 5) plan for indicators to monitor changes in health behaviors and outcomes.

In 2004, the Working Group published two guides to support the workshop: a Facilitator's Guide and a Participant Binder. The workshop and guides - a field-tested, five-day training package - enables NGOs to replicate BEHAVE workshops conducted in Cambodia, South Africa and Washington, DC, in new countries and regions. The two guides consolidate handouts and facilitator materials with easy-to-use training guidelines, and are available in hard copy and CD-Rom. A French version of the guides will be available on CD in early 2005. Several CORE member organizations have already adapted these guides for use within their organizations for both health and development issues.

Technical Advisory Activities
The SBC Working Group convened an External Analysis meeting with experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health and the Health Communication Partnership, Boston University, University of North Carolina, AED CHANGE Project and USAID to discuss key trends in the field of social and behavior change and provide key recommendations to the CORE Working Group for future activities.

The Working Group and other CORE members continued to partner with the CSTS+ Project to apply the Child Survival Sustainability Assessment Framework to their projects.