COL's Community Learning Programme Model
COL’s approach to health and development education is based in communication for development strategies, blending outcome-oriented learning design with process-oriented dialogue and stakeholder participation.
COL’s community learning programme model has developed through collaboration with a range of partner agencies and fieldwork in different areas of the Commonwealth. Community learning programmes:
- Focus on the local level, generally in one or perhaps two districts
- Involve local stakeholders from the outset in decision-making about topics, messages, and programme design and execution
- Bring together different types of groups – community networks, media/ICT outlets, health and development experts, public policy representatives – into collaborative programme design, management and evaluation processes
- Prioritise the lived experience and stories of learners and other community members, combining them with “expert” information
- Draw on traditional cultural formats, such as storytelling, drama, music and other folk media
- Highlight interactive, dynamic and engaging formats
- Promote multichannel and blended approaches, e.g. combining radio with mobile telephony, and face-to-face interactions and community mobilisation with engaging media content
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Programme examples and profiles:
Africa
Caribbean
- Healthy Lifestyles, Toledo District (Belize)
- Me and Mi Baby, Healthy Environments, St. Mary's Parish (Jamaica)
Pacific
- Bogunvil Mere Tede (Bougainville Women Today), Buka, Bougainville (Papua New Guinea)
- Isabel Youth Learning Network: Na Au Fa Keli (Healthy Environment), Susubona area; Khabru Mamahe (Sweet Sickness), Tataba and Sigana areas); Noda Thogna (Healthy Seas). Buala area; Doli Ta Namanama (Bright Future), Kia area; Isabel Province (Solomon Islands)
