The document summarizes the establishment of an African-based capacity building platform for social and behavior change communication (SBCC) practitioners working in HIV prevention. A partnership was formed between an African university and institute to create an accredited training program. The first course was launched in 2010. Over 200 practitioners have attended short courses, while 32 have completed master's degrees. The program has strengthened individual and institutional capacity across Africa and beyond. Key factors in its success include the partnership model, advisory board, external management, and housing within a public health school.

1. Building Capacity in Social and
Behaviour Change Communication
(SBCC) for HIV Prevention
An African-based Programme
Sara Nieuwoudt (1), Nicola Christofides (1) & Shereen Usdin (2)
1.Division of SBCC, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health
Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
2.Soul City Institute for Health and Development Communication
(SC:IHDC)

2. Partnership Vision
To create a recognized and accredited African-
led and based platform supporting the
development of practitioners and academics
with the SBCC competencies required to address
Africa’s public health priorities

3. Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Geographic Focus: Sub-Saharan Africa
Image Credit:
Wikimedia Commons
Estimated HIV prevalence among young adults (15-49) by country

4. Communication as a tool for
HIV prevention

5. Social & Behaviour Change Communication
as a Discipline
Promotes:
•Multi-level analysis
of situation, including
social determinants of
health
•Targeted and multi-
level responses
•Evidence-based
programming
Image credit: McKee, Manoncourt & Chin, 2000

6. Universities Training for the Market
Competency-based Curricula
Example: Research, Monitoring & Evaluation Competency Framework
Knowledge of: Ability to: Values:
key monitoring, evaluation, select relevant indicators do not “doctor data”
and research concepts for measuring project learn from mistakes or
tools and methodologies processes and results non-success in programs
for monitoring, evaluation develop and implement use monitoring and
and research monitoring plan with data evaluation data to improve
qualitative and quantitative collection tools program activities
research methods determine effectiveness of reliance of multiple
participatory research communication strategy methods for monitoring
methodologies identify problems in design and evaluation
frameworks for project and/or implementation systematic use of
evaluation maintain management monitoring and evaluation
information system (MIS) at all levels of SBCC work
use MIS to inform project
direction
conduct participatory
monitoring, evaluation,
and research
document and
communicate best
practices

7. Problem Analysis
In 2008, many SBCC Practitioners working on HIV
prevention were:
– In leadership positions, without public health or
specific communication qualifications
– Desiring professional development opportunities
beyond non-accredited training
– Not able to afford overseas study
(SC:IHDC, 2008; 2010)

8. Establishing a platform for capacity
building takes time
Secured funding
from DFID, CDC First cohort
Pilot of first course
& C-CHANGE in enrolled in
in December 2009
2008/09 2010
Hired external Course
staff to lead development Division
program Launch in
and
development 2010
accreditation
The entire process involved
Study tour and
a mix of
adaptation of May 2009 stakeholders, including
competency Consultative practitioners & academics
framework Meeting
from region & abroad

9. Result: Division of SBCC
• 1-week blocks • Full and part-time
offered for offered over 2-4 years
Attendance or • 5 SBCC specific courses
Competency
• 7 accredited
Short MPH
Courses Program
* Under review
due to resource
SBCC Community constraints
Research of Practice*
• Academic staff • Open to all course
• MPH research participants, MPH
students & program
reports stakeholders (guest
lecturers, board, etc.)

10. Division Participant Profile
• Over 200 short course and
32 MPH students
• Aged 28-54
• Leaders in HIV responses:
– National AIDS Committees,
e.g. NERCHA
– Government advisors
– NGO leaders
– Research institutions
– Donor agencies, e.g. CDC

11. Division Reach: Africa and beyond
MPH Short course
South Africa (same as MPH)
Botswana Namibia
Swaziland Mozambique
Lesotho Nigeria
Zimbabwe Sudan
Ethiopia Niger
Malawi Egypt
Uganda Eritrea
U.S.A. (in RSA) Ghana
Uganda
Tanzania
+ Institutional
Kenya
support to
Zambia
universities in:
D.R.C.
Nigeria
Burundi
Tanzania
India
Albania
Switzerland
Afghanistan

12. Individual capacity built
“ Starting the MPH two years ago, I had lots of
practical experience, but now, I have the added
benefit of knowing the principles and theory
behind the practice. In my work in a large unit
dealing with HIV prevention, and working closely
with the Department of Health, I have become
the go-to person on social and behavior change
communication. We no longer tolerate “spray
and pray” prevention efforts: it’s all a whole lot
more targeted and effective.”
– MPH Student

13. Institutional capacity strengthening
• Individuals contribute to their institutions
• Institutions sending multiple individuals on short
courses/MPH note shift in institutional culture
Plans to systematically evaluate outcomes & impact
• Tracer study
– MPH student professional development/employment
– Performance (self- and employer-assessed)
• Comparison of short-courses vs. integrated
degree learning

14. Lessons: Factors of Success
Partnership between • Allows for professional development with accredited
academic and practitioner certification/degree, while maintaining focus on developing the hard
institutions skills required for practitioners
Advisory board with local • Allows division to keep current on both academic & practitioners
and international debates related to SBCC
membership • Multidisciplinary (communication & public health)
Hiring externally to lead and • Bringing on board someone with a core set of skills to guide process
manage program
• We add value to an already interdisciplinary field with a strong
Housing program within a applied focus
School of Public Health • Able to draw on a broad range of skills (epidemiology, policy, etc.)
• More open to addressing social determinants of health through
SBCC Framing intersectoral collaboration, at multiple levels

15. Implications for Capacity
Strengthening in HIV
• Understanding HIV with an ecological perspective and being able to
use evidence to develop and evaluate our programmes is critical
• Practitioners have an important role in defining what competencies
(knowledge, skills & values) are needed, while universities are well
placed to delivery competency-based training in a systematic way
• Embedding training in an academic institution supports sustainability
– Also, accreditation offers opportunities for career progression and
quality assurance unlike non-accredited training courses
• Basing the programme in Africa is more cost-effective than sending
African practitioners to study overseas and supports instruction and
content that is tailored to the African context

16. Thanks to our past donors!

17. Slide References
• Labonte R, Mohindra K, and Schrecker T. 2011. The Growing Impact of
Globalization for Health and Public Health Practice. Annual Review of
Public Health, 32: 263–83.
• McKee N, Manoncourt E, Chin SY, Carnegie R, eds. Involving
People, Evolving Behavior. New York: UNICEF; Penang, Malaysia:
Southbound; 2000.

18. SUPPORTING SLIDE

19. SBCC Accredited courses
• Applying Social & Behaviour Change Theory to
Practice
• Research, Monitoring & Evaluation for SBCC
• SBCC Approaches
• Planning and Implementing SBCC
• Communication, Media & Society
• Introduction to Health Promotion
• Entertainment Education

20. Context: Complexity & Resource
Constraints
Image credit: Labonte, Mohindra & Shrecker, 2011