Introduction

Welcome everyone! Today, we are going to be discussing Risk Communication and Community Engagement, a core focus within public health. RCCE is a process that enables efficient and meaningful interaction between public health actors and the general public. It is a communication strategy involved in both outbreak communication as well as within long-term health promotion initiatives. (World Health Organization).

RCCE is heavily based on two way communication, trust and mutual understanding between the public and the health actors. This lesson will be implemented to provide a better understanding of integrated RCCE strategies and how they are used by public information officers (PIOs).

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction to Risk Communication and Community Engagement • Definition • Goals • Stages
2. Applications • How PIOs use RCCE • In times of outbreaks • During long term health promotion initiatives
3. Strategies • Open and clear dialogue • Acknowledging diversity and adapting to it • Utilizing traditional channels of communication
4. Conclusion • Empathy and dialogue • Review

Questioning

Throughout the lesson, the PIOs should be prompted to answer thought-provoking questions about the material covered. These inquiries could range from asking the PIOs to describe different aspects of RCCE, or what strategies they would use to better engage people in a health promotion initiative.

Assessment

PIOs should be assessed on their comprehension of RCCE. This can be done through worksheets and quizzes that cover the content covered in the lesson. Furthermore, the PIOs can complete an end-of-lesson assessment that is used to evaluate the main points discussed in the lesson.

Differentiation

Since PIOs may come from a variety of backgrounds with different levels of expertise and knowledge, the lesson should be tailored to meet the needs of all individuals. To ensure this everyone learns, teachers can offer multiple resources such as differentiated worksheets, video tutorials, and interactive activities to give each PIO the best opportunity to become engaged learners.

Plenary

To end the lesson, the PIOs should be asked to reflect on the material. This can be done by having the PIOs make a list of the main points discussed throughout the lesson. After the list is compiled, have the PIOS explain what they learned, and any ideas they have on how to continue to develop the skills needed to effectively use RCCE strategies.

Video & Worksheet Resources

• CDC Risk Communication Video - https://www.cdc.gov/massmedia/videos/videocast/risk-communication.html • Risk Communication & Engagement Strategies - https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/risk-communication-and-engagement-strategies-for-health-emergency-preparedness • RCCE Worksheet - https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/ten-steps-for-risk-communication • Risk Communication & Community Engagement Quiz - https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/risk-communication-and-community-engagement-quiz