International Engagement Awards Projects funded ... - Wellcome Trust

and drama groups will be involved in the pilot communications outreach programme.E information@iavi.or.ugDan KayeMakarere University, Uganda'Engaging the public in global health research: using the science communication approach'£30 000The Faculty of Medicine and School of Public Health (MUSPH) and the Council on Health Researchfor Development (COHRED) plan to establish a new communications unit to deliver a programmethat aims at engaging the public on three levels:• Training workshops for journalists reporting on health research issues, to enable them to compilecredible reports and perform the media's observatory function. The MUSPH has conducted basicepidemiology training for journalists.• Training workshops for researchers on working with media will be organised together with theMakerere University Mass Communication Department. The MUSPH holds regional researchcommunication training for researchers, which will be expanded nationally.• Engaging with communities on health research issues, to be effected through regular pressbriefings, talk shows and public debates. A recent public debate on male circumcision for HIVprevention could be broadened into a more general discussion of other health issues.Through these activities Makerere University hopes to develop the mechanisms and culture tocontinue a community dialogue on health research and to emerge as a leading institution inengaging with the public.E pic@infocom.co.ugMarie-Louise NewellAfrica Centre for Health and Population Studies, South Africa'Placing youth at the forefront to improve community engagement in research and disseminationof research findings in rural South Africa'£30 000This project is a sports-based community youth mobilisation, outreach and education programmeintended to strengthen community engagement in research and dissemination of the Africa Centre'sresearch results in rural areas. The project hopes to mobilise and reach out to the 22 788 youngpeople aged 15 to 35 under the Centre's surveillance. This will be achieved through organising soccerand netball matches. Before and/or after each match, researchers will conduct HIV/AIDS discussionand information dissemination sessions. At each game, rapid HIV tests will be offered in mobilecentres using expertise from the Centre's research projects. Additionally, two one-day workshopswill be organised with representatives of the soccer and netball teams aimed at further educatingthe youth about HIV/AIDS and dissemination of research findings. During each workshop, feedbackwill be given on recent research findings from Africa Centre studies, focusing on HIV surveillance andvoluntary counselling and testing, especially on levels and determinants of HIV prevalence andincidence, and the antiretroviral therapy programme. All workshop participants will in turn be askedto train their team members; who will also be asked to disseminate research findings to theirhouseholds. The project team also hopes to gain participant input into developing a school-basedHIV prevention programme.To support all this work the Centre will establish a Youth Advisory Centre to provide young peoplewith continuous contact with the project in between sports games and workshops. The YouthAdvisory Centre will offer health education sessions, and make referrals, if required, to medical