Jimma, Ethiopia

The Department of Health Education and Behavioural Sciences of Jimma University in Ethiopia is seeking applicants for the pre-test of a course on Community Mobilisation for Health and Development. This course has been designed as part of a certificate course on Strategic Communication for HIV and AIDS, which is offered through the African Network for Strategic Communication in Health and Development (AfriComNet) Universities Network. Support for the development of the course was provided by the Centre for Communications Programmes, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University.

According to the organisers, at the end of the course the participants should be able to:

• explain what community mobilisation is and its importance for health and development;
• describe the process and steps of the community action cycle for community mobilisation;
• identify communication strategies that support community mobilisation; and
• demonstrate application of the community action cycle to mobilise communities.

Click here for more information on the course.

The course is intended for health and development professionals who work with communities and who may require additional skills and information on how to mobilise and involve communities in identifying and prioritising health issues. Participants coming from outside of Jimma will be required to pay for their airfare, accommodation, meals (with the exception of lunches), and any other travel related costs.

To register for the course or send enquiries, please contact Jimma University or the AfriComNet secretariat by e-mail, telephone, or fax at the addresses indicated below.

The closing date for admitting participants to the course is September 5 2008.