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1. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-13 · 18:34 UTC

   In the article “Towards reimagined technical assistance: the current policy options and opportunities for change”, Alexandra Nastase and her colleagues argues that technical assistance should be framed as a policy option for governments. It outlines different models of technical assistance:

   1. Capacity substitution: Technical advisers perform government functions due to urgent needs or lack of in-house expertise. This can fill gaps but has “clear limitations in building state capability.”
   2. Capacity supplementation: Technical advisers provide specific expertise to complement government efforts in challenging areas. This can “fill essential gaps at critical moments” but has limitations for building sustainable capacity.  
   3. Capacity development: Technical advisers play a facilitator role focused on enabling change and strengthening government capacity over the long term. This takes time but “there is a higher chance that these [results] will be sustainable.”

   Governments may choose from this spectrum of roles for technical advisers in designing assistance programs based on the objectives, limitations, and tradeoffs involved with each approach: “The most common fallacy is to expect every type of technical assistance to lead to capacity development. We do not believe that is the case. Suppose governments choose to use externals to do the work and replace government functions. In that case, it is not realistic to expect that it will build a capability to do the work independently of consultants.”

   Furthermore, technical assistance should be designed through “meaningful and equal dialogue between governments and funders” to ensure it focuses on core issues and builds sustainable capacity. Considerations that need to be highlighted include balancing short-term needs with long-term capacity building and shifting power to local experts.

   However, this requires reframing technical assistance as a policy option through transparent dialogue between government and funders.

   What key assumptions about technical assistance does this challenge?

   The article challenges some key assumptions and orthodox views about technical assistance in global health:

   1. It frames technical assistance not as aid provided by donors, but as a policy option and domestic choice that governments make to meet their objectives. This contrasts with the common donor-centric view.
   2. It critiques the assumption that all technical assistance inherently builds sustainable government capacity and questions this expected linear relationship. The article argues different types of technical assistance have fundamentally different aims – gap-filling versus long-term capacity building.
   3. The article challenges the idealistic principles often promoted for technical assistance, like localization, government ownership, and adaptability. It suggests the evidence is lacking on if these principles effectively lead to better development outcomes on the ground.  
   4. The article argues that technical assistance decisions involve real dilemmas, tradeoffs and tensions in practice rather than being clear cut. It challenges the notion of win-win solutions and highlights risks like unintended consequences.
   5. By outlining limitations of different technical assistance approaches, the article pushes back against a one-size-fits-all mindset. The appropriate approach depends on contextual factors and clarity of purpose.
   6. The article questions typical measures of success for technical assistance based on fast results and output delivery. It advocates for greater focus on processes that enable long-term capacity development even if slower.

   How does The Geneva Learning Foundation’s work fit into such a model?

   At The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF), we realized that our own model to support locally-led leadership to drive change could be described as a new type of technical assistance that does not fit into any of the existing three categories, because:

   1. TGLF’s model is grounded in principles of localization and decolonization that shift power dynamics by empowering government health workers from all levels of the health system – not only the national authorities – to recognize what change is needed, to lead this change where they work. We have observed that, even in fragile contexts, this accelerates progress toward country goals, and strengthens or can help rebuild civil society fabric.
   2. It focuses on nurturing intrinsic motivation and peer accountability rather than imposing top-down directives or extrinsic incentives. 
   3. It utilizes lateral feedback loops and informal, self-organized networks that cut across hierarchies and geographic boundaries.
   4. It emphasizes flexibility, adaptation to local contexts, and problem-driven iteration rather than pre-defined solutions.
   5. It builds sustainable capacity and self-organized learning cultures that reduce dependency on external support.

   Reference: Nastase, A., Rajan, A., French, B., Bhattacharya, D., 2020. Towards reimagined technical assistance: the current policy options and opportunities for change. Gates Open Res 4, 180. https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.13204.1

   Illustration: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

   https://redasadki.me/2024/02/13/towards-reimagined-technical-assistance-thinking-beyond-the-current-policy-options/

   #capacityBuilding #DAC #decolonization #globalHealth #policy #rethinkingAid #technicalAssistance

   #capacitybuilding #dac #decolonization #globalhealth #policy #rethinkingaid
2. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-23 · 18:24 UTC

   Here is a summary of the key points from the article “Nobody ever gets credit for fixing problems that never happened: creating and sustaining process improvement”.

   Overview

   • Many companies invest heavily in process improvement programs, yet few efforts actually produce significant results. This is called the “improvement paradox”.
   • The problem lies not with the specific tools, but rather how the introduction of new programs interacts with existing organizational structures and dynamics.
   • Using system dynamics modeling, the authors studied implementation challenges in depth through over a dozen case studies. Their models reveal insights into why improvement programs often fail.

   Core causal loops

   • The “Work Harder” loop – managers pressure people to spend more time working to immediately boost throughput and close performance gaps. But this is only temporary.
   • The “Work Smarter” loop – managers encourage improvement activities which enhance process capability over time for more enduring gains, but there is a delay before benefits are seen.
   • The “Reinvestment” reinforcing loop – successfully improving capability frees up more time for further improvement. But the reverse vicious cycle often dominates instead.
   • The “Shortcuts” loop – facing pressure, people cut corners on improvement activities which temporarily frees up more time for work. But this gradually erodes capability.

   The capability trap

   • Short-term “Work Harder” and “Shortcuts” decisions eventually hurt capability and require heroic work efforts to maintain performance, creating a downward spiral.
   • However, because capability erodes slowly, managers fail to connect problems to past decisions and blame poor worker motivation instead, leading to a self-confirming cycle.
   • Even improvement programs just increase pressure and drive more shortcuts, making stereotypes and conflicts worse. This “capability trap” causes programs to fail.

   The “capability trap” refers to the downward spiral organizations can get caught in, where attempting to boost performance by pressuring people to “work harder” actually erodes process capability over time. This trap works through a few key mechanisms:

   1. Facing pressure, people cut corners and reduce time spent on improvement activities in order to free up more time for immediate work. This temporarily boosts throughput.
   2. However, this comes at a cost of gradually declining process capability, as less time is invested in maintenance, training, and problem solving.
   3. Capability erosion then reduces performance, widening the gap versus desired performance levels.
   4. Managers falsely attribute this to poor motivation or effort from the workforce. They lack awareness of the capability trap dynamics, and the delays between pressing people to “work harder” and the capability declines that eventually ensue.
   5. Management increases pressure further, demanding heroic work efforts, which causes workers to cut even more corners. This spirals capability downward while confirming management’s incorrect attribution even more.

   Key takeaway for learning leaders

   Learning leaders must understand the systemic traps identified in the article that underly failed improvement initiatives and facilitate mental model shifts. This help build sustainable, effective learning programs to be realized through productive capability-enhancing cycles.

   Key takeaway for immunization leaders

   It’s reasonable to hypothesize that poor health worker performance is a symptom rather than the cause of poor immunization programme performance. Short-term decisions, often responding to top-down targets and donor requirements, hurt capability and require, as the authors say, “heroic work efforts to maintain performance, creating a downward spiral.” Managers then incorrectly diagnose this as a performance problem due to motivation.

   How to escape the capability trap

   The key to avoiding or escaping this trap is therefore shifting the mental models that reinforce the incorrect attributions about motivation. Some ways to do this include:

   • Educating managers on the systemic structures causing the capability trap through methods like system dynamics modeling
   • Allowing time for capability-enhancing improvements to take effect before judging performance
   • Incentivizing quality and sustainability of throughput rather than just short-term volume alone
   • Seeking input from workers on the barriers to improvement they face

   With awareness of the structural causes and delays, managers can avoid erroneously attributing blame. Patience and a systems perspective are critical for companies to invest their way out of the capability trap.

   • Shift mental models to recognize system structures leading to the capability trap, rather than blaming people. Then improvement tools can work.
   • A useful example could be system dynamics workshops that achieved this shift and enabled successful programs, dramatically enhancing performance.

   Reference: Repenning, N.P., Sterman, J.D., 2001. Nobody ever gets credit for fixing problems that never happened: creating and sustaining process improvement. California management review 43, 64–88.

   Illustration: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

   https://redasadki.me/2024/02/23/the-capability-trap-nobody-ever-gets-credit-for-fixing-problems-that-never-happened/

   #capabilityDevelopment #HR #processImprovement #TotalQualityManagement

   #capabilitydevelopment #hr #processimprovement #totalqualitymanagement
3. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-03-09 · 05:54 UTC

   The ongoing war in Ukraine has taken a severe toll on the population’s mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. A new interdisciplinary review from the ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre and VU Amsterdam provides an in-depth analysis of the mental health impacts, cultural and historical factors shaping coping and help-seeking, the evolving humanitarian response, and recommendations for strengthening mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in Ukraine.

   The report is an interdisciplinary literature review supplemented by key informant interviews.  It synthesizes academic publications, gray literature, media reports and policy documents in English, Ukrainian and Russian. The review team included Ukrainian practitioners and regional experts to identify additional Ukrainian-language sources.

   The review found that the war has led to high levels of acute psychological distress, increased risk of the development of future mental health problems, exacerbation of chronic mental health conditions, psychosocial problems, and an increase in substance use. Exposure to war-related trauma and violence, coupled with the loss of social support systems, poses lifelong risks for a range of mental health issues. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable, with previous research showing that “32% of IDPs in Ukraine experienced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 22% had depression.”  

   Children’s mental health is a critical concern, with “three out of four parents report[ing] signs of psychological trauma in their children” such as “impaired memory, inattention, and learning difficulties.” Over 1.2 million children are internally displaced, with approximately 91,000 separated from family care. These are “the most vulnerable children […] living outside their families, residential institutions for children without parental care or boarding schools, unaccompanied and separated children, and children with disabilities.” Displacement disrupts education, social networks and routines. Adolescents struggle most to adapt and connect with new peers. Older children are taking on caregiver roles for younger siblings. The review identifies a lack of policies and programs specifically targeting child and adolescent mental health as a key gap.

   Ukraine’s complex history has shaped current attitudes and practices around mental health. The review notes that “Ukraine’s historical memory is fragmented, with evaluations of events varying significantly among different population groups,” compounded by “Russia’s historic and contemporary efforts to rewrite Ukrainian history.” Soviet-era legacies of stigma, institutionalization, and the misuse of psychiatry have bred mistrust of formal mental health services, according to the review. Instead, “help seeking behaviour tends to be directed toward spiritual leaders (clergy) and practices.” Religious beliefs and leaders play an important role in mental health coping and support.

   High levels of societal stigma toward mental illness persist, rooted in cultural norms that view psychological distress as a personal weakness or moral failing. Many Ukrainians hide their struggles and avoid seeking professional help due to fears of being perceived as ‘weak,’ receiving a diagnosis that could jeopardize employment, or being involuntarily hospitalized. “Ukrainians still perceive psychiatrists as being highly likely to disclose information about mental health and psychosocial disorders with employers, and therefore, even a single visit to a psychiatric hospital may destroy the future […] There is a particular tendency to hide suicidal thoughts due to high levels of fear of involuntary hospitalisation”, says the report.

   Since 2014, conflict-affected areas in Eastern Ukraine have seen an influx of MHPSS services through humanitarian efforts, while recent national reforms have aimed to decentralize and deinstitutionalize mental healthcare. However, the current crisis has disrupted these reform efforts while dramatically increasing MHPSS needs. This presents both challenges and opportunities to “build on available resources” and integrate “successes of the emergency response into building more sustainable mental health care systems.”

   The review highlights the stark regional disparities in MHPSS needs and capacities due to variations in conflict exposure, displacement patterns, infrastructure damage, and pre-existing resources. Areas affected by armed conflict face acute challenges, including widespread mine contamination, community distrust, and decimated health services. Meanwhile, safer areas in Western Ukraine are straining to meet the needs of large displaced populations. However, they also have more MHPSS responders and opportunities for longer-term interventions.

   To address these complex challenges, the authors stress the importance of cross-sectoral coordination, building on local capacities and cultural resources, and strengthening partnerships between government, civil society, and faith-based organizations. Rigorous research on MHPSS interventions in conflict-affected Ukraine can inform evidence-based responses in the country and globally. 

   The review provides a roadmap for strengthening Ukraine’s MHPSS response through a focus on sustainable, locally-grounded, and trauma-informed approaches. While the needs are vast, there are also opportunities to transform mental healthcare and build resilience.

   Reference: Iryna Frankova, Megan Leigh Bahmad, Ganna Goloktionova, Orest Suvalo, Kateryna Khyzhniak, 2024. Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Ukraine: Coping, Help-seeking and Health Systems Strengthening in Times of War. ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre and VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

   Image: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

   https://redasadki.me/2024/03/09/mental-health-and-psychosocial-support-in-ukraine-insights-from-an-interdisciplinary-review/

   #armedConflict #coping #mentalHealth #MHPSS #psychosocialSupport #Ukraine #war

   #armedconflict #coping #mentalhealth #mhpss #psychosocialsupport #ukraine
4. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-27 · 09:00 UTC

   A formula for calculating learning efficacy, (E), considering the importance of each criterion and the specific ratings for peer learning, is:

   This abstract formula provides a way to quantify learning efficacy, considering various educational criteria and their relative importance (weights) for effective learning.

   Variable DefinitionDescription SScalabilityAbility to accommodate a large number of learners IInformation fidelityQuality and reliability of information CCost effectivenessFinancial efficiency of the learning method FFeedback qualityQuality of feedback received UUniformityConsistency of learning experience Summary of five variables that contribute to learning efficacy

   Weights for each variables are derived from empirical data and expert consensus.

   All values are on a scale of 0-4, with a “4” representing the highest level.

   ScalabilityInformation fidelityCost-benefitFeedback qualityUniformity4.003.004.003.001.00Assigned weights

   Here is a summary table including all values for each criterion, learning efficacy calculated with weights, and Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) for peer learning, cascade training, and expert coaching.

   The Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) can be calculated by multiplying the efficacy (E) of a learning method by the number of learners (N).

   This table provides a detailed comparison of the values for each criterion across the different learning methods, the calculated learning efficacy values considering the specified weights, and the Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) for each method.

   Type of learningScalabilityInformation fidelityCost effectivenessFeedback qualityUniformityLearning efficacy# of learnersEfficacy-Scale ScorePeer learning4.002.504.002.501.003.2010003200Cascade training2.001.002.000.500.501.40500700Expert coaching0.504.001.004.003.002.2060132

   Of course, there are many nuances in individual programmes that could affect the real-world effectiveness of this simple model. The model, grounded in empirical data and simplified to highlight core determinants of learning efficacy, leverages statistical weighting to prioritize key educational factors, acknowledging its abstraction from the multifaceted nature of educational effectiveness and assumptions may not capture all nuances of individual learning scenarios.

   Peer learning

   The calculated learning efficacy for peer learning, , is 3.20. This value reflects the weighted assessment of peer learning’s strengths and characteristics according to the provided criteria and their importance.

   By virtue of scalability, ESS for peer learning is 24 times higher than expert coaching.

   Cascade training

   For Cascade Training, the calculated learning efficacy, , is approximately 1.40. This reflects the weighted assessment based on the provided criteria and their importance, indicating lower efficacy compared to peer learning.

   Cascade training has a higher ESS than expert coaching, due to its ability to achieve scale.

   Learn more: Why does cascade training fail?

   Expert coaching

   For Expert Coaching, the calculated learning efficacy, , is approximately 2.20. This value indicates higher efficacy than cascade training but lower than peer learning.

   However, the ESS is the lowest of the three methods, primarily due to its inability to scale. Read this article for a scalability comparison between expert coaching and peer learning.

   Image: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

   https://redasadki.me/2024/02/27/calculating-the-relative-effectiveness-of-expert-coaching-peer-learning-and-cascade-training/

   #cascadeTraining #expertCoaching #fellowship #mathematicalModeling #peerLearning

   #cascadetraining #expertcoaching #fellowship #mathematicalmodeling #peerlearning
5. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-27 · 09:00 UTC

   A formula for calculating learning efficacy, (E), considering the importance of each criterion and the specific ratings for peer learning, is:

   This abstract formula provides a way to quantify learning efficacy, considering various educational criteria and their relative importance (weights) for effective learning.

   Variable DefinitionDescription SScalabilityAbility to accommodate a large number of learners IInformation fidelityQuality and reliability of information CCost effectivenessFinancial efficiency of the learning method FFeedback qualityQuality of feedback received UUniformityConsistency of learning experience Summary of five variables that contribute to learning efficacy

   Weights for each variables are derived from empirical data and expert consensus.

   All values are on a scale of 0-4, with a “4” representing the highest level.

   ScalabilityInformation fidelityCost-benefitFeedback qualityUniformity4.003.004.003.001.00Assigned weights

   Here is a summary table including all values for each criterion, learning efficacy calculated with weights, and Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) for peer learning, cascade training, and expert coaching.

   The Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) can be calculated by multiplying the efficacy (E) of a learning method by the number of learners (N).

   This table provides a detailed comparison of the values for each criterion across the different learning methods, the calculated learning efficacy values considering the specified weights, and the Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) for each method.

   Type of learningScalabilityInformation fidelityCost effectivenessFeedback qualityUniformityLearning efficacy# of learnersEfficacy-Scale ScorePeer learning4.002.504.002.501.003.2010003200Cascade training2.001.002.000.500.501.40500700Expert coaching0.504.001.004.003.002.2060132

   Of course, there are many nuances in individual programmes that could affect the real-world effectiveness of this simple model. The model, grounded in empirical data and simplified to highlight core determinants of learning efficacy, leverages statistical weighting to prioritize key educational factors, acknowledging its abstraction from the multifaceted nature of educational effectiveness and assumptions may not capture all nuances of individual learning scenarios.

   Peer learning

   The calculated learning efficacy for peer learning, , is 3.20. This value reflects the weighted assessment of peer learning’s strengths and characteristics according to the provided criteria and their importance.

   By virtue of scalability, ESS for peer learning is 24 times higher than expert coaching.

   Cascade training

   For Cascade Training, the calculated learning efficacy, , is approximately 1.40. This reflects the weighted assessment based on the provided criteria and their importance, indicating lower efficacy compared to peer learning.

   Cascade training has a higher ESS than expert coaching, due to its ability to achieve scale.

   Learn more: Why does cascade training fail?

   Expert coaching

   For Expert Coaching, the calculated learning efficacy, , is approximately 2.20. This value indicates higher efficacy than cascade training but lower than peer learning.

   However, the ESS is the lowest of the three methods, primarily due to its inability to scale. Read this article for a scalability comparison between expert coaching and peer learning.

   Image: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

   https://redasadki.me/2024/02/27/calculating-the-relative-effectiveness-of-expert-coaching-peer-learning-and-cascade-training/

   #cascadeTraining #expertCoaching #fellowship #mathematicalModeling #peerLearning

   #cascadetraining #expertcoaching #fellowship #mathematicalmodeling #peerlearning
6. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-26 · 09:51 UTC

   A formula for calculating learning efficacy, (E), considering the importance of each criterion and the specific ratings for peer learning, is:

   This abstract formula provides a way to quantify learning efficacy, considering various educational criteria and their relative importance (weights) for effective learning.

   Variable DefinitionDescription SScalabilityAbility to accommodate a large number of learners IInformation fidelityQuality and reliability of information CCost effectivenessFinancial efficiency of the learning method FFeedback qualityQuality of feedback received UUniformityConsistency of learning experience Summary of variables that contribute to learning efficacy

   Weights for each variables are derived from empirical data and expert consensus.

   All values are on a scale of 0-4, with a “4” representing the highest level.

   Weights assigned

   ScalabilityInformation fidelityCost-benefitFeedback qualityUniformityw_Sw_Iw_Cw_Fw_U4.003.004.003.001.00

   Here is a summary table including all values for each criterion, learning efficacy calculated with weights, and Efficacy-Scale Score (ESS) for peer learning, cascade training, and expert coaching.

   This table provides a detailed comparison of the values for each criterion across the different learning methods, along with the calculated learning efficacy values considering the specified weights.

   Type of learningScalabilityInformation fidelityCost effectivenessFeedback qualityUniformityLearning efficacy# of learnersEfficacy-Scale ScorePeer learning4.002.504.002.501.003.2010003200Cascade training2.001.002.000.500.501.40500700Expert coaching0.504.001.004.003.002.2060132

   Of course, there are many nuances in individual programmes that could affect the real-world effectiveness of this simple model.

   Peer learning

   The calculated learning efficacy for peer learning, , is 3.20. This value reflects the weighted assessment of peer learning’s strengths and characteristics according to the provided criteria and their importance.

   By virtue of scalability, ESS for peer learning is 24 times higher than expert coaching.

   Cascade training

   For Cascade Training, the calculated learning efficacy, , is approximately 1.40. This reflects the weighted assessment based on the provided criteria and their importance, indicating lower efficacy compared to peer learning.

   Cascade training has a higher ESS than expert coaching, due to its ability to achieve scale.

   Expert coaching

   For Expert Coaching, the calculated learning efficacy, , is approximately 2.20. This value indicates higher efficacy than cascade training but lower than peer learning.

   However, the ESS is the lowest of the three methods, primarily due to its inability to scale.

   Image: The Geneva Learning Foundation © 2024

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   https://redasadki.me/2024/02/26/calculating-the-relative-effectiveness-of-expert-coaching-peer-learning-and-cascade-training/

   #cascadeTraining #expertCoaching #fellowship #mathematicalModeling #peerLearning

   #cascadetraining #expertcoaching #fellowship #mathematicalmodeling #peerlearning
7. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-03-22 · 11:34 UTC

   Today, the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Charlotte Mbuh delivered a scientific presentation titled “On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report” at the University of Hamburg’s Online Expert Seminar on Climate Change and Health: Perspectives from Developing Countries.

   Mbuh shared insights from a report based on observations from frontline health workers on the impact of climate change on health in their communities.

   Investing in the health workforce is vital to tackle climate change: A new report shares insights from over 1,200 on the frontline

   Climate change is a threat to the health of the communities we serve: health workers speak out at COP28

   The Geneva Learning Foundation, a Swiss non-profit, facilitated a special event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change” on 28 July 2023, engaging 4,700 health practitioners from 68 countries who shared 1,260 observations.

   “93% of respondents believed that there was a link between climate change and health, and they reported a direct local experience of a wide range of climatic and environmental impacts,” Mbuh stated.

   The most commonly reported impacts were on farming and farmland, the distribution of disease-carrying insects, and urban areas becoming hotter.

   Health impacts linked to these climatic and environmental changes included increased malnutrition and/or undernutrition, increased waterborne diseases, and changes to the incidence and distribution of vector-borne diseases.

   Mbuh emphasized that these impacts were particularly prevalent in smaller communities or mid-sized towns.

   Mbuh highlighted the unique role of frontline health workers as trusted advisors to their communities: “Frontline health workers are trusted advisors of the communities that they serve, and they have unique insights to local realities and are strategically positioned to bring about change,” she said.

   The Geneva Learning Foundation aims to leverage its digitally-enabled peer learning network of health workers to drive change across different levels of the health system and geographical boundaries.

   Mbuh concluded : “These experiences demonstrate the importance of community engagement, sustainable practices, and support from relevant stakeholders in addressing the climate health nexus and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.”

   The presentation underscored the urgent need to invest in frontline health workers at the local level to build resilience against the impacts of climate change on health, particularly in vulnerable communities in developing countries.

   The event was organized by the International Expert Centre of Climate Change and Health (IECCCH) at the Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR), the UK Consortium on Sustainability Research (UK-CSR), and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP).

   Photo: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

   https://redasadki.me/2024/03/22/climate-change-and-health-perspectives-from-developing-countries/

   #CharlotteMbuh #climateChange #developingCountries #ExpertCentreOfClimateChangeAndHealth #globalHealth #HamburgUniversityOfAppliedSciences #health

   #charlottembuh #climatechange #developingcountries #expertcentreofclimatechangeandhealth #globalhealth #hamburguniversityofappliedsciences
8. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-12-01 · 07:45 UTC

   Geneva, Switzerland (1 December 2023) – The Geneva Learning Foundation has published a new report titled “On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report.” The report shares first-hand experiences from over 1,200 health workers in 68 countries who are first responders already battling climate consequences on health.

   As climate change intensifies health threats, local health professionals may offer one of the most high-impact solutions.

   Charlotte Mbuh of The Geneva Learning Foundation, said: “Local health workers are trusted advisers to communities. They are first to observe health consequences of climate change, before the global community is able to respond. They can also be first to respond to limit damage to health.”

   “Health workers are already taking action with communities to mitigate and respond to the health effects of climate change, often with little or no recognition,” said Reda Sadki, President of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF). “If we want to build and maintain trust in climate science, policy, and action, we need to invest in the workforce, as they are the ones that communities rely on to make sense of what is changing.” 

   The report vividly illustrates the profound impacts climate change is already having on health, as shared by health workers themselves.

   The wide-ranging health consequences directly observed by health workers include malnutrition due to crop failures, increasing incidence of infectious diseases, widespread mental health impacts, and reduced access to health services. Here are three examples.

   • Bie Lilian Mbando, a health worker in Cameroon: “Where I live in Buea, the flood from Mount Cameroon took away all belongings of people in my neighbourhood and killed a secondary school student who was playing football with his friends.”
   • Cecilia Nabwirwa, a nurse in Nairobi, Kenya: “I remember my grand-child getting sick after eating vegetables grown along sewage areas. Since then I resolved to growing my own vegetables to ensure healthy eating.”
   • Alhassan Kenneth Mohammed, health facility worker in Ghana: “During the rainy season, it is very difficult for people to seek care for their health needs. They wait for the condition to get worse before coming to the facility.”

   Surprising insights from these experiences include:

   • Climate change worsens menstrual hygiene: Scarce water access brought by droughts can severely affect women’s ability to maintain proper menstrual hygiene. “Women and girls have challenges during menstruation as there is limited water,” noted one community health worker.
   • Respiratory disease spikes with prolonged dust storms: Multiple health workers traced a rise in chronic coughs and other respiratory illness directly back to longer dry seasons and dust storms in areas turned to desert by climate shifts.
   • Crop failure drives up alcohol abuse among men: In farming regions struggling with drought, women health practitioners connected livelihood loss to a stark rise in substance abuse, specifically alcoholism among men. “There has been job loss, low income, and depression. Also, men became alcoholics, which is now a national menace,” described one district-level worker.

   Reda Sadki explains: “The experiences shared provide vivid illustrations of the human impacts of climate change. By giving a voice to health workers on the front lines, the report highlights the urgent need to support local action with communities to build resilience. This report is only a first step that needs to lead to action.”

   Beyond the report, an opportunity to scale locally-led action using innovative approaches 

   As John Wabwire Shikuku, a community health worker from Port Victoria Sun County Hospital in Kenya, explains: “What gives me hope and keeps me going in my work is witnessing the growing awareness and mobilization of young people to address climate change, the development of sustainable solutions, and the potential for global collaboration to safeguard their future.”

   We need new approaches to supporting climate and health action. We need to go directly to those on climate change’s frontlines – connecting local health workers globally not just to share struggles but lead action.

   • Rather than siloed programs, we need radically participatory solutions that distill and share hyperlocal innovations across massive peer groups in real-time.
   • Through new approaches, we can rapidly distill hyperlocal insights and multiplier solutions no top-down program matches.

   The Geneva Learning Foundation’s proven peer learning model provides one such solution to connect and amplify local action across boundaries, offering those on the frontline tailored support and capabilities to lead context-specific solutions.

   How to access the report

   The report “On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report” is available here: https://www.learning.foundation/cop28. An abridged Summary report and an At a glance executive summary are also available, together with a compendium of 50 health worker experiences.

   What happens next?

   • Register here to receive email updates from The Geneva Learning Foundation about climate and health.
   • During COP28, health workers are answering this question: “If you could ask the leaders at COP28 to do one thing right now to keep your community healthy, what would it be?”. You can find their responses on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, and Instagram.

   Media contacts

   Reda Sadki (Switzerland)
   [email protected]: +41 22 575 4110

   Charlotte Mbuh (Cameroon)
   [email protected]
   Phone: +237 97355945

   About The Geneva Learning Foundation

   Learn more about The Geneva Learning Foundation: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7316466

   Created by a group of learning innovators and scientists with the mission to discover new ways to lead change, TGLF’s team combines over 70 years of experience with both country-based (field) work and country, region, and global partners.

   • Our small, fully remote agile team already supports over 60,000 health practitioners leading change in 137 countries.
   • We reach the front lines: 21% face armed conflict; 25% work with refugees or internally-displaced populations; 62% work in remote rural areas; 47% with the urban poor; 36% support the needs of nomadic/migrant populations.

   TGLF’s unique package:

   1. Helps local actors take action with communities to tackle local challenges, and
   2. provides the tools to build a global network, platform, and community of health workers that can scale up local impact for global health.

   In 2019, research showed that TGLF’s approach can accelerate locally-led implementation of innovative strategies by 7X, and works especially well in fragile contexts.

   https://redasadki.me/2023/12/01/investing-in-the-health-workforce-is-vital-to-face-climate-change-a-new-report-shares-insights-from-over-1200-on-the-frontline/

   #climate #COP28 #healthWorkforce #pressRelease

   #climate #cop28 #healthworkforce #pressrelease
9. 

   Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-03-01 · 06:00 UTC

   In their article “What Have We Learned That Is Critical in Understanding Leadership Perceptions and Leader-Performance Relations?”, Robert G. Lord and Jessica E. Dinh review research on leadership perceptions and performance, and provide research-based principles that can provide new directions for future leadership theory and research.

   What is leadership? 

   Leadership is tricky to define. The authors state: “Leadership is an art that has significant impact on individuals, groups, organizations, and societies”.

   It is not just about one person telling everyone else what to do. Leadership happens in the connections between people – it is something that grows between a leader and followers, almost like a partnership. And it usually does not involve just one leader either. There can be leadership shared across a whole team or organization.

   The big question is: how does all this connecting and partnering actually get a team to perform well? That is what researchers are still trying to understand.

   What we do know about leadership

   Researchers have learned a lot about what makes a leader “seem” effective to the people around them. Certain personality traits, behaviors, speaking styles and even body language can make people think “oh, that person is a good leader.” 

   But figuring out how those leaders actually influence performance over months and years is tougher. It is hard for scientists to measure stuff that happens slowly over time. More research is still needed to connect the dots between leaders’ actions today and results years later.

   How people think about leadership matters 

   Learning science shows that how people process information shapes their perceptions, emotions and behaviors. So to understand leadership, researchers are now looking into things like:

   • How do the automatic, gut-level parts of people’s brains affect leadership moments? (This means how emotions and instincts influence leadership)
   • How do leaders’ and followers’ thinking interact?  
   • How do emotions and body language play a role?

   This research might help explain why leadership works or does not work in real teams.  

   Some pitfalls to avoid 

   There are a few assumptions that could mislead leadership research:   

   1. Surveys might not catch real leadership behavior, because people’s memories are messy. Their responses involve lots of other stuff beyond just the facts.  
   2. What worked well for leaders in the past might not keep working in a fast-changing world. They cannot just keep doing the same thing.
   3. Leaders actually have less control than we think. Their organization’s success depends on unpredictable factors way beyond what they do.

   The future of leadership research has to focus more on the complex thinking and system-wide stuff that is hard to see but really important. The human brain and human groups are just too complicated for simple explanations.

   Reference: Lord, R.G., Dinh, J.E., 2014. What Have We Learned That Is Critical in Understanding Leadership Perceptions and Leader-Performance Relations? Industrial and Organizational Psychology 7, 158–177.

   Share this:

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   https://redasadki.me/2024/03/01/what-is-the-relationship-between-leadership-and-performance/

   #complexThinking #humanBrain #JessicaEDinh #leaderPerformanceRelations #leadership #RobertGLord

   #complexthinking #humanbrain #jessicaedinh #leaderperformancerelations #leadership #robertglord
10. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2014-08-12 · 08:33 UTC

    By John Helmer

    We’re in a world where people don’t really understand what they want until you put it in front of them,’ says Toby Green Head of Publishing at OECD. He’s talking about the challenge of creating new digital products in a technology landscape that is changing very quickly (with no end to the ‘technology treadmill’ in sight) and where market research is of limited value; where what happened in the past in educational publishing is a poor guide to what will happen in the future.

    This reflection comes from looking at OECD’s markets, which span both higher education and the workplace, and a remit that embraces not only information dissemination but, to a degree, instruction. We’re talking convergence.

    Toby Green will chair the plenary session on ‘Cross-fertilisation’ at the ALPSP International Conference. The convergence of the education and workplace learning markets is likely to be a theme for this session, so we took the opportunity to convene a three-way discussion involving Reda Sadki, a learning innovation strategist who is working with OECD on precisely this area.

    We discussed drivers for convergence, some of its effects, and also opportunities and threats for publishers.

    Moving beyond a dissemination mindset

    Reda’s vantage point on this phenomenon of convergence is informed by his time at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (the IFRC), where he pivoted from managing publishing to ‘learning systems’. The IFRC, he says, was an organization that published massive amounts of information (750 information products, 12 million printed pages in 2009), with “little measurable impact”. ‘Ultimately I came to the realisation that the value in what was being published by the world’s largest humanitarian network could be found in the instructional and training materials, with a global audience of 17 million Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers. Where you could find impact was in the publications that teach people in a humanitarian emergency how to do very basic things such as putting up a tent and providing first aid care.’

    He characterises the transition this realisation prompted as being from a concern over maximising dissemination – counting eyeballs and downloads – to looking at a deeper kind of impact in terms of what was happening behind the eyeballs. It is a shift that he implies publishers need to make themselves if they are to capitalise on the opportunities offered by this convergence.

    Drivers of convergence

    Reda sees two fundamental shifts driving convergence.

    One is about changes in the economy of effort to do certain things. Publishing starts with dissemination and under the traditional model would tend to stop at that. It doesn’t necessary look at look at what people are doing with what it disseminates – largely because, pre-internet, it would have been uneconomic to do so. Technology has lowered the cost of, for instance, collecting rich data about what people are doing with a particular piece of knowledge.

    The other is about the changing nature of knowledge itself. The book gave us a ‘container’ view of knowledge, where now – with knowledge flows getting faster all the time – it looks more like a process than a product. Attempts to capture and compartmentalise knowledge are doomed to fail, in his view, as they do not provide the answers that we need to be able to provide it in any useful way. Being an expert today is much more about knowing where and knowing how than it is about the individual accumulating large amounts of knowledge.

    Echoing Reda’s first point, but framing it in a perhaps broader context, Toby sees the appearance of new possibilities for action with the advent of digital as the decisive factor. ‘If you think of the offline world, on both the publishing side and the education/training side, there were some natural constraints to what you could do …’

    The book (or textbook, or journal) was bound. It had a finite number of pages and could be shipped to only so many people. The classroom could only have a finite number of people in it, and was very difficult to scale without massive expense in both infrastructure and people (i.e. teachers). Online removes a lot of those scaling constraints; so a class that could previously only reach 30 people can now reach hundreds of thousands.

    Online has also massively lowered the cost of updating published information. A new print edition of a textbook, for example, is a major undertaking. In the offline world updates to knowledge would happen in batches, because it wasn’t feasible to do it in any other way. Online allows you to have a rolling update – giving us the concept of a living book – or, equally, a course that is constantly being tweaked and kept up to date.

    These changes allow new ways of thinking. There are significant changes to the old paradigms – but they are changes that a lot of people are still trying to get used to, both on the education side and on the publishing side.

    One area that publishing has been very successful in, Toby feels is integrating technology with content, and he gave several examples of workflow tools such as Mendeley that bear this out, and the work of other players in the wider information industry such as Bloomberg and Reuters.

    However going beyond these essentially resource-based models and becoming more instrumental in the process of learning is another matter, and considering this led us to look at the different cultures these converging (or colliding) industries have.

    Culture and authority

    One of the most beautiful things about publishing, in Reda’s view, is the way in which culture, in both the specific and the wider senses of that word, is embedded in its fabric. This gives a different feel for the value of the content, and its importance in terms of the emotional relationship we have with works of the mind and aspects such as cultural diversity in what is published. While e-learning taps into a rich history of learning theories and education, it still has something to learn, he feels, from the culture of publishing in this respect.

    Knowledge management, by contrast – which he feels to have failed – seems obsessed with putting pieces of data into pigeonholes, without proper regards to the more important activity of building a culture to make sense of the vast amounts of information and data that organisations receive and generate.

    From the publishing side, Toby observed that the linkage of education and training has always been weak. Textbook sales were seen as by-product of publishing activity, where existing titles were picked up on by educators – or else the preserve of a highly specialised branch of publishing that knew how to do them.

    Now, with the collapse of barriers that limited thinking in the offline world, and with digital reducing costs and lowering barriers to entry, the idea of publishers working with partners to adapt their content to create courses is far more achievable. And here is a further cultural change: the idea of working with partners. ‘Before, companies did everything themselves; they didn’t really use networks of freelancers and partners in the way we do now’.

    My own reflection on the different cultures, having worked in e-learning and digital publishing, is that there is less concern about provenance of knowledge on the training side of the fence. Academic publishing has a culture of sources, citation and reference that is currently in the process of automating in a characteristically rigorous way (CrossRef, ORCID, etc.). In e-learning, on the other hand, where content is often produced using an organisation’s internal SME knowledge, individual authorship tends to be more submerged, and it is often possible to wonder: where is this point of view coming from; who is telling me this?

    As somebody who works for a ‘who’ (the OECD) Toby can’t help but believe that at the point of convergence, this difference offers an opportunity for organisations like his own whose content carries the stamp of accepted and established authority in their particular field. This could also apply to the learned societies, but doesn’t necessarily hold true for larger, more generalist commercial publishers.

    Effects of convergence, chilling and otherwise

    Given the way that internet power laws operate in any online space – tending to favour one or a very few brands and condemn everyone else to place on the ‘long tail’, these questions of identity and authority are critical online. Certainly their effects have been seen in the case of MOOCs.

    Arguably, it is the presence of educational ‘super-brands’ such as Harvard and Stanford that has allowed online education to break through to public consciousness in the way it now has, under the banner of MOOCs. Interestingly however, other HE institutions in this rarified upper strata that have chosen not to participate in this gold-rush so far – notably Oxford and Cambridge in the UK – don’t seem to be especially troubled by the phenomenon.

    It is the ‘squeezed middle’ of second tier universities who see MOOCs as a threat to their livelihood, and the opinion of many is that solution in future will be for institutions to find or build specialisms in particular unique areas. Get ‘niche’.

    Reda locates a particular opportunity here in the troubled issue of ‘the fit in today’s world of the capacity of universities to prepare people for the workforce or for the demands of society’. Sub-degree, competency-based qualifications represent, in his view, ‘a huge gaping hole’ that knowledge-producing institutions are in a privileged position to address.

    He cites a client he worked with who had seen an Oxford University course on the area they worked in, but believed they could themselves build one ‘a hundred times better’. This sparked for him the idea that an organisation that has the practice – that actually does the job – could now, through the affordances of technology, build an educational offering of high quality.

    An organisation that in addition starts with a strong publishing function is particularly well placed since they will already have the quality development processes that will make it much easier to build educational experiences around that content.

    Playing the long game

    Of course, underlying all this talk of opportunities is the necessity for publishers to make their digital investments pay, and while moving into creating educational experiences around content might represent an opportunity for some organisations, there usually has to be some threat element in play to compel action.

    Reda pointed to the scrabble for data around MOOCs, which as early as 2013 prompted publishers to offer access to their textbooks within MOOCs in return for the user data. In a data-driven world, he would consider not having some such access to this type of data as a risk.

    This has to be see in the context of attempts by publishers to use digital to bring textbooks to life, not all of which have proved wildly successful with users, and the idea, argued by some, that MOOCs themselves are textbooks: that, ‘MOOCs perhaps represent the first form of digital textbook to reach a mass audience’.

    Given factors like these, organisations can’t afford to not experiment and try new things if their businesses are to grow and survive.

    In Toby’s view, publishers still largely think they’re in the business of selling content. He sees very few examples of textbook publishers migrating online in a way that works. ‘Part of the challenge is that since individuals are so reluctant to spend any money for content online – and bearing in mind that the offline textbook market was largely an individual-purchase model – it is very hard to see how a textbook publisher is going to get a return if they simply put their textbook online’.

    Data driven-models mean that money is made elsewhere than in the same transaction, so the challenge is to look at your publishing business in the round. A publisher such as Wiley, whose acquisitions in the learning space follow a strategy around the lifetime value of a customer – from education through to their professional life – might (notionally) balance losses in one part of the business by larger gains in another. This would involve looking at the value of the individual rather than the value of the training.

    ‘That’s what makes the web so hard, but at the same time so interesting: you have to consider where the value is, and the lifetime value could be very long … it’s very difficult to look individually at each particular piece: you have to look at it holistically.’

    https://redasadki.me/2014/08/12/convergence-and-cross-fertilisation-semantico-talks-to-toby-green-and-reda-sadki-about-publishers-and-learning/

    #digitalTransformation #JohnHelmer #learning #OECD #publishing #Semantico #TobyGreen

    #digitaltransformation #johnhelmer #learning #oecd #publishing #semantico
11. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-05 · 15:11 UTC

    WHO’s 154th Executive Board meeting provided a sobering picture of how the COVID-19 pandemic reversed decades of progress in expanding global immunization coverage and controlling vaccine-preventable diseases.

    1. Over 3 million more zero-dose children in 2022 compared to 2019 and widening inequities between and within countries.
    2. Africa in particular suffered a 25% increase in children missing out on basic vaccines.
    3. Coverage disparities grew between the best- and worst-performing districts in the same countries that previously made gains.

    In response, the World Health Organization is calling for action “grounded in local realities”.

    Growing evidence supports fresh approaches that do exactly that.

    Tom Newton-Lewis is part of a growing community of researchers and practitioners who have observed that “health systems are complex and adaptive” and, they say, that explains why top-down control rarely succeeds.

    • The claim is that directive performance management—relying on targets, monitoring, incentives and hierarchical control—is largely ineffective at driving outcomes in low- and middle-income country health systems.
    • By contrast, enabling approaches aim to leverage intrinsic motivation, foster collective responsibility, and empower teams for improvement.

    However, top-down control and directive management appear to have been key to how immunization programmes achieved impressive results in previous decades.

    Hence, it may be challenging for the current generation of global immunization leaders to consider that enabling approaches that leverage intrinsic motivation, foster collective responsibility, and empower teams – especially for local staff – are the ones needed now.

    One example of an enabling approach is the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).

    This is a locally-led network, platform, and community of action that emerged in March 2022 in response to the Director-General’s call for a “groundswell of support” for immunization.

    In Year 1 (report), this Movement demonstrated the feasibility of establishing a large-scale peer learning platform for immunization professionals, aligned with global IA2030 goals. Specifically:

    • Over 6,000 practitioners from 99 countries joined initial activities, with 1,021 implementing peer-reviewed local action plans by June 2022.
    • These participants generated over half a million quantitative and qualitative data points shedding light on local realities.
    • Regular peer learning events known as Teach to Reach rallied tens of thousands of national and sub-national immunization staff, defying boundaries of geography, hierarchy, gender, and job roles in collaborative sessions with each other, but also with IA2030 Working Groups.

    By September 2022, over 10,000 professionals had joined the Movement, turning their commitment to achieving IA2030 into context-specific actions, sharing progress and results to encourage and support each other.

    In Year 2, further evidence emerged on participant demand and public health impacts:

    • By June 2023, the network expanded to 16,835 members across over 100 countries.
    • Some participants directly attributed coverage increases to the Movement (see Wasnam Faye’s story and other examples), with many sharing a strong sense of IA2030 ownership.

    Overall, the Movement has already demonstrated a scalable model facilitating peer exchange between thousands of motivated immunization professionals during its first two years.

    • Locally-developed solutions are proving indispensable to practitioners, to make sense of generalized guidance from the global level.
    • Movement research confirmed that “progress more likely comes from the systematic application and adaptation of existing good practice, tailored to local contexts and communities.”
    • Connecting local innovation to global knowledge could be “instrumental for resuscitating progress” towards more equitable immunization, especially when integrated into coordinated action across health system levels.
    • It could be part of a teachable moment in which global partners learn from local action, rather than prescribe it.

    The Movement has already been making sparks. It will take the fuel of global partners to propel it to accelerate progress in new ways that could meet or exceed IA2030 goals.

    https://redasadki.me/2024/02/05/movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030-an-opportunity-for-global-partners-to-learn-how-to-ground-action-in-local-realities-to-reach-the-unreached/

    #IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #TheBigCatchUp #WorldHealthOrganization

    #ia2030 #immunization #immunizationagenda2030 #peerlearning #thebigcatchup #worldhealthorganization
12. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-11-30 · 12:55 UTC

    The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) has created a platform enabling health workers to describe the impacts of climate change on their local communities. Here are ten of the most striking reports.

    Published on 30 November 2023 on the Gavi #VaccinesWork blog

    In July 2023, more than 1,200 health workers from 68 countries shared their experiences of changes in climate and health at a unique Geneva Learning Foundation event designed to shed light on the realities of climate impacts on the health of the communities they serve.

    A special TGLF report – On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report – includes a compendium and analysis of these 1,200 health workers’ observations and insights. Here are ten of the most striking.

    Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi, who works for the Ministry of Health in Abuja, Nigeria, has noticed big changes to the environment.

    “Going back home to the community where I grew up as a child, I was shocked to see that most of the rivers we used to swim and fish in have all dried up, and those that are still there have become very shallow, so that you can easily walk through a river you required a boat to cross in years past.”

    Iruoma Chinedu Ofortube, who works at the district level in Lagos State, Nigeria, recounts two stories that illustrate the lethal impact of extreme weather.

    “A family embarked on a journey without potentially expecting any danger. Sadly, on their way, heavy rainfall started. The family was oblivious to the reality that the rain started ahead of them while they were en route to their destination. Unfortunately, they ran into a massive flood near a river. The force and the current from the flood swept their vehicle down the river, and before help could come for them, they drowned helplessly alongside other victims of the same circumstances.

    “There was also a pregnant woman in labour. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get a strong boat or canoe that could stand the high current and waves coming from the seaside. In the process of searching for a better means of taking her to the nearest health centre, she got exhausted and died.”

    Assoumane Mahamadou Issifou, who works for an NGO in Agadez, Niger, points out how food shortages are leading to malnutrition and anaemia, particularly in women and children.

    “During the five years that I served in the health service in the Agadez region, I observed significant changes, particularly in the occurrence of heavy rains, which were uncommon in the past. These heavy rains have led to flooding and the displacement of populations, often forcing them to settle wherever they can. Due to their vulnerability during these challenging times, children and women suffer greatly.

    “This situation, especially prevalent among newborns and children under five, contributes to malnutrition. The challenges persist because the Agadez region is situated in a desert area with very low rainfall.

    “However, even with minimal rain, the region faces immense difficulties. Nutritional foods are insufficient, and environmental degradation compounds the issue. As a result, the population struggles to access daily sustenance. Pregnant women and children lack foods rich in vitamins, leading to undernourishment and subsequent diseases such as malnutrition and anaemia.

    “Historically, Agadez was known for its scarcity of rain. With the recent climate change-induced increase in rainfall, few people have come to accept and understand this phenomenon. The region’s architecture is outdated, and the city has transformed into a migratory hub where diverse behaviours converge. New diseases emerge, and the indigenous population is grappling with illnesses that were previously unknown to them.”

    A woman working for the Ministry of Health in the DRC, based in Kinshasa, describes how water level changes are affecting insect proliferation and leading to changing patterns of malaria and other diseases.

    “A drought, characterised by a drop in rainfall during recent rainy seasons, has affected the City Province of Kinshasa, particularly in the Makelele District (located in the Bandalungwa commune) where I live.

    “This area is bordered by two rivers, Mâkelele 1 and 2. The scarcity of rain in the region during the past rainy seasons has led to a significant reduction in water flow within these two rivers. Consequently, rubbish and debris have accumulated along the riverbanks.

    “This situation has resulted in the proliferation of mosquitoes and other unidentified insects. This increase in insect activity has not only led to a rise in malaria cases, but has also given rise to a newly emerging form of dermatosis, the exact nature of which is yet to be determined. It is suspected that these skin lesions develop due to scratching after insect bites. Disturbingly, over 10% of the population within the municipality has been affected by this condition.”

    Dieudonne Tanasngar, who works for the Ministry of Health in Chad, explains how displacement contributes to poor sanitation practices, leading to increased spread of water-borne diseases.

    “In Lake Chad, during the rainy season, the various arms of the lake expand, causing flooding that affects the villages situated along its shores. This flooding often forces the inhabitants to relocate to higher ground.

    “However, a significant portion of the population around the lake lacks proper sanitation facilities, leading to open defecation near the water’s edge. As the water levels rise, this practice contributes to the spread of diseases, particularly when access to health care facilities becomes challenging.

    “Access to health care centres is hindered by the need to cross one or two bodies of water before reaching the nearest facility. This geographical challenge adds to the difficulties faced by the affected population. Consequently, a range of diseases can emerge and afflict the community due to these conditions.

    “The combination of poor sanitation practices, flooding, and limited access to health care facilities creates a complex situation that requires concerted efforts to improve living conditions, sanitation infrastructure, and health care access for the people living around Lake Chad.”

    Coulibaly Seydou, who works for the Ministry of Health in Boussé District, Burkina Faso, has noted how changing dietary habits, alongside declining mental wellbeing, is leading to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

    “For several years, the pattern of rainfall has been becoming increasingly irregular. The duration of the rainy season is progressively getting shorter, interspersed with periods of drought. This unpredictability makes it challenging for farmers to adjust their crop choices according to the rainfall pattern, leading to growing concerns. Discussions about the upcoming rainy season can induce anxiety and worry among rural communities.

    “When it comes to the impact of climate change on mental health, we can observe a significant disturbance in the well-being of farmers. Even just a couple of days without rainfall can trigger a sense of sadness among them. Instances of minor depression have been noted among household heads who helplessly witness their crops withering due to inadequate moisture.

    “In terms of physical health, there has been an uptick in the prevalence of diseases and conditions that can be attributed to changes in dietary habits. Conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity are on the rise. This can be linked to the shift towards consuming industrially processed foods that are low in nutritional value and high in chemical additives.”

    A man working for the Ministry of Health in Beni in the DRC describes the tragic case of a family driven into poverty and unable to afford health care for the children.

    “As a result of the disruption in the seasonal shifts, a modest family reliant solely on agriculture experienced the tragic death of their young son within their community.

    “The critical factors involved were as follows: their crop yield plummeted to zero due to their inability to manage the erratic changes in the seasons, and malnutrition, likely compounded by other illnesses, afflicted the family. Faced with financial constraints stemming from the complete failure of their agricultural efforts, they resorted to providing home-based care for their family.

    “Tragically, their youngest son paid the ultimate price with his life. In summary, the ever-changing climate dynamics have left us disoriented and uncertain about the future.”

    Fokzia Elijah, who works for the Ministry of Health in the Province of Batha, Chad, highlights how climate change is having multiple health and social impacts, particularly on pastoralists.

    “Batha is the first pastoral province, often experiencing prolonged droughts followed by irregular and sometimes excessive rainfall. These climatic variations lead to challenges in cattle herding, house collapses, and difficulties in sustaining pastoralism, which typically lasts only two to three months.

    “Pastoralists often migrate southward with women and children following them. Consequently, malnutrition prevails, affecting over 14% of the population, with women and children being the most vulnerable. Women who remain in the villages demonstrate resilience by engaging in limited market gardening and gathering wild oilseeds to produce sweet syrup for porridge.

    “A significant issue is the death of animals between March and June due to inadequate pasture and water. This impacts the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. Batha Province, once renowned for its diverse flora and fauna, has seen the disappearance of most animals except for birds. Hyena attacks have become frequent as they search for food in communities, often targeting domestic pets.”

    Linda Raji, who works for an NGO in the Kaida and Waru communities in Nigeria, highlights the implication of enviornmental change for young women – one of a range of gender-specific impacts of climate change.

    “Prolonged drought dries up the dirty community stream that serves both livestock and residents. This makes it difficult for community members to access water and much harder for menstrual hygiene management for teenage girls leading to an increase in infections in the unbearable heat.

    “Due to the difficulty in managing the monthly menstrual cycle due to limited access to water sanitation hygiene and period poverty, many teenage girls prefer to get pregnant to save them the worry of menstruating monthly for nine months.”

    Dr Chinedu Anthony Iwu, who works at a health facility in Orlu Local Government Area in Nigeria, describes how working with communities can build resilience to climate change impacts.

    “The changing climate has brought about an increase in the prevalence of vector-borne diseases. Mosquitoes are now breeding and transmitting diseases like malaria more intensely. The community lacked proper health care facilities and resources to effectively combat these diseases, leading to a rise in illness and mortality rates. Mothers’ means of livelihood were usually disrupted due to the time and effort spent in caring for their sick children with a significant impact on household welfare.

    “Recognising the urgent need to address these climate-related health challenges, we engaged in community-led initiatives that included comprehensive health awareness campaigns to provide education on sanitation and hygiene practices, and education of residents about preventive measures against vector-borne diseases. By engaging our community health extension workers, we were able to organise regular health check-ups in the communities, focusing on early detection and treatment of illnesses.

    “Over time, these collective efforts began to yield positive results. The mothers in the communities witnessed improvements in income as they progressively began to spend less time pursuing children’s health care challenges due to the adoption of preventive measures, thereby becoming more resilient to the changing climate.

    This experience highlights the challenges faced by rural communities in Nigeria due to climate change. It demonstrates the importance of community engagement, sustainable practices, and support from relevant stakeholders in addressing the climate-health nexus and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.”

    Written by Ian Jones for Gavi. Photo credit: Aerial view of a flooded urban residential area of Dera Allah yar city in Jaffarabad District, Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. Credit: Gavi/2022/Asad Zaidi

    https://redasadki.me/2023/11/30/ten-eyewitness-reports-from-the-frontline-of-climate-change-and-health/

    #climateAndHealth #climateChange #Gavi #immunization #TheGenevaLearningFoundation #VaccinesWork

    #climateandhealth #climatechange #gavi #immunization #thegenevalearningfoundation #vaccineswork
13. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-11-30 · 12:55 UTC

    The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) has created a platform enabling health workers to describe the impacts of climate change on their local communities. Here are ten of the most striking reports.

    Published on 30 November 2023 on the Gavi #VaccinesWork blog

    In July 2023, more than 1,200 health workers from 68 countries shared their experiences of changes in climate and health at a unique Geneva Learning Foundation event designed to shed light on the realities of climate impacts on the health of the communities they serve.

    A special TGLF report – On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report – includes a compendium and analysis of these 1,200 health workers’ observations and insights. Here are ten of the most striking.

    Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi, who works for the Ministry of Health in Abuja, Nigeria, has noticed big changes to the environment.

    “Going back home to the community where I grew up as a child, I was shocked to see that most of the rivers we used to swim and fish in have all dried up, and those that are still there have become very shallow, so that you can easily walk through a river you required a boat to cross in years past.”

    Iruoma Chinedu Ofortube, who works at the district level in Lagos State, Nigeria, recounts two stories that illustrate the lethal impact of extreme weather.

    “A family embarked on a journey without potentially expecting any danger. Sadly, on their way, heavy rainfall started. The family was oblivious to the reality that the rain started ahead of them while they were en route to their destination. Unfortunately, they ran into a massive flood near a river. The force and the current from the flood swept their vehicle down the river, and before help could come for them, they drowned helplessly alongside other victims of the same circumstances.

    “There was also a pregnant woman in labour. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get a strong boat or canoe that could stand the high current and waves coming from the seaside. In the process of searching for a better means of taking her to the nearest health centre, she got exhausted and died.”

    Assoumane Mahamadou Issifou, who works for an NGO in Agadez, Niger, points out how food shortages are leading to malnutrition and anaemia, particularly in women and children.

    “During the five years that I served in the health service in the Agadez region, I observed significant changes, particularly in the occurrence of heavy rains, which were uncommon in the past. These heavy rains have led to flooding and the displacement of populations, often forcing them to settle wherever they can. Due to their vulnerability during these challenging times, children and women suffer greatly.

    “This situation, especially prevalent among newborns and children under five, contributes to malnutrition. The challenges persist because the Agadez region is situated in a desert area with very low rainfall.

    “However, even with minimal rain, the region faces immense difficulties. Nutritional foods are insufficient, and environmental degradation compounds the issue. As a result, the population struggles to access daily sustenance. Pregnant women and children lack foods rich in vitamins, leading to undernourishment and subsequent diseases such as malnutrition and anaemia.

    “Historically, Agadez was known for its scarcity of rain. With the recent climate change-induced increase in rainfall, few people have come to accept and understand this phenomenon. The region’s architecture is outdated, and the city has transformed into a migratory hub where diverse behaviours converge. New diseases emerge, and the indigenous population is grappling with illnesses that were previously unknown to them.”

    A woman working for the Ministry of Health in the DRC, based in Kinshasa, describes how water level changes are affecting insect proliferation and leading to changing patterns of malaria and other diseases.

    “A drought, characterised by a drop in rainfall during recent rainy seasons, has affected the City Province of Kinshasa, particularly in the Makelele District (located in the Bandalungwa commune) where I live.

    “This area is bordered by two rivers, Mâkelele 1 and 2. The scarcity of rain in the region during the past rainy seasons has led to a significant reduction in water flow within these two rivers. Consequently, rubbish and debris have accumulated along the riverbanks.

    “This situation has resulted in the proliferation of mosquitoes and other unidentified insects. This increase in insect activity has not only led to a rise in malaria cases, but has also given rise to a newly emerging form of dermatosis, the exact nature of which is yet to be determined. It is suspected that these skin lesions develop due to scratching after insect bites. Disturbingly, over 10% of the population within the municipality has been affected by this condition.”

    Dieudonne Tanasngar, who works for the Ministry of Health in Chad, explains how displacement contributes to poor sanitation practices, leading to increased spread of water-borne diseases.

    “In Lake Chad, during the rainy season, the various arms of the lake expand, causing flooding that affects the villages situated along its shores. This flooding often forces the inhabitants to relocate to higher ground.

    “However, a significant portion of the population around the lake lacks proper sanitation facilities, leading to open defecation near the water’s edge. As the water levels rise, this practice contributes to the spread of diseases, particularly when access to health care facilities becomes challenging.

    “Access to health care centres is hindered by the need to cross one or two bodies of water before reaching the nearest facility. This geographical challenge adds to the difficulties faced by the affected population. Consequently, a range of diseases can emerge and afflict the community due to these conditions.

    “The combination of poor sanitation practices, flooding, and limited access to health care facilities creates a complex situation that requires concerted efforts to improve living conditions, sanitation infrastructure, and health care access for the people living around Lake Chad.”

    Coulibaly Seydou, who works for the Ministry of Health in Boussé District, Burkina Faso, has noted how changing dietary habits, alongside declining mental wellbeing, is leading to an increased risk of non-communicable diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

    “For several years, the pattern of rainfall has been becoming increasingly irregular. The duration of the rainy season is progressively getting shorter, interspersed with periods of drought. This unpredictability makes it challenging for farmers to adjust their crop choices according to the rainfall pattern, leading to growing concerns. Discussions about the upcoming rainy season can induce anxiety and worry among rural communities.

    “When it comes to the impact of climate change on mental health, we can observe a significant disturbance in the well-being of farmers. Even just a couple of days without rainfall can trigger a sense of sadness among them. Instances of minor depression have been noted among household heads who helplessly witness their crops withering due to inadequate moisture.

    “In terms of physical health, there has been an uptick in the prevalence of diseases and conditions that can be attributed to changes in dietary habits. Conditions such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity are on the rise. This can be linked to the shift towards consuming industrially processed foods that are low in nutritional value and high in chemical additives.”

    A man working for the Ministry of Health in Beni in the DRC describes the tragic case of a family driven into poverty and unable to afford health care for the children.

    “As a result of the disruption in the seasonal shifts, a modest family reliant solely on agriculture experienced the tragic death of their young son within their community.

    “The critical factors involved were as follows: their crop yield plummeted to zero due to their inability to manage the erratic changes in the seasons, and malnutrition, likely compounded by other illnesses, afflicted the family. Faced with financial constraints stemming from the complete failure of their agricultural efforts, they resorted to providing home-based care for their family.

    “Tragically, their youngest son paid the ultimate price with his life. In summary, the ever-changing climate dynamics have left us disoriented and uncertain about the future.”

    Fokzia Elijah, who works for the Ministry of Health in the Province of Batha, Chad, highlights how climate change is having multiple health and social impacts, particularly on pastoralists.

    “Batha is the first pastoral province, often experiencing prolonged droughts followed by irregular and sometimes excessive rainfall. These climatic variations lead to challenges in cattle herding, house collapses, and difficulties in sustaining pastoralism, which typically lasts only two to three months.

    “Pastoralists often migrate southward with women and children following them. Consequently, malnutrition prevails, affecting over 14% of the population, with women and children being the most vulnerable. Women who remain in the villages demonstrate resilience by engaging in limited market gardening and gathering wild oilseeds to produce sweet syrup for porridge.

    “A significant issue is the death of animals between March and June due to inadequate pasture and water. This impacts the most vulnerable, particularly women and children. Batha Province, once renowned for its diverse flora and fauna, has seen the disappearance of most animals except for birds. Hyena attacks have become frequent as they search for food in communities, often targeting domestic pets.”

    Linda Raji, who works for an NGO in the Kaida and Waru communities in Nigeria, highlights the implication of enviornmental change for young women – one of a range of gender-specific impacts of climate change.

    “Prolonged drought dries up the dirty community stream that serves both livestock and residents. This makes it difficult for community members to access water and much harder for menstrual hygiene management for teenage girls leading to an increase in infections in the unbearable heat.

    “Due to the difficulty in managing the monthly menstrual cycle due to limited access to water sanitation hygiene and period poverty, many teenage girls prefer to get pregnant to save them the worry of menstruating monthly for nine months.”

    Dr Chinedu Anthony Iwu, who works at a health facility in Orlu Local Government Area in Nigeria, describes how working with communities can build resilience to climate change impacts.

    “The changing climate has brought about an increase in the prevalence of vector-borne diseases. Mosquitoes are now breeding and transmitting diseases like malaria more intensely. The community lacked proper health care facilities and resources to effectively combat these diseases, leading to a rise in illness and mortality rates. Mothers’ means of livelihood were usually disrupted due to the time and effort spent in caring for their sick children with a significant impact on household welfare.

    “Recognising the urgent need to address these climate-related health challenges, we engaged in community-led initiatives that included comprehensive health awareness campaigns to provide education on sanitation and hygiene practices, and education of residents about preventive measures against vector-borne diseases. By engaging our community health extension workers, we were able to organise regular health check-ups in the communities, focusing on early detection and treatment of illnesses.

    “Over time, these collective efforts began to yield positive results. The mothers in the communities witnessed improvements in income as they progressively began to spend less time pursuing children’s health care challenges due to the adoption of preventive measures, thereby becoming more resilient to the changing climate.

    This experience highlights the challenges faced by rural communities in Nigeria due to climate change. It demonstrates the importance of community engagement, sustainable practices, and support from relevant stakeholders in addressing the climate-health nexus and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.”

    Written by Ian Jones for Gavi. Photo credit: Aerial view of a flooded urban residential area of Dera Allah yar city in Jaffarabad District, Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. Credit: Gavi/2022/Asad Zaidi

    https://redasadki.me/2023/11/30/ten-eyewitness-reports-from-the-frontline-of-climate-change-and-health/

    #climateAndHealth #climateChange #Gavi #immunization #TheGenevaLearningFoundation #VaccinesWork

    #climateandhealth #climatechange #gavi #immunization #thegenevalearningfoundation #vaccineswork
14. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-11-04 · 18:45 UTC

    The following is excerpted from Watkins, K.E. and Marsick, V.J., 2023. Chapter 4. Learning informally at work: Reframing learning and development. In Rethinking Workplace Learning and Development. Edward Elgar Publishing.

    This chapter’s final example illustrates the way in which organically arising IIL (informal and incidental learning) is paired with opportunities to build knowledge through a combination of structured education and informal learning by peers working in frequently complex circumstances.

    Reda Sadki, president of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF), rethought L&D for immunization workers in many roles in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

    Adapting to technology available to participants from the countries that joined this effort, Sadki designed a mix of experiences that broke out of the limits of “training” as it was often designed.

    He addressed, the inability to scale up to reach large audiences; difficulty to transfer what is learned; inability to accommodate different learners’ starting places; the need to teach learners to solve complex problems; and the inability to develop sufficient expertise in a timely way. (Marsick et al., 2021, p. 15)

    TGLF invited learners to create and share new learning to the social and behavioral challenges faced by front-line staff from all levels of immunization systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

    Sadki designed L&D for “in-depth engagement on priority topics,” insights into “the raw, unfiltered perspectives of frontline staff,” and peer dialogue that “gives a voice to front-line workers” (The Geneva Learning Foundation, 2022).

    Reda started with an e-learning course, which he supplemented by interactive, community building, and knowledge creation features offered by Scholar, a learning platform developed by Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis (Marsick et al., 2021, pp. 185-186).

    Scholar’s data analytics enabled him to tailor learning to learner preferences and to continually check outcomes and adjust next steps.

    See Figure 4.3, which lays out the full learning cycle Reda implemented to support peer learning-based work—“work that privileges learning in order to build individual and organizational capacity to better address emergent challenges or opportunities” (Marsick et al., 2021, p.177).

    In his initiative, over a period of 12-18 months, participants develop and implement projects related to local immunization initiatives.

    To date, participants have come from 120 countries.

    In this vignette, Reda Sadki reflects on how the approach evolved over time, and how L&D has changed in a connected, networked learning environment.

    My reframe of L&D started when I wrote to Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis, respectively professor and dean of the University of Illinois College of Education, after I was appointed Senior Officer for Learning Systems at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). I shared my strategy for the organization of facilitation, learning, and sharing of knowledge. I thought my strategy was brilliant.

    They replied that these were interesting ideas, but I was missing the point because this is not learning. What I shared focused on publishing knowledge in different ways, but not on creation of knowledge as key to the learning process.

    That was a shock to me.

    So, the first realization about the limits of current thinking about L&D came from Bill and Mary challenging me by saying: “What are people actually getting to do? You know, that’s where the learning is likely to happen.”

    I could see they had a point, but I didn’t know what it meant.

    I reflected on recent work I had done for the IFRC, where I was responsible for a pipeline of 80 or so e-learning modules.

    These information transmission modules were extremely limited, had very little impact.

    But there is a paradox, which is that people across the Red Cross who we were trying to reach were really excited and enthusiastic about them.

    The learning platform had become the fastest-growing digital system in the entire Red Cross Red Crescent movement.

    I had not designed these modules.

    It was 500 screens of information with quizzes at the end.

    It violated every principle of learning design.

    And yet people loved it and were really proud to have completed it.

    The second realization was that what made people excited using the most boring format and medium was that this was the first time in their life that they were connecting in a digital space with something that spoke to their IFRC experience.

    So, the driver was learning. People come to the Red Cross and Red Crescent because they want to learn first aid skills.

    They want to learn how to prepare for a disaster or recover from one.

    Previously, that was an entirely brick-and-mortar experience.

    You have Red Cross branches pretty much everywhere in the world.

    It’s a very powerful social peer learning experience.

    The trainer teaching you first aid is likely to be someone like you from your community.

    You meet people with like-minded values.

    It’s a really powerful model.

    And so, however inadequate, the digital parallel to that existed, and ti helped people connect with their Red Cross culture, but in the digital space.

    The third insight was reading what George Siemens was writing in 2006.

    That was the connection to complexity in networks.

    I read Marsick and Watkins in the ’80s and ’90s, and then Siemens in the 2000s, on digital networks.

    The Internet leads to a different kind of thinking, and his theory of learning, connectivism, grew out of that difference.

    January of 201, Ivy League universities began to publish massive open online courses (MOOCs).

    Stanford professors had 150,000 people in their artificial intelligence MOOC, versus 400 people who take the same course on the Stanford campus.

    Sasha Poquet is developing a paper (still being written as of November 2023) based on a social networking analysis of what we did during the COVID-19 Scholar Peer Hub.

    The COVID-19 Scholar Peer Hub was a digital network hosted by The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) and developed with health worker alumni from all over the world.

    The Peer Hub launched in July 2020 and connected over 6,000 health professionals from 86 countries to contribute to strengthening skills and supporting implementation of country COVID-19 plans of action.

    Using social network analysis (SNA), Poquet explored the value of a learning environment that builds a community of learning professionals, and that has ongoing activities to maintain the community both short- and long term, where you educate through various initiatives rather than create individual communities for each independent offering.

    That’s where we have moved in rethinking Learning & Development.

    You help people learn by connecting to each other, and by understanding the informal, incidental nature of learning.

    A colleague commented that in today’s world, you’re better of talking about digital networks than you are about communities of practice.

    Yet these are two competing frameworks that collide, contradict, and are superimposed on top of each other.

    Both are helpful at specific times.

    In general, you can recognize the tensions and say: “Well, let’s put each one in front of the problem. Let’s see what we gain by applying each. Let’s reconcile in situ what the contradictory things are that we learn through these different lenses and then make decisions and figure out what the design elements look like.”

    What does it give to hold these notions of community and network in creative tension with one another?

    It depends on the context.

    It’s kind of like a fruit salad where you mix all these fruits together and the juice you get at the bottom of the bowl tends to be really delicious. That’s the best case.

    The flip side can be confusion.

    Some categories of learners just feel completely overwhelmed by being presented with multiple ways of doing something, having to make their own decisions in ways they’re simply not used to, being given too many choices or being put in contexts that are too ambiguous for there to be an easy resolution.

    But if you think about the skills we need in a digital age—for navigating the unknown, accepting uncertainty, making decisions, that ability to look around the corner—we try to convey the message to people who are uncomfortable that if they don’t figure out how to overcome their discomfort, they’re probably going to struggle and not be ready to function in the age in which we live.

    Evolution of the Model

    Looking back to early 2020, Reda described the roots of this approach in an early pre-course symposium offering lived experiences shared by course applicants combined with video archives drawn from prior conferences sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Reda packaged selected talks in a daily sequence, and interspersed it with networking discussions and sharing of experiences of immunization training by field-based practitioners.

    For many, it was the first time they could go online and discover the experience of a peer, who could be from anywhere in the world.

    It was a process of discovery – realizing you can literally and figuratively connect across distance with people who are like yourself.

    We were able to create a conference-like experience, a metaphor that’s familiar to many—the combination of presentation and conversation and shared experience – by basically Scotch-taping together some older videos and editing a few stories from the real world.

    Now, it was part of an overall process over several years that got us to that point—where we had formed a community, a digital community that was mature enough, that was sophisticated enough, to overcome the barriers they were facing and participate.

    But still, it showed it could be done.

    We began to try out our new ideas.

    In a Teach to Reach Conference we designed with an organizing committee composed of over 500 alumni, we set up opportunities for people to pair of and talk to one another about their field experiences with vaccination.

    The conference offered some 56 workshops and formal sessions, but we discovered that the most meaningful learning was through some 14,000 networking meetings, where you pressed a button and you were randomly matched with someone else at the conference.

    That gave birth to a quarterly event dedicated entirely to such networking, which has continued to grow.

    People now joing a group session where you discuss, you hear people sharing their insights and experiences of vaccine hesitancy, and then you go off and network in one-to-one, private meetings and share your experience, nourished by what happened in that group session; and also continue your learning in that very intimate way that you get through individual conversation that you don’t get in the anonymization of the Zoom rectangles.

    The next step was the addition of a project around a real problem that participants face, and use of learning resources to support work on that project.

    An evaluation showed that people were already implementing projects and doing things with what they had learned.

    The course includes the development of an action plan, but in order to catalyze action on project plans, we added the Ideas Engine, where people share ideas and practices, and give and receive feedback on them.

    That’s followed by situation analysis really getting to the root cause of the problem they’re facing. We just ask learners to ask “why” fives times. Half of learners found a root cause different from the one they had initially diagnosed.

    And third, then, is action planning to clarify: What’s your goal? What are three corrective actions you’re going to take? Do you have specific, measurable goals?

    It has taken years to bring together the right components, in the right sequence, to encourage reflective practice, develop analytical competencies, higher-order learning… but in ways that link every step of thinking to doing, and where the end game is about improved health outcomes, not just learning outcomes.

    That led us ultimately to the Impact Accelerator—that doesn’t have an end point.

    It’s four weeks of goal setting, focused on continuous quality improvement.

    People initially set broad goals like, “By the end of the month I will have improved immunization coverage.” This is too broad to be useful, and seldom can be achieved within a month.

    We help them set specific goals. For example: “By the end of the month, I will have presented the project to my boss and secured some funding”— and even that may be very ambitious.

    We help people figure out for themselves what they can actually do within the constraints they have.

    Unlike “Grand Challenges” or other innovation tournaments, you don’t have a competitive element, you don’t have a financial incentive, and it still works.

    The heart and soul of it is intrinsic motivation.

    After these steps there’s ongoing longitudinal reporting.

    Peer learning provides a new kind of accountability, as colleagues challenge each other to do better – and also to present credible results.

    Basically, we’ll call you back and ask, what happened to that project you were doing? Did you finish it? Did you get stuck? if so, why? What evidence do you have that it’s made a difference? You share that with us and if you have good news to share, we’ll probably invite you to an inspirational event for the next cycle.

    Supports and Challenges

    If you look at this from the point of view of the learner, the first point of contact is social.

    It’s somebody they know who’s going to share with them on WhatsApp the invitation to join the program.

    Second are steps that test motivation and commitment because they could be seen as barriers to entry, for example, a long questionnaire for the current full learning cycle.

    Close to 7,000 people have completed that.

    About 40% of people who start the questionnaire finish it, and then start receiving instructions in a flow of emails, to prepare for the next steps.

    We start with didactic steps, combined with some inspirational messages, e.g., asking them to reflect on why they are committed to the program, or how they are going to organize their time.

    We don’t know what the program design will look like until we’ve collected the applications and analyzed what people share about their biggest challenges because it’s all challenge-based.

    We think it’s vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine hesitancy is right up there, but there may be some things that surprise us.

    And so, we adapt every part of the design, and we keep doing that every day throughout the program, so there’s no disconnect between the design and the implementation.

    In the course, the first thing is an inspirational event to connect with their intrinsic motivation, which we mobilize throughout the cycle.

    Yesterday, for example, we had an event for the network that completed the first part of the full learning cycle.

    We challenged people to share photos, showing them in the field, doing their daily work during World Immunization Week.

    We got over 1,000 photos in about two weeks.

    We shared this with the community in a live event that was just sharing the photos with music and reading the names of the people, inviting them to comment each other’s photos.

    A big chunk of what we do addresses the affective domain of learning that is critical to complex problem-solving and usually incredibly hard to get to.

    And what we saw were people in the room having those moments of coming to consciousness, realizing their problems are shared, and feeling stronger because of it.

    People love peer learning in principle but still are wary.

    They might wonder how they can trust what their peer says: What’s the proof I can rely on them? What happens if they let me down? How do I feel if I don’t own up to the expectations? What if I’m peer-reviewing the work of somebody who’s far more experienced than I am, or conversely, if I read somebody’s work and judge they didn’t have the time or make the effort to do something good?

    We use didactic constraints to create spaces of possibility: If your project is due by Friday, we announce that there will be no extension. By contrast, the choice of project is yours.

    We’re not going to tell you from Geneva, Switzerland, what your challenge is in your remote village, so you define it. We will challenge you to put yourself to the test, to demonstrate that this is actually your toughest challenge.

    Or to demonstrate that what you think is the cause is the actual root cause.

    And then we’ll have a support system that has about 20 different ways in which people can not only receive support, but also give it to others.

    For the technical support session, we’ll say there are two reasons for joining. Either you have a technical issue you want to solve; or you’re doing so well, you have a little bit of time to give to help your colleagues. 

    This is an example of how we encourage connections between peers. It took us years to find the right way to formulate the dialectic between those who are doing well, and those who are not. Are they really peers?

    Over time, we gained confidence in peer learning after we adopted it. We had a particularly challenging course that led to a breakthrough.

    We had prior experiences with learners who wanted an expert to tell them if their assignment was good or not.

    Getting people to trust peer learning forced us to think through how we articulate the value of peer learning.

    How do we help people understand that the limitations are there, but that they do not limit the learning? An assumption in global health is that, in order to teach, you need technical expertise. So if you are a technical expert, it is assumed that you can teach what you know.

    We consider subject matter expertise, but if you are an expert and come to our event, you’re actually asked to listen.

    You do not get to make a presentation, at least not until learners have experienced the power of peer leraning.

    You listen to what people are sharing about their experiences, and then you have a really important role, that is, to respond to what you’ve heard and demonstrate that your expertise is relevant and helpful to people who are facing these challenges.

    That has sometimes led to opposition when people understand to what extent we flipped the prevailing model around.

    Some people really embrace it.

    Others get really scared.

    One of the most recent shifts we have made is that we stopped talking about courses.

    Courses are a very useful metaphor, but we are now talking about a movement for immunization.

    In the past, we observed that people who dropped out felt shame and stopped participating.

    Even if you are not actively participating, you’re still a member of the immunization movement.

    People have participated as health professionals, as government workers, as members of civil society, in various kinds of movements since decolonization.

    So the “movement” metaphor has a different resonance than that of “courses”.

    We used to call the Monday weekly meeting a discussion group.

    We’re now calling it a weekly assembly.

    It is a term that speaks to the religiosity of many learners, as well as to those with social commitments in their local communities.

    About ten years ago, I began to think of my goal for these discussion groups like the musician, the artist that you most appreciate, who really moves your soul, moves you, your every fiber and your body and your soul and your mind.

    I remember in 1989 I went to a Pink Floyd concert.

    When we left the concert, we were drenched in sweat; we were exhausted and just had an exhilarating experience.

    That’s what I would like people who participate in our events to feel.

    I believe that’s key to fostering the dynamics that will lead to effective teaching and learning and change as an outcome.

    We’re still light years away from that.

    Recently, a global health researcher shared that when she joins our events, she feels like she is in church in her home country of Nigeria.

    So, light years away, but making some progress.

    https://redasadki.me/2023/11/04/how-we-reframed-learning-and-development-learning-based-complex-work/

    #complexity #immunization #incidentalLearning #informalLearning #KarenEWatkins #PerformanceManagement #RethinkingWorkplaceLearningAndDevelopment #TheGenevaLearningFoundation #VictoriaJMarsick #workforceDevelopment

    #complexity #immunization #incidentallearning #informallearning #karenewatkins #performancemanagement
15. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2022-09-16 · 07:23 UTC

    A digital human knowledge and action network of health workers: Challenging established notions of learning in global health

    When Prof Rupert Wegerif introduced DEFI in his blog post, he argued that recent technologies will transform the notions and practice of education. The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) is demonstrating this concept in the field of global health, specifically immunization, through the ongoing engagement of thousands of health workers in digital peer learning.

    As images of ambulance queues across Europe filled TV screens in 2020, another discussion was starting: how would COVID-19 affect countries with weaker health systems but more experience in facing epidemic outbreaks?

    In the global immunization community, there were early signs that ongoing efforts to protect children from vaccine preventable diseases – measles, polio, diphtheria – would suffer. On the ground, there were early reports of health workers being afraid to work, being excluded by communities, or having key supplies disrupted. The TGLF quickly realised it had a role to play in ensuring that routine immunization would carry on in the Global South during the pandemic and then to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine introduction.

    Peer learning vs hierarchical, transmissive learning models

    Since 2016, TGLF had been slowly gaining traction in the world of immunization learning, with its digital peer learning programmes for immunization staff. These programmes reached around 15,000 people in their first four years, before the pandemic, about 70% of whom were from West and Central Africa, and about 50% of whom work at the lowest levels of health systems: health facilities and districts.

    The TGLF peer learning programmes were developed as an alternative to hierarchical, transmissive learning models, in which knowledge is developed centrally, translated into guidance by global experts, which is then disseminated through cascade training.

    In the hierarchical model, health workers are merely consumers at the periphery of the process. COVID-19 brought the inadequacies of this approach into sharper focus, as health workers dealt with challenges that had not been foreseen or processed through existing guidance.

    No technical guidance could address every scenario health workers faced, such as reaching the most marginalised communities or engaging terrified parents at a time when science had few reassuring answers. They needed to be creative and empowered to find their own solutions. Health professionals learned to rely on each other as peers, learning from each other how to negotiate many unknowns, without waiting for the answers provided by formal science.

    The TGLF approach quickly demonstrated its usefulness in connecting peers during the pandemic. In 2020, the number of platform users doubled to 30,000 in just six months (compared to four years to gain the first 15,000 users) and has now trebled to 45,000.

    Adoption doubled from 15,000 pre-pandemic users to 30,000 users in the first six months of the pandemic. It now stands at 45,000 in 2022. 

    Addressing Covid-19 impacts through challenge-based learning

    The foundation of the TGLF approach was the COVID-19 Peer Hub, an 8-month project based on challenge-based learning, which challenged individuals to give and receive feedback as they collaborated to:

    • Identify a real challenge that they were expected to address in their everyday work
    • Carry out situation analysis, and
    • Develop action plans that are peer-reviewed and improved.

    The Peer Hub was inspired by the works of several of academics who helped create the Foundation: Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis, and their technological implementation of “New Learning;” George Siemens’ learning theory of connectivism; and Karen E. Watkins and Victoria Marsick’s insights into the significance of incidental and informal learning.

    The Peer Hub demonstrated the creation of a “human knowledge and action network” formed through both formal and informal peer learning combined with ongoing informal social learning between participants. The network was built on the principle that participants were themselves experts in their own contexts, and creators, rather than consumers, of knowledge. Front-line health workers suddenly had the legitimacy and ability to share experiences with their peers and experts from around the globe.

    In the first ten days, COVID-19 Peer Hub participants shared 1224 ideas and practices through the Ideas Engine, an online innovation management tool.

    Results of peer-led, challenge-based learning interventions

    More than 6,000 health workers joined the TGLF COVID-19 Peer Hub, where they:

    • Documented and shared 1,224 practices and ideas to maintain routine immunization through the Ideas Engine;
    • Developed 700 peer-reviewed action plans, informed by ideas and practices shared through the Ideas Engine;
    • Learned to support each other in implementing these plans during a four-week “Impact Accelerator Launchpad;”
    • Responded to concerns about vaccine hesitancy in the face of COVID-19 vaccine introduction, by developing a peer-reviewed case study documenting a situation in which they had helped an individual or group overcome their initial reluctance, hesitancy, or fear about vaccination. The resulting qualitative analysis – unique in accessing so many firsthand narratives from health workers – was produced by 734 participants.

    Assessing the value of peer-led learning in a global vaccine education programme

    The next challenge for TGLF was how to document and capture the value of this? Most of what was shared between peers was not new or innovative at a global level – but this did not make it less useful to the individual practitioner who had not encountered it before. How to account for the sense of identity, community and solidarity arising from peer learning that gives health workers the confidence and motivation to try new things? How to make a link between investment in peer learning, and children immunized?

    “Participation in the Peer Hub has motivated me to organize my district to implement actions developed. It has also encouraged me to invite many Immunization Officers to learn the experiences from other countries to improve country immunization sessions” 

    Peer Hub participant

    Tracking movement of practices and ideas shared through the Ideas Engine between countries

    Because while health workers responded positively to opportunities to connect, learn and lead with one another, TGLF is very much a new entrant in a well-established institutional learning environment for global health. Here are some questions we’ve developed as TGLF challenges established norms and ways of working:

    • How would you feel as a global expert if you were asked to give up your role as ‘sage on the stage’ to be a ‘guide on the side’ to thousands of health workers?
    • Can self-reported data from thousands of health workers evaluated by peers be trusted more or less than a peer-reviewed study?
    • What does ubiquitous digital access mean for training programmes that have previously incentivised learner participation in face-to-face events through payment?

    “I can actually broaden my vision and be more imaginative, creative towards new ideas that have come up to improve overall immunization coverage.” – Peer Hub participant

    Working with DEFI and other similar institutions, TGLF looks forward to:

    • Exploring and demonstrating the credibility of what we do through critical independent research and commentary
    • Demonstrating the potential of our approaches to large institutions and their donors;
    • Developing a bigger picture of how other sectors are adapting to the affordances of digital learning technologies;
    • Meeting others innovating in digital learning to be inspired and cross fertilise.

    ­We look forward to fruitful dialogues!

    Ian Steed, Associate, Hughes Hall
    Ian works as a consultant in the international humanitarian and development sector, focusing on the policy and practice of ‘localising’ international aid. In addition to his work with TGLF, Ian is involved with financial sustainability in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and is founder and board member of the Cambridge Humanitarian Centre (now the Centre for Global Equality). He studied German and Dutch at Jesus College, Cambridge, and has lived and worked in Germany and Switzerland.

    https://redasadki.me/2022/09/16/digital-challenge-based-learning-in-the-covid-19-peer-hub/

    #CollectiveIntelligence #COVID19PeerHub #DEFI #TheGenevaLearningFoundation

    #collectiveintelligence #covid19peerhub #defi #thegenevalearningfoundation
16. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2022-09-16 · 07:23 UTC

    A digital human knowledge and action network of health workers: Challenging established notions of learning in global health

    When Prof Rupert Wegerif introduced DEFI in his blog post, he argued that recent technologies will transform the notions and practice of education. The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) is demonstrating this concept in the field of global health, specifically immunization, through the ongoing engagement of thousands of health workers in digital peer learning.

    As images of ambulance queues across Europe filled TV screens in 2020, another discussion was starting: how would COVID-19 affect countries with weaker health systems but more experience in facing epidemic outbreaks?

    In the global immunization community, there were early signs that ongoing efforts to protect children from vaccine preventable diseases – measles, polio, diphtheria – would suffer. On the ground, there were early reports of health workers being afraid to work, being excluded by communities, or having key supplies disrupted. The TGLF quickly realised it had a role to play in ensuring that routine immunization would carry on in the Global South during the pandemic and then to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine introduction.

    Peer learning vs hierarchical, transmissive learning models

    Since 2016, TGLF had been slowly gaining traction in the world of immunization learning, with its digital peer learning programmes for immunization staff. These programmes reached around 15,000 people in their first four years, before the pandemic, about 70% of whom were from West and Central Africa, and about 50% of whom work at the lowest levels of health systems: health facilities and districts.

    The TGLF peer learning programmes were developed as an alternative to hierarchical, transmissive learning models, in which knowledge is developed centrally, translated into guidance by global experts, which is then disseminated through cascade training.

    In the hierarchical model, health workers are merely consumers at the periphery of the process. COVID-19 brought the inadequacies of this approach into sharper focus, as health workers dealt with challenges that had not been foreseen or processed through existing guidance.

    No technical guidance could address every scenario health workers faced, such as reaching the most marginalised communities or engaging terrified parents at a time when science had few reassuring answers. They needed to be creative and empowered to find their own solutions. Health professionals learned to rely on each other as peers, learning from each other how to negotiate many unknowns, without waiting for the answers provided by formal science.

    The TGLF approach quickly demonstrated its usefulness in connecting peers during the pandemic. In 2020, the number of platform users doubled to 30,000 in just six months (compared to four years to gain the first 15,000 users) and has now trebled to 45,000.

    Adoption doubled from 15,000 pre-pandemic users to 30,000 users in the first six months of the pandemic. It now stands at 45,000 in 2022. 

    Addressing Covid-19 impacts through challenge-based learning

    The foundation of the TGLF approach was the COVID-19 Peer Hub, an 8-month project based on challenge-based learning, which challenged individuals to give and receive feedback as they collaborated to:

    • Identify a real challenge that they were expected to address in their everyday work
    • Carry out situation analysis, and
    • Develop action plans that are peer-reviewed and improved.

    The Peer Hub was inspired by the works of several of academics who helped create the Foundation: Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis, and their technological implementation of “New Learning;” George Siemens’ learning theory of connectivism; and Karen E. Watkins and Victoria Marsick’s insights into the significance of incidental and informal learning.

    The Peer Hub demonstrated the creation of a “human knowledge and action network” formed through both formal and informal peer learning combined with ongoing informal social learning between participants. The network was built on the principle that participants were themselves experts in their own contexts, and creators, rather than consumers, of knowledge. Front-line health workers suddenly had the legitimacy and ability to share experiences with their peers and experts from around the globe.

    In the first ten days, COVID-19 Peer Hub participants shared 1224 ideas and practices through the Ideas Engine, an online innovation management tool.

    Results of peer-led, challenge-based learning interventions

    More than 6,000 health workers joined the TGLF COVID-19 Peer Hub, where they:

    • Documented and shared 1,224 practices and ideas to maintain routine immunization through the Ideas Engine;
    • Developed 700 peer-reviewed action plans, informed by ideas and practices shared through the Ideas Engine;
    • Learned to support each other in implementing these plans during a four-week “Impact Accelerator Launchpad;”
    • Responded to concerns about vaccine hesitancy in the face of COVID-19 vaccine introduction, by developing a peer-reviewed case study documenting a situation in which they had helped an individual or group overcome their initial reluctance, hesitancy, or fear about vaccination. The resulting qualitative analysis – unique in accessing so many firsthand narratives from health workers – was produced by 734 participants.

    Assessing the value of peer-led learning in a global vaccine education programme

    The next challenge for TGLF was how to document and capture the value of this? Most of what was shared between peers was not new or innovative at a global level – but this did not make it less useful to the individual practitioner who had not encountered it before. How to account for the sense of identity, community and solidarity arising from peer learning that gives health workers the confidence and motivation to try new things? How to make a link between investment in peer learning, and children immunized?

    “Participation in the Peer Hub has motivated me to organize my district to implement actions developed. It has also encouraged me to invite many Immunization Officers to learn the experiences from other countries to improve country immunization sessions” 

    Peer Hub participant

    Tracking movement of practices and ideas shared through the Ideas Engine between countries

    Because while health workers responded positively to opportunities to connect, learn and lead with one another, TGLF is very much a new entrant in a well-established institutional learning environment for global health. Here are some questions we’ve developed as TGLF challenges established norms and ways of working:

    • How would you feel as a global expert if you were asked to give up your role as ‘sage on the stage’ to be a ‘guide on the side’ to thousands of health workers?
    • Can self-reported data from thousands of health workers evaluated by peers be trusted more or less than a peer-reviewed study?
    • What does ubiquitous digital access mean for training programmes that have previously incentivised learner participation in face-to-face events through payment?

    “I can actually broaden my vision and be more imaginative, creative towards new ideas that have come up to improve overall immunization coverage.” – Peer Hub participant

    Working with DEFI and other similar institutions, TGLF looks forward to:

    • Exploring and demonstrating the credibility of what we do through critical independent research and commentary
    • Demonstrating the potential of our approaches to large institutions and their donors;
    • Developing a bigger picture of how other sectors are adapting to the affordances of digital learning technologies;
    • Meeting others innovating in digital learning to be inspired and cross fertilise.

    ­We look forward to fruitful dialogues!

    Ian Steed, Associate, Hughes Hall
    Ian works as a consultant in the international humanitarian and development sector, focusing on the policy and practice of ‘localising’ international aid. In addition to his work with TGLF, Ian is involved with financial sustainability in the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement and is founder and board member of the Cambridge Humanitarian Centre (now the Centre for Global Equality). He studied German and Dutch at Jesus College, Cambridge, and has lived and worked in Germany and Switzerland.

    https://redasadki.me/2022/09/16/digital-challenge-based-learning-in-the-covid-19-peer-hub/

    #CollectiveIntelligence #COVID19PeerHub #DEFI #TheGenevaLearningFoundation

    #collectiveintelligence #covid19peerhub #defi #thegenevalearningfoundation
17. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2022-06-20 · 14:00 UTC

    The Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 represent two interconnected but distinct aspects of a global effort to enhance immunization coverage and impact.

    What is Immunization Agenda 2030?

    Immunization Agenda 2030 or “IA2030” is a global strategy endorsed by the World Health Assembly, aiming to maximize the lifesaving impact of vaccines over the decade from 2021 to 2030.

    • It sets an ambitious vision for a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being.
    • The strategy was designed before the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of saving 50 million lives through increased vaccine coverage and addresses several strategic priorities, including making immunization services accessible as part of primary care, ensuring everyone is protected by immunization regardless of location or socioeconomic status, and preparing for disease outbreaks.
    • IA2030 emphasizes country ownership, broad partnerships, and data-driven approaches. It seeks to integrate immunization with other essential health services, ensuring a reliable supply of vaccines and promoting innovation in immunization programs.

    Watch the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) inaugural lecture by Anne Lindstrand (WHO) and Robin Nandy (UNICEF)

    What is the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030?

    The Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030, on the other hand, is a collaborative, community-driven effort to operationalize the goals of IA2030 at the local, national, and global levels.

    It emerged in response to the Director-General’s call for a “groundswell of support” for immunization and combines a network, platform, and community of action.

    The Movement focuses on turning the commitment to IA2030 into locally-led, context-specific actions, encouraging peer exchange, and sharing progress and results to foster a sense of ownership among immunization practitioners and the communities they serve. It has:

    • has demonstrated a scalable model for facilitating peer exchange among thousands of motivated immunization practitioners.
    • emphasizes locally-developed solutions, connecting local innovation to global knowledge, and is instrumental in resuscitating progress towards more equitable immunization coverage.
    • operates as a platform for learning, sharing, and collaboration, aiming to ground action in local realities to reach the unreached and accelerate progress towards the IA2030 goals.

    In April 2021, over 5,000 immunization professionals came together during World Immunization Week to listen and learn from challenges faced by immunization colleagues from all over the world. Watch the Special Event to hear practitioners from all over the world share the challenges they face. Learn more…

    What is the difference between the Agenda for IA2030 and the Movement for IA2030?

    • Scope and Nature: IA2030 is a strategic framework with a global vision for immunization over the decade, while the Movement for IA2030 is a dynamic, community-driven effort to implement that vision through local action and global collaboration.
    • Operational Focus: IA2030 outlines the strategic priorities and goals for immunization efforts by global funders and agencies, whereas the Movement focuses on mobilizing support, facilitating peer learning, and sharing innovative practices to achieve those goals.
    • Engagement and Collaboration: While IA2030 is a product of global consensus and sets the agenda for immunization, the Movement actively engages immunization professionals, stakeholders, and communities in a bottom-up approach to foster ownership and tailor strategies to local contexts.

    What is the role of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF)?

    The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). A Swiss non-profit organization with the mission to research and develop new ways to learn and lead, TGLF is instrumental in implementing large-scale, collaborative efforts to support the goals of IA2030. Here are the key roles TGLF fulfills within the Movement:

    1. Facilitation and leadership: TGLF leads the facilitation of the Movement for IA2030, providing a platform for immunization professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and drive action towards the IA2030 goals.
    2. Learning-to-action approach: TGLF contributes to transforming technical assistance (TA) to strengthen immunization programs. This involves challenging traditional power dynamics and empowering immunization professionals to apply local knowledge to solve problems, support peers in doing the same, and contribute to global knowledge.
    3. Peer learning scaffolding and facilitation: TGLF has demonstrated the feasibility of establishing a global peer learning platform for immunization practitioners. This platform enables health professionals to contribute knowledge, share experiences, and learn from each other, thereby fostering a community of practice that spans across borders.
    4. Advocacy and mobilization: TGLF calls on immunization professionals to join the Movement for IA2030, aiming to mobilize a global community to share experiences and work collaboratively towards the IA2030 objectives. This includes engaging over 60,000 immunization professionals from 99 countries.
    5. Governance, code of conduct, and ethical standards: Participants in TGLF’s programs are required to adhere to a strict Code of Conduct that emphasizes integrity, honesty, and the highest ethical, scientific, and intellectual standards. This includes accurate attribution of sources and appropriate collection and use of data. Movement Members are also expected respect and abide by any restrictions, requirements, and regulations of their employer and government.
    6. Research and evaluation: TGLF may facilitate the connections between peers, for example to help them give and receive feedback on their local projects and other knowledge produced by learners. Insights and evidence from local action may also contribute in communication, advocacy, and training efforts. TGLF also invites learners to participate in research and evaluation to further the understanding of effective learning and performance management approaches for frontline health workers.

    https://redasadki.me/2022/06/20/what-is-the-movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030/

    #AnnLindstrand #IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #MovementForImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #RobinNandy #TheGenevaLearningFoundation

    #annlindstrand #ia2030 #immunization #immunizationagenda2030 #movementforimmunizationagenda2030 #peerlearning
18. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2022-06-20 · 14:00 UTC

    The Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) and the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 represent two interconnected but distinct aspects of a global effort to enhance immunization coverage and impact.

    What is Immunization Agenda 2030?

    Immunization Agenda 2030 or “IA2030” is a global strategy endorsed by the World Health Assembly, aiming to maximize the lifesaving impact of vaccines over the decade from 2021 to 2030.

    • It sets an ambitious vision for a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being.
    • The strategy was designed before the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of saving 50 million lives through increased vaccine coverage and addresses several strategic priorities, including making immunization services accessible as part of primary care, ensuring everyone is protected by immunization regardless of location or socioeconomic status, and preparing for disease outbreaks.
    • IA2030 emphasizes country ownership, broad partnerships, and data-driven approaches. It seeks to integrate immunization with other essential health services, ensuring a reliable supply of vaccines and promoting innovation in immunization programs.

    Watch the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) inaugural lecture by Anne Lindstrand (WHO) and Robin Nandy (UNICEF)

    What is the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030?

    The Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030, on the other hand, is a collaborative, community-driven effort to operationalize the goals of IA2030 at the local, national, and global levels.

    It emerged in response to the Director-General’s call for a “groundswell of support” for immunization and combines a network, platform, and community of action.

    The Movement focuses on turning the commitment to IA2030 into locally-led, context-specific actions, encouraging peer exchange, and sharing progress and results to foster a sense of ownership among immunization practitioners and the communities they serve. It has:

    • has demonstrated a scalable model for facilitating peer exchange among thousands of motivated immunization practitioners.
    • emphasizes locally-developed solutions, connecting local innovation to global knowledge, and is instrumental in resuscitating progress towards more equitable immunization coverage.
    • operates as a platform for learning, sharing, and collaboration, aiming to ground action in local realities to reach the unreached and accelerate progress towards the IA2030 goals.

    In April 2021, over 5,000 immunization professionals came together during World Immunization Week to listen and learn from challenges faced by immunization colleagues from all over the world. Watch the Special Event to hear practitioners from all over the world share the challenges they face. Learn more…

    What is the difference between the Agenda for IA2030 and the Movement for IA2030?

    • Scope and Nature: IA2030 is a strategic framework with a global vision for immunization over the decade, while the Movement for IA2030 is a dynamic, community-driven effort to implement that vision through local action and global collaboration.
    • Operational Focus: IA2030 outlines the strategic priorities and goals for immunization efforts by global funders and agencies, whereas the Movement focuses on mobilizing support, facilitating peer learning, and sharing innovative practices to achieve those goals.
    • Engagement and Collaboration: While IA2030 is a product of global consensus and sets the agenda for immunization, the Movement actively engages immunization professionals, stakeholders, and communities in a bottom-up approach to foster ownership and tailor strategies to local contexts.

    What is the role of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF)?

    The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030). A Swiss non-profit organization with the mission to research and develop new ways to learn and lead, TGLF is instrumental in implementing large-scale, collaborative efforts to support the goals of IA2030. Here are the key roles TGLF fulfills within the Movement:

    1. Facilitation and leadership: TGLF leads the facilitation of the Movement for IA2030, providing a platform for immunization professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and drive action towards the IA2030 goals.
    2. Learning-to-action approach: TGLF contributes to transforming technical assistance (TA) to strengthen immunization programs. This involves challenging traditional power dynamics and empowering immunization professionals to apply local knowledge to solve problems, support peers in doing the same, and contribute to global knowledge.
    3. Peer learning scaffolding and facilitation: TGLF has demonstrated the feasibility of establishing a global peer learning platform for immunization practitioners. This platform enables health professionals to contribute knowledge, share experiences, and learn from each other, thereby fostering a community of practice that spans across borders.
    4. Advocacy and mobilization: TGLF calls on immunization professionals to join the Movement for IA2030, aiming to mobilize a global community to share experiences and work collaboratively towards the IA2030 objectives. This includes engaging over 60,000 immunization professionals from 99 countries.
    5. Governance, code of conduct, and ethical standards: Participants in TGLF’s programs are required to adhere to a strict Code of Conduct that emphasizes integrity, honesty, and the highest ethical, scientific, and intellectual standards. This includes accurate attribution of sources and appropriate collection and use of data. Movement Members are also expected respect and abide by any restrictions, requirements, and regulations of their employer and government.
    6. Research and evaluation: TGLF may facilitate the connections between peers, for example to help them give and receive feedback on their local projects and other knowledge produced by learners. Insights and evidence from local action may also contribute in communication, advocacy, and training efforts. TGLF also invites learners to participate in research and evaluation to further the understanding of effective learning and performance management approaches for frontline health workers.

    https://redasadki.me/2022/06/20/what-is-the-movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030/

    #AnnLindstrand #IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #MovementForImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #RobinNandy #TheGenevaLearningFoundation

    #annlindstrand #ia2030 #immunization #immunizationagenda2030 #movementforimmunizationagenda2030 #peerlearning
19. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-05 · 05:27 UTC

    The WHO Director General’s report to the 154th session of the Executive Board on progress towards the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) goals paints a “sobering picture” of uneven global recovery since COVID-19.

    As of 2022, 3 out of 7 main impact indicators remain “off-track”, including numbers of zero-dose children, future deaths averted through vaccination, and outbreak control targets.

    Current evidence indicates substantial acceleration is essential in order to shift indicators out of the “off-track” categories over the next 7 years.

    While some indicators showed recovery from pandemic backsliding, the report makes clear these improvements are generally insufficient to achieve targets set for 2030.

    While some indicators have improved from 2021, overall performance still “lags 2019 levels” (para 5).

    Specifically, global coverage of three childhood DTP vaccine doses rose from 81% in 2021 to 84% in 2022, but remains below the 86% rate achieved in 2019 before the pandemic (para 5).

    The number of zero-dose children fell from 18.1 million in 2021 to 14.3 million in 2022. However, this number is still 11% higher compared to baseline year 2019, when there were 12.9 million zero-dose children (para 10).

    Furthermore, the report stresses that recovery has been “very uneven” (para 6), with minimal gains observed in low-income countries:

    “As a group, there was no increase in DTP3 coverage across 26 low-income countries between 2021 and 2022.” (para 6)

    Regions are also recovering unevenly, especially Africa.

    “In the African Region, the number of zero-dose children increased from 7.64 million in 2021 to 7.78 million in 2022 − a 25% increase since baseline year 2019.” (para 6)

    Inequities within countries also continue expanding, with gaps widening “between the best-performing and worst-performing districts” since 2019 (para 6).

    The top priorities (para 34) include:

    1) “Catch-up and strengthening” immunization activities
    2) “Promoting equity” to reach underserved communities
    3) “Regaining control of measles” with intensified responses
    4) Advocacy for “increased investment in immunization, integrated into primary health care”
    5) “Accelerating new vaccine introduction” in alignment with WHO recommendations
    6) “Advancing vaccination in adolescence” such as HPV vaccine introduction

    The report stresses that “coordinated action” on these priorities can get countries back on track towards IA2030 targets in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions (para 27). This action must be “grounded in local realities” (para 32) to reach underserved areas thus far left behind.

    Given this context, this document asks: “What actions can global partners take to support countries to accelerate progress in the six priority areas highlighted?” (para 37).

    In response, WHO contends that “the operational model under IA2030 must continue shifting focus to the regional level, to facilitate coordinated and tailored support to countries.”

    It is unclear how devolution to the regional level could truly respond to highly localized barriers and enablers.

    Such a claim may best be understood with respect to the internal equilibrium between WHO’s Headquarters (HQ) and the Regional Offices, with IA2030 being initially driven by HQ.

    What other changes might be needed? And what are the barriers that might hinder global immunization partners from recognizing and supporting such changes?

    Reference: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, 2023. Progress towards global immunization goals and implementation of the Immunization Agenda 2030. Report by the Director-General, Executive Board 154th session Provisional agenda item 9. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

    https://redasadki.me/2024/02/05/widening-inequities-immunization-agenda-2030-remains-off-track/

    #COVID19 #equity #IA2030 #immunization #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus #WorldHealthOrganization #zeroDose

    #covid19 #equity #ia2030 #immunization #immunizationagenda2030 #tedrosadhanomghebreyesus
20. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-03-13 · 05:35 UTC

    Do you work for health? Your are invited to a visual storytelling workshop with health care workers from 44 countries. The Geneva Learning Foundation’s first Fellow of Photography, Chris de Bode, will lead this workshop.

    544 health care workers from 44 countries have already confirmed their participation. 80% of participants are sub-national staff working in fragile contexts. Most work for their country’s ministry of health.

    Chris deBode spent decades on assignments, traveling around the globe for various NGOs, magazines, and newspapers.

    Now, he has partnered with the Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) to share his experience with health practitioners who are there every day, as they learn to tell their own visual stories about immunization, the impacts of climate change on health, and other issues that matter for the communities they serve.

    “Technical knowledge is not decisive in making your picture”, says Chris. “The person behind the camera makes the difference. You are the source of your image.”

    The workshop is reserved for health professionals who contributed photos to the 2022 and 2023 Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) Movement’s International Photo Exhibitions for World Immunization Week. However, it will also be livestreamed for everyone who has not previously been able to participate.

    In 2022 and 2023, over 2,000 photos were shared by immunization staff from all over the world.

    • Request your invitation for World Immunization Week 2024
    • Download the photo book It takes people to make #VaccinesWork

    On 18 March 2024, health professionals from the following countries will be participating: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United States, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

    Photo by Chris deBode: Eleven-year-old Wilberforce runs along an unpaved road near his home in Gulu, Northen Uganda where he lives with his parents and 6 siblings. He says: “I want to be the fastest. I want my parents, my school and country to be proud of me. Every day I run. I dream of coming home with the biggest trophy.”

    Watch the inauguration of the First International Photography Exhibition for Immunization Agenda 2030

    Watch the Special Event: World Immunization Week 2023

    Watch the Special Event: World Immunization Week 2022

    https://redasadki.me/2024/03/13/visual-storytelling-for-health/

    #ChrisDeBode #climateChangeAndHealth #globalHealth #VaccinesWork #WorldImmunizationWeek

    #chrisdebode #climatechangeandhealth #globalhealth #vaccineswork #worldimmunizationweek
21. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-11-04 · 18:45 UTC

    The following is excerpted from Watkins, K.E. and Marsick, V.J., 2023. Chapter 4. Learning informally at work: Reframing learning and development. In Rethinking Workplace Learning and Development. Edward Elgar Publishing.

    This chapter’s final example illustrates the way in which organically arising IIL (informal and incidental learning) is paired with opportunities to build knowledge through a combination of structured education and informal learning by peers working in frequently complex circumstances.

    Reda Sadki, president of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF), rethought L&D for immunization workers in many roles in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

    Adapting to technology available to participants from the countries that joined this effort, Sadki designed a mix of experiences that broke out of the limits of “training” as it was often designed.

    He addressed, the inability to scale up to reach large audiences; difficulty to transfer what is learned; inability to accommodate different learners’ starting places; the need to teach learners to solve complex problems; and the inability to develop sufficient expertise in a timely way. (Marsick et al., 2021, p. 15)

    TGLF invited learners to create and share new learning to the social and behavioral challenges faced by front-line staff from all levels of immunization systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

    Sadki designed L&D for “in-depth engagement on priority topics,” insights into “the raw, unfiltered perspectives of frontline staff,” and peer dialogue that “gives a voice to front-line workers” (The Geneva Learning Foundation, 2022).

    Reda started with an e-learning course, which he supplemented by interactive, community building, and knowledge creation features offered by Scholar, a learning platform developed by Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis (Marsick et al., 2021, pp. 185-186).

    Scholar’s data analytics enabled him to tailor learning to learner preferences and to continually check outcomes and adjust next steps.

    See Figure 4.3, which lays out the full learning cycle Reda implemented to support peer learning-based work—“work that privileges learning in order to build individual and organizational capacity to better address emergent challenges or opportunities” (Marsick et al., 2021, p.177).

    In his initiative, over a period of 12-18 months, participants develop and implement projects related to local immunization initiatives.

    To date, participants have come from 120 countries.

    In this vignette, Reda Sadki reflects on how the approach evolved over time, and how L&D has changed in a connected, networked learning environment.

    My reframe of L&D started when I wrote to Bill Cope and Mary Kalantzis, respectively professor and dean of the University of Illinois College of Education, after I was appointed Senior Officer for Learning Systems at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). I shared my strategy for the organization of facilitation, learning, and sharing of knowledge. I thought my strategy was brilliant.

    They replied that these were interesting ideas, but I was missing the point because this is not learning. What I shared focused on publishing knowledge in different ways, but not on creation of knowledge as key to the learning process.

    That was a shock to me.

    So, the first realization about the limits of current thinking about L&D came from Bill and Mary challenging me by saying: “What are people actually getting to do? You know, that’s where the learning is likely to happen.”

    I could see they had a point, but I didn’t know what it meant.

    I reflected on recent work I had done for the IFRC, where I was responsible for a pipeline of 80 or so e-learning modules.

    These information transmission modules were extremely limited, had very little impact.

    But there is a paradox, which is that people across the Red Cross who we were trying to reach were really excited and enthusiastic about them.

    The learning platform had become the fastest-growing digital system in the entire Red Cross Red Crescent movement.

    I had not designed these modules.

    It was 500 screens of information with quizzes at the end.

    It violated every principle of learning design.

    And yet people loved it and were really proud to have completed it.

    The second realization was that what made people excited using the most boring format and medium was that this was the first time in their life that they were connecting in a digital space with something that spoke to their IFRC experience.

    So, the driver was learning. People come to the Red Cross and Red Crescent because they want to learn first aid skills.

    They want to learn how to prepare for a disaster or recover from one.

    Previously, that was an entirely brick-and-mortar experience.

    You have Red Cross branches pretty much everywhere in the world.

    It’s a very powerful social peer learning experience.

    The trainer teaching you first aid is likely to be someone like you from your community.

    You meet people with like-minded values.

    It’s a really powerful model.

    And so, however inadequate, the digital parallel to that existed, and ti helped people connect with their Red Cross culture, but in the digital space.

    The third insight was reading what George Siemens was writing in 2006.

    That was the connection to complexity in networks.

    I read Marsick and Watkins in the ’80s and ’90s, and then Siemens in the 2000s, on digital networks.

    The Internet leads to a different kind of thinking, and his theory of learning, connectivism, grew out of that difference.

    January of 201, Ivy League universities began to publish massive open online courses (MOOCs).

    Stanford professors had 150,000 people in their artificial intelligence MOOC, versus 400 people who take the same course on the Stanford campus.

    Sasha Poquet is developing a paper (still being written as of November 2023) based on a social networking analysis of what we did during the COVID-19 Scholar Peer Hub.

    The COVID-19 Scholar Peer Hub was a digital network hosted by The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) and developed with health worker alumni from all over the world.

    The Peer Hub launched in July 2020 and connected over 6,000 health professionals from 86 countries to contribute to strengthening skills and supporting implementation of country COVID-19 plans of action.

    Using social network analysis (SNA), Poquet explored the value of a learning environment that builds a community of learning professionals, and that has ongoing activities to maintain the community both short- and long term, where you educate through various initiatives rather than create individual communities for each independent offering.

    That’s where we have moved in rethinking Learning & Development.

    You help people learn by connecting to each other, and by understanding the informal, incidental nature of learning.

    A colleague commented that in today’s world, you’re better of talking about digital networks than you are about communities of practice.

    Yet these are two competing frameworks that collide, contradict, and are superimposed on top of each other.

    Both are helpful at specific times.

    In general, you can recognize the tensions and say: “Well, let’s put each one in front of the problem. Let’s see what we gain by applying each. Let’s reconcile in situ what the contradictory things are that we learn through these different lenses and then make decisions and figure out what the design elements look like.”

    What does it give to hold these notions of community and network in creative tension with one another?

    It depends on the context.

    It’s kind of like a fruit salad where you mix all these fruits together and the juice you get at the bottom of the bowl tends to be really delicious. That’s the best case.

    The flip side can be confusion.

    Some categories of learners just feel completely overwhelmed by being presented with multiple ways of doing something, having to make their own decisions in ways they’re simply not used to, being given too many choices or being put in contexts that are too ambiguous for there to be an easy resolution.

    But if you think about the skills we need in a digital age—for navigating the unknown, accepting uncertainty, making decisions, that ability to look around the corner—we try to convey the message to people who are uncomfortable that if they don’t figure out how to overcome their discomfort, they’re probably going to struggle and not be ready to function in the age in which we live.

    Evolution of the Model

    Looking back to early 2020, Reda described the roots of this approach in an early pre-course symposium offering lived experiences shared by course applicants combined with video archives drawn from prior conferences sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

    Reda packaged selected talks in a daily sequence, and interspersed it with networking discussions and sharing of experiences of immunization training by field-based practitioners.

    For many, it was the first time they could go online and discover the experience of a peer, who could be from anywhere in the world.

    It was a process of discovery – realizing you can literally and figuratively connect across distance with people who are like yourself.

    We were able to create a conference-like experience, a metaphor that’s familiar to many—the combination of presentation and conversation and shared experience – by basically Scotch-taping together some older videos and editing a few stories from the real world.

    Now, it was part of an overall process over several years that got us to that point—where we had formed a community, a digital community that was mature enough, that was sophisticated enough, to overcome the barriers they were facing and participate.

    But still, it showed it could be done.

    We began to try out our new ideas.

    In a Teach to Reach Conference we designed with an organizing committee composed of over 500 alumni, we set up opportunities for people to pair of and talk to one another about their field experiences with vaccination.

    The conference offered some 56 workshops and formal sessions, but we discovered that the most meaningful learning was through some 14,000 networking meetings, where you pressed a button and you were randomly matched with someone else at the conference.

    That gave birth to a quarterly event dedicated entirely to such networking, which has continued to grow.

    People now joing a group session where you discuss, you hear people sharing their insights and experiences of vaccine hesitancy, and then you go off and network in one-to-one, private meetings and share your experience, nourished by what happened in that group session; and also continue your learning in that very intimate way that you get through individual conversation that you don’t get in the anonymization of the Zoom rectangles.

    The next step was the addition of a project around a real problem that participants face, and use of learning resources to support work on that project.

    An evaluation showed that people were already implementing projects and doing things with what they had learned.

    The course includes the development of an action plan, but in order to catalyze action on project plans, we added the Ideas Engine, where people share ideas and practices, and give and receive feedback on them.

    That’s followed by situation analysis really getting to the root cause of the problem they’re facing. We just ask learners to ask “why” fives times. Half of learners found a root cause different from the one they had initially diagnosed.

    And third, then, is action planning to clarify: What’s your goal? What are three corrective actions you’re going to take? Do you have specific, measurable goals?

    It has taken years to bring together the right components, in the right sequence, to encourage reflective practice, develop analytical competencies, higher-order learning… but in ways that link every step of thinking to doing, and where the end game is about improved health outcomes, not just learning outcomes.

    That led us ultimately to the Impact Accelerator—that doesn’t have an end point.

    It’s four weeks of goal setting, focused on continuous quality improvement.

    People initially set broad goals like, “By the end of the month I will have improved immunization coverage.” This is too broad to be useful, and seldom can be achieved within a month.

    We help them set specific goals. For example: “By the end of the month, I will have presented the project to my boss and secured some funding”— and even that may be very ambitious.

    We help people figure out for themselves what they can actually do within the constraints they have.

    Unlike “Grand Challenges” or other innovation tournaments, you don’t have a competitive element, you don’t have a financial incentive, and it still works.

    The heart and soul of it is intrinsic motivation.

    After these steps there’s ongoing longitudinal reporting.

    Peer learning provides a new kind of accountability, as colleagues challenge each other to do better – and also to present credible results.

    Basically, we’ll call you back and ask, what happened to that project you were doing? Did you finish it? Did you get stuck? if so, why? What evidence do you have that it’s made a difference? You share that with us and if you have good news to share, we’ll probably invite you to an inspirational event for the next cycle.

    Supports and Challenges

    If you look at this from the point of view of the learner, the first point of contact is social.

    It’s somebody they know who’s going to share with them on WhatsApp the invitation to join the program.

    Second are steps that test motivation and commitment because they could be seen as barriers to entry, for example, a long questionnaire for the current full learning cycle.

    Close to 7,000 people have completed that.

    About 40% of people who start the questionnaire finish it, and then start receiving instructions in a flow of emails, to prepare for the next steps.

    We start with didactic steps, combined with some inspirational messages, e.g., asking them to reflect on why they are committed to the program, or how they are going to organize their time.

    We don’t know what the program design will look like until we’ve collected the applications and analyzed what people share about their biggest challenges because it’s all challenge-based.

    We think it’s vaccine hesitancy, and vaccine hesitancy is right up there, but there may be some things that surprise us.

    And so, we adapt every part of the design, and we keep doing that every day throughout the program, so there’s no disconnect between the design and the implementation.

    In the course, the first thing is an inspirational event to connect with their intrinsic motivation, which we mobilize throughout the cycle.

    Yesterday, for example, we had an event for the network that completed the first part of the full learning cycle.

    We challenged people to share photos, showing them in the field, doing their daily work during World Immunization Week.

    We got over 1,000 photos in about two weeks.

    We shared this with the community in a live event that was just sharing the photos with music and reading the names of the people, inviting them to comment each other’s photos.

    A big chunk of what we do addresses the affective domain of learning that is critical to complex problem-solving and usually incredibly hard to get to.

    And what we saw were people in the room having those moments of coming to consciousness, realizing their problems are shared, and feeling stronger because of it.

    People love peer learning in principle but still are wary.

    They might wonder how they can trust what their peer says: What’s the proof I can rely on them? What happens if they let me down? How do I feel if I don’t own up to the expectations? What if I’m peer-reviewing the work of somebody who’s far more experienced than I am, or conversely, if I read somebody’s work and judge they didn’t have the time or make the effort to do something good?

    We use didactic constraints to create spaces of possibility: If your project is due by Friday, we announce that there will be no extension. By contrast, the choice of project is yours.

    We’re not going to tell you from Geneva, Switzerland, what your challenge is in your remote village, so you define it. We will challenge you to put yourself to the test, to demonstrate that this is actually your toughest challenge.

    Or to demonstrate that what you think is the cause is the actual root cause.

    And then we’ll have a support system that has about 20 different ways in which people can not only receive support, but also give it to others.

    For the technical support session, we’ll say there are two reasons for joining. Either you have a technical issue you want to solve; or you’re doing so well, you have a little bit of time to give to help your colleagues. 

    This is an example of how we encourage connections between peers. It took us years to find the right way to formulate the dialectic between those who are doing well, and those who are not. Are they really peers?

    Over time, we gained confidence in peer learning after we adopted it. We had a particularly challenging course that led to a breakthrough.

    We had prior experiences with learners who wanted an expert to tell them if their assignment was good or not.

    Getting people to trust peer learning forced us to think through how we articulate the value of peer learning.

    How do we help people understand that the limitations are there, but that they do not limit the learning? An assumption in global health is that, in order to teach, you need technical expertise. So if you are a technical expert, it is assumed that you can teach what you know.

    We consider subject matter expertise, but if you are an expert and come to our event, you’re actually asked to listen.

    You do not get to make a presentation, at least not until learners have experienced the power of peer leraning.

    You listen to what people are sharing about their experiences, and then you have a really important role, that is, to respond to what you’ve heard and demonstrate that your expertise is relevant and helpful to people who are facing these challenges.

    That has sometimes led to opposition when people understand to what extent we flipped the prevailing model around.

    Some people really embrace it.

    Others get really scared.

    One of the most recent shifts we have made is that we stopped talking about courses.

    Courses are a very useful metaphor, but we are now talking about a movement for immunization.

    In the past, we observed that people who dropped out felt shame and stopped participating.

    Even if you are not actively participating, you’re still a member of the immunization movement.

    People have participated as health professionals, as government workers, as members of civil society, in various kinds of movements since decolonization.

    So the “movement” metaphor has a different resonance than that of “courses”.

    We used to call the Monday weekly meeting a discussion group.

    We’re now calling it a weekly assembly.

    It is a term that speaks to the religiosity of many learners, as well as to those with social commitments in their local communities.

    About ten years ago, I began to think of my goal for these discussion groups like the musician, the artist that you most appreciate, who really moves your soul, moves you, your every fiber and your body and your soul and your mind.

    I remember in 1989 I went to a Pink Floyd concert.

    When we left the concert, we were drenched in sweat; we were exhausted and just had an exhilarating experience.

    That’s what I would like people who participate in our events to feel.

    I believe that’s key to fostering the dynamics that will lead to effective teaching and learning and change as an outcome.

    We’re still light years away from that.

    Recently, a global health researcher shared that when she joins our events, she feels like she is in church in her home country of Nigeria.

    So, light years away, but making some progress.

    https://redasadki.me/2023/11/04/how-we-reframed-learning-and-development-learning-based-complex-work/

    #complexity #immunization #incidentalLearning #informalLearning #KarenEWatkins #PerformanceManagement #RethinkingWorkplaceLearningAndDevelopment #TheGenevaLearningFoundation #VictoriaJMarsick #workforceDevelopment

    #complexity #immunization #incidentallearning #informallearning #karenewatkins #performancemanagement
22. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-21 · 01:56 UTC

    The article “Gender analysis of the World Health Organization online learning program on Immunization Agenda 2030” is, according to the authors, “the first to showcase the positive inclusion of mainstreaming gender in a WHO capacity-building program.”

    Context:

    • The paper analyzes action plans developed and peer reviewed by participants in one cohort of the 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) Scholar Level 1 certification course on Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a course developed by The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
    • WHO’s Scholar courses only utilize the knowledge creation component of TGLF’s learning-to-action model, whereas the full model supports implementation that leads to improved health outcomes.
    • TGLF uses an innovative peer learning-to-action model, developed through over a decade of research and practice, focused on knowledge creation through dialogue, critique, and collaboration, with rubric-based peer feedback scaffolding the learning process.
    • The course was facilitated by Charlotte Mbuh and Min Zha, two women learning leaders at The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF), who combine deep expertise in learning science and real-world knowledge of immunization in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

    Key findings:

    • The analysis included 111 action plans, a subset of the projects and insights shared, from participants across 31 countries working to improve immunization programs.
    • It found that “all action plans in the 111 sample, except three, included gender considerations” showing the course was effective in raising awareness of gender barriers.

    This is consistent with the known effectiveness of peer feedback, as the rubric followed by each learner included specific instructions to “describe how your action plan has considered and integrated gender dimensions in immunization.”

    TGLF’s peer learning model focuses on generating and applying new knowledge. This appears to be conducive to raising awareness of issues like gender barriers to immunization. By giving and receiving feedback, participants build understanding.

    Whereas only around ten percent of learners participated in expert-led presentations offered about gender and immunization, every learner had to think through and write up gender analysis. And every learner had to give feedback on the gender analyses of three colleagues.

    The social nature of giving and received structured peer feedback, supported by expert-designed resources, creates accountability and motivation for integrating gender considerations. Participants educate one another on blindspots, helping embed attention to gender issues.

    Compared to traditional expert-led capacity building, this peer-led approach empowered participants to learn from each other’s experience, situating gender in their real-world practice, rather than as an abstract concept that requires global experts to explain it. This participant-driven process with built-in feedback mechanisms is likely to have helped make the increased gender awareness actionable.

    What we learned about gender barriers

    • The most cited barrier was “low education and health literacy” affecting immunization uptake. As one plan stated, “lower educational levels of maternal caregivers are more commonly related to under-vaccination”.
    • Other major barriers were difficulties accessing services due to “gender-related factors influencing mobility, location, availability, or quality of health services” and lack of male involvement in decisions, as “men make most of the household decisions while they often do not have sufficient information”.
    • Proposed strategies focused on areas like “incentive schemes” and “on-the-job support” for female health workers, “community engagement” to improve literacy, and better “engagement of men” in immunization activities.

    TGLF’s peer learning approach likely contributed to raising awareness of gender issues and ability to propose context-specific solutions, though some implicit biases may have affected peer evaluations.

    Overall, the analysis shows mainstreaming gender was an effective part of this capacity building program, and the authors appear convinced of its potential to lead to more gender-equitable and effective immunization policies and services.

    However, the authors’ claim that “gender inequality and harmful gender norms in many settings create barriers and are the main reasons for suboptimal immunization coverage” is not substantiated by the available data. The action plans do provide some contextual descriptions of gender barriers and describe an intent to take action. But descriptions shared by learners were not verified, and the course did not offer any support to learners in implementing their proposed actions.

    Reference: Nyasulu, B.J., Heidari, S., Manna, M., Bahl, J., Goodman, T., 2023. Gender analysis of the World Health Organization online learning program on Immunization Agenda 2030. Frontiers in Global Women’s Health 4, 1230109. https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2023.1230109

    Illustration: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

    https://redasadki.me/2024/02/21/gender-analysis-of-the-world-health-organization-online-learning-program-on-immunization-agenda-2030/

    #capacityBuilding #gender #IA2030 #ImmunizationAgenda2030

    #capacitybuilding #gender #ia2030 #immunizationagenda2030
23. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-01-16 · 01:46 UTC

    What difference can peer-led learning and action make for national EPI planners seeking new strategies to support HPV vaccine introduction or reintroduction?

    The stakes are high: HPV vaccination efforts, if successful, will avert 3.4 million deaths by 2030.

    On Friday, EPI focal points for HPV and other national-level MOH colleagues from 31 countries convened under the banner of the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), which connects over 60,000 primarily sub-national health staff worldwide.

    This time, it was national HPV vaccination focal points and other national EPI planners who joined to share experience between countries of ‘what works’ (and how).

    They also discussed how the Geneva Learning Foundation’s unique peer learning-to-action pathway could help them overcome barriers they are facing to ensure that local communities understand and support the benefits of this vaccine.

    Such a pathway can complement existing, top-down forms of vertical technical assistance and may provide a new ‘lever’ for national planners.

    In June and October 2023, health workers – primarily from districts and facilities – in over 60 countries shared 298 lessons learned and success stories about HPV vaccination in the Foundation’s Teach to Reach peer learning events. Watch the video: Why HPV matters for women who deliver vaccines.

    The active participation of national EPI managers from Burkina Faso and key stakeholders Sierra Leone led to the consultative engagement in January.

    Although HPV vaccine is not new, the global community’s effort to introduce it has been stymied by a number of factors.

    Doing what has been done before is unlikely to produce the change that is needed.

    For example, it remains unclear how early gains achieved through campaigns can sustainably become part of routine immunization.

    TGLF’s Insights Unit will now produce a short summary of key learning from this inter-country peer learning exchange, which will be shared back with participants.

    If you are interested in learning more about the Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) or the Geneva Learning Foundation’s HPV vaccination learning-to-action pathway, please do get in touch.

    https://redasadki.me/2024/01/16/movement-for-immunization-agenda-2030-ia2030-national-epi-leaders-from-31-countries-share-experience-of-hpv-vaccination/

    #cervicalCancer #EPI #globalHealth #HPV #IA2030 #ImmunizationAgenda2030 #peerLearning #VaccinesWork

    #cervicalcancer #epi #globalhealth #hpv #ia2030 #immunizationagenda2030
24. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-03-22 · 11:34 UTC

    Today, the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Charlotte Mbuh delivered a scientific presentation titled “On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report” at the University of Hamburg’s Online Expert Seminar on Climate Change and Health: Perspectives from Developing Countries.

    Mbuh shared insights from a report based on observations from frontline health workers on the impact of climate change on health in their communities.

    Investing in the health workforce is vital to tackle climate change: A new report shares insights from over 1,200 on the frontline

    Climate change is a threat to the health of the communities we serve: health workers speak out at COP28

    The Geneva Learning Foundation, a Swiss non-profit, facilitated a special event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change” on 28 July 2023, engaging 4,700 health practitioners from 68 countries who shared 1,260 observations.

    “93% of respondents believed that there was a link between climate change and health, and they reported a direct local experience of a wide range of climatic and environmental impacts,” Mbuh stated.

    The most commonly reported impacts were on farming and farmland, the distribution of disease-carrying insects, and urban areas becoming hotter.

    Health impacts linked to these climatic and environmental changes included increased malnutrition and/or undernutrition, increased waterborne diseases, and changes to the incidence and distribution of vector-borne diseases.

    Mbuh emphasized that these impacts were particularly prevalent in smaller communities or mid-sized towns.

    Mbuh highlighted the unique role of frontline health workers as trusted advisors to their communities: “Frontline health workers are trusted advisors of the communities that they serve, and they have unique insights to local realities and are strategically positioned to bring about change,” she said.

    The Geneva Learning Foundation aims to leverage its digitally-enabled peer learning network of health workers to drive change across different levels of the health system and geographical boundaries.

    Mbuh concluded : “These experiences demonstrate the importance of community engagement, sustainable practices, and support from relevant stakeholders in addressing the climate health nexus and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.”

    The presentation underscored the urgent need to invest in frontline health workers at the local level to build resilience against the impacts of climate change on health, particularly in vulnerable communities in developing countries.

    The event was organized by the International Expert Centre of Climate Change and Health (IECCCH) at the Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR), the UK Consortium on Sustainability Research (UK-CSR), and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP).

    Photo: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

    https://redasadki.me/2024/03/22/climate-change-and-health-perspectives-from-developing-countries/

    #CharlotteMbuh #climateChange #developingCountries #ExpertCentreOfClimateChangeAndHealth #globalHealth #HamburgUniversityOfAppliedSciences #health

    #charlottembuh #climatechange #developingcountries #expertcentreofclimatechangeandhealth #globalhealth #hamburguniversityofappliedsciences
25. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-03-22 · 11:34 UTC

    Today, the Geneva Learning Foundation’s Charlotte Mbuh delivered a scientific presentation titled “On the frontline of climate change and health: A health worker eyewitness report” at the University of Hamburg’s Online Expert Seminar on Climate Change and Health: Perspectives from Developing Countries.

    Mbuh shared insights from a report based on observations from frontline health workers on the impact of climate change on health in their communities.

    Investing in the health workforce is vital to tackle climate change: A new report shares insights from over 1,200 on the frontline

    Climate change is a threat to the health of the communities we serve: health workers speak out at COP28

    The Geneva Learning Foundation, a Swiss non-profit, facilitated a special event “From community to planet: Health professionals on the frontlines of climate change” on 28 July 2023, engaging 4,700 health practitioners from 68 countries who shared 1,260 observations.

    “93% of respondents believed that there was a link between climate change and health, and they reported a direct local experience of a wide range of climatic and environmental impacts,” Mbuh stated.

    The most commonly reported impacts were on farming and farmland, the distribution of disease-carrying insects, and urban areas becoming hotter.

    Health impacts linked to these climatic and environmental changes included increased malnutrition and/or undernutrition, increased waterborne diseases, and changes to the incidence and distribution of vector-borne diseases.

    Mbuh emphasized that these impacts were particularly prevalent in smaller communities or mid-sized towns.

    Mbuh highlighted the unique role of frontline health workers as trusted advisors to their communities: “Frontline health workers are trusted advisors of the communities that they serve, and they have unique insights to local realities and are strategically positioned to bring about change,” she said.

    The Geneva Learning Foundation aims to leverage its digitally-enabled peer learning network of health workers to drive change across different levels of the health system and geographical boundaries.

    Mbuh concluded : “These experiences demonstrate the importance of community engagement, sustainable practices, and support from relevant stakeholders in addressing the climate health nexus and building resilience in the face of a changing climate.”

    The presentation underscored the urgent need to invest in frontline health workers at the local level to build resilience against the impacts of climate change on health, particularly in vulnerable communities in developing countries.

    The event was organized by the International Expert Centre of Climate Change and Health (IECCCH) at the Research and Transfer Centre Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, in collaboration with the European School of Sustainability Science and Research (ESSSR), the UK Consortium on Sustainability Research (UK-CSR), and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP).

    Photo: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

    https://redasadki.me/2024/03/22/climate-change-and-health-perspectives-from-developing-countries/

    #CharlotteMbuh #climateChange #developingCountries #ExpertCentreOfClimateChangeAndHealth #globalHealth #HamburgUniversityOfAppliedSciences #health

    #charlottembuh #climatechange #developingcountries #expertcentreofclimatechangeandhealth #globalhealth #hamburguniversityofappliedsciences
26. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-12-11 · 17:43 UTC

    The Geneva Learning Foundation’s Charlotte Mbuh spoke today at the COP28 Health Pavilion in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Learn more…

    Good afternoon. I am Charlotte Mbuh. I have worked for the health of children and families in Cameroon for over 15 years.

    I am one of more than 5,500 health workers from 68 countries who have connected to share our observations of how climate is affecting the health of those we serve. 

    “Going back home to the community where I grew up as a child, I was shocked to see that most of the rivers we used to swim and fish in have all dried up, and those that are still there have become very shallow so that you can easily walk through a river you required a boat to cross in years past.”

    These are the words of Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi, a health worker from Nigeria.

    Dr Kumbha Gopi, a health worker from India said: “The use of motor vehicles has led to an increase in air pollution and we see respiratory problems and skin diseases”.

    Climate change is hurting the health of those we serve. And it is getting worse.

    Few here would deny that health workers are an essential voice to listen to in order to understand climate impacts on health.

    Yet, a man named Jacob on social media snapped: “Since when are health workers the authority on air pollution?”

    Here are the words of Bie Lilian Mbando, a health worker from my country: “Where I live in Buea, the flood from Mount Cameroon took away all belongings of people in my neighborhood and killed a secondary school student who was playing football with his friends.”

    Climate change is killing communities.

    Cecilia Nabwirwa, a nurse in Nairobi, Kenya: “I remember my grand-son getting sick after eating vegetables grown along areas flooded by sewage. Since then I resolved to growing my own vegetables to ensure healthy eating.”

    And yet, another man on social media, Robert, found this “ridiculous. As if my friend who sells fish at his fish stall comes as an expert on water quality.”

    I wondered: why such brutal responses?

    Well, unlike scientists or global agencies, we cannot be dismissed as “experts from on-high”.

    What we know, we know because we are here every day.

    We are part of the community.

    And we know that climate change is a threat to the health of the communities we serve.

    We are already having to manage the impacts of climate change on health.

    We are doing the best that we can.

    But we need your support.

    The global community is investing in building a new scientific field around climate and health.

    Massive investments are also being made in policy.

    Are we making a commensurate investment in people and communities?

    That should mean investing in health workers.

    What will happen if this investment is neglected?

    What if big global donors say: “it’s important, but it’s not part of our strategy?”

    Well, in 5, 10, or 15 years, we will certainly have much improved science and, hopefully, policy.

    Yet, some communities might reject better science and policy.

    Will the global community then wonder: “Why don’t they know what’s good for them?” 

    I am an immunization worker. For over 15 years, I have worked for my country’s ministry of health.

    Like my colleagues from all over the world, I know more than a little about what it takes to establish and maintain trust.

    Trust in vaccination, trust in public health.

    Trust that by standing together in the face of critical threats to our societies, we all stand to do better.

    Local communities in the poorest countries are already bearing the brunt of climate change effects on health.

    Local solutions are needed.

    Health workers are trusted advisors to the communities we serve.

    With every challenge, there is an opportunity.

    On 28 July 2023, 4,700 health workers began learning from each other through the Geneva Learning Foundation’s platform, community, and network.

    Thousands more are connecting with each other, because they choose to.

    And because they want to take action.

    It is our duty to support them.

    In March 2024, we will hold the tenth Teach to Reach conference.

    The last edition reached over 17,000 health workers from more than 80 countries.

    This time, our focus will be on climate and health.

    We invite global partners to join, to listen and to learn.

    We invite you to consider how you, your organization, your government might support action by health workers on the frontline.

    Because we will rise.

    As health workers, with or without your support, we will continue to stand up with courage, compassion and commitment, working to lift up our communities.

    Our perseverance calls us all to press forward towards climate justice and health equity.

    I wish to challenge us, as a global community, to rise together, so that  the voices of those on the frontline of climate change will be at the next Conference of Parties.

    By standing together, we all stand to do better.

    Thank you.

    https://redasadki.me/2023/12/11/climate-and-health-health-workers-trust/

    #CharlotteMbuh #climate #climateCrisis #COP28 #Dubai #health #healthWorkforce #HRH

    #charlottembuh #climate #climatecrisis #cop28 #dubai #health
27. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2023-12-11 · 17:43 UTC

    The Geneva Learning Foundation’s Charlotte Mbuh spoke today at the COP28 Health Pavilion in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Learn more…

    Good afternoon. I am Charlotte Mbuh. I have worked for the health of children and families in Cameroon for over 15 years.

    I am one of more than 5,500 health workers from 68 countries who have connected to share our observations of how climate is affecting the health of those we serve. 

    “Going back home to the community where I grew up as a child, I was shocked to see that most of the rivers we used to swim and fish in have all dried up, and those that are still there have become very shallow so that you can easily walk through a river you required a boat to cross in years past.”

    These are the words of Samuel Chukwuemeka Obasi, a health worker from Nigeria.

    Dr Kumbha Gopi, a health worker from India said: “The use of motor vehicles has led to an increase in air pollution and we see respiratory problems and skin diseases”.

    Climate change is hurting the health of those we serve. And it is getting worse.

    Few here would deny that health workers are an essential voice to listen to in order to understand climate impacts on health.

    Yet, a man named Jacob on social media snapped: “Since when are health workers the authority on air pollution?”

    Here are the words of Bie Lilian Mbando, a health worker from my country: “Where I live in Buea, the flood from Mount Cameroon took away all belongings of people in my neighborhood and killed a secondary school student who was playing football with his friends.”

    Climate change is killing communities.

    Cecilia Nabwirwa, a nurse in Nairobi, Kenya: “I remember my grand-son getting sick after eating vegetables grown along areas flooded by sewage. Since then I resolved to growing my own vegetables to ensure healthy eating.”

    And yet, another man on social media, Robert, found this “ridiculous. As if my friend who sells fish at his fish stall comes as an expert on water quality.”

    I wondered: why such brutal responses?

    Well, unlike scientists or global agencies, we cannot be dismissed as “experts from on-high”.

    What we know, we know because we are here every day.

    We are part of the community.

    And we know that climate change is a threat to the health of the communities we serve.

    We are already having to manage the impacts of climate change on health.

    We are doing the best that we can.

    But we need your support.

    The global community is investing in building a new scientific field around climate and health.

    Massive investments are also being made in policy.

    Are we making a commensurate investment in people and communities?

    That should mean investing in health workers.

    What will happen if this investment is neglected?

    What if big global donors say: “it’s important, but it’s not part of our strategy?”

    Well, in 5, 10, or 15 years, we will certainly have much improved science and, hopefully, policy.

    Yet, some communities might reject better science and policy.

    Will the global community then wonder: “Why don’t they know what’s good for them?” 

    I am an immunization worker. For over 15 years, I have worked for my country’s ministry of health.

    Like my colleagues from all over the world, I know more than a little about what it takes to establish and maintain trust.

    Trust in vaccination, trust in public health.

    Trust that by standing together in the face of critical threats to our societies, we all stand to do better.

    Local communities in the poorest countries are already bearing the brunt of climate change effects on health.

    Local solutions are needed.

    Health workers are trusted advisors to the communities we serve.

    With every challenge, there is an opportunity.

    On 28 July 2023, 4,700 health workers began learning from each other through the Geneva Learning Foundation’s platform, community, and network.

    Thousands more are connecting with each other, because they choose to.

    And because they want to take action.

    It is our duty to support them.

    In March 2024, we will hold the tenth Teach to Reach conference.

    The last edition reached over 17,000 health workers from more than 80 countries.

    This time, our focus will be on climate and health.

    We invite global partners to join, to listen and to learn.

    We invite you to consider how you, your organization, your government might support action by health workers on the frontline.

    Because we will rise.

    As health workers, with or without your support, we will continue to stand up with courage, compassion and commitment, working to lift up our communities.

    Our perseverance calls us all to press forward towards climate justice and health equity.

    I wish to challenge us, as a global community, to rise together, so that  the voices of those on the frontline of climate change will be at the next Conference of Parties.

    By standing together, we all stand to do better.

    Thank you.

    https://redasadki.me/2023/12/11/climate-and-health-health-workers-trust/

    #CharlotteMbuh #climate #climateCrisis #COP28 #Dubai #health #healthWorkforce #HRH

    #charlottembuh #climate #climatecrisis #cop28 #dubai #health
28. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-12 · 14:57 UTC

    In “Prioritising the health and care workforce shortage: protect, invest, together,” Agyeman-Manu et al. assert that the COVID-19 pandemic aggravated longstanding health workforce deficiencies globally, especially in under-resourced nations. 

    With projected shortages of 10 million health workers concentrated in Africa and the Middle East by 2030, the authors urgently call for policymakers to commit to retaining and expanding national health workforces. 

    They propose common-sense solutions: increased, coordinated financing and collaboration across government agencies managing health, finance, economic development, education and labor portfolios.

    But how can such interconnected, long-term investments be designed for maximum sustainable impact?

    And what is the role of education?

    Rethinking health worker learning

    In a 2021 WHO survey across 159 countries, most health workers reported lacking adequate training to respond effectively to pandemic demands. This exposed systemic weaknesses in how health workforces develop skills at scale. Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, limitations of traditional learning approaches were already obvious.

    Prevailing modalities overly rely on passive knowledge transfer rather than active learner empowerment and engagement with real-world complexities. While assessment and credentialing are important, ultimately learning must be judged by its relevance, application and impact on people’s lives and health systems.

    Between April and June 2020, I had the privilege of working with a group of 600 of Scholars of The Geneva Learning Foundation (TGLF) from 86 countries. Together, we designed an immersive learning cycle integrating skill-building and peer exchange for those on the frontlines of the epidemic. We called it the “COVID-19 Peer Hub”. 

    It grew into an ecosystem that connected over 6,000 health professionals across 86 countries to share unfiltered insights, give voice to on-the-ground needs, and turn shared experience into action.

    Within three months, a third of participants had already implemented COVID-19 recovery plans, citing peer support as the main driver for turning their commitment into results.

    By the end of 2020, TGLF’s immunization platform, network, and community had tripled in size.

    In 2022, this network transformed into a Movement for Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).

    Informing health workforce decisions

    What insights can health workforce policymakers draw from the Geneva Learning Foundation’s unique work to achieve the ambitious growth and support targets outlined by Agyeman-Manu et al.?

    First, expert-driven, top-down  approaches alone cannot handle emergent real-world complexities. In TGLF’s learning cycles, the most significant learning often occurs in lateral, one-to-one networking meetings between peers. These defy boundaries of geography, gender, ethnicity, religion, and job roles.

    Second, thoughtfully-applied technology can exponentially accelerate learning’s reach, access and connections following learner needs. New digital modalities opened by pandemic disruptions must be sustained and optimized post-crisis, despite the tendency to revert back to previous norms of learning through high-cost, low-volume formal trainings and workshop.

    Third, relevance heightens learning and application. Learning and teaching should not just be centered on learners’ needs and problems to boost motivation and effectiveness. Learning cannot be detached from its context.

    Finally, nurturing cultures that support effective learning matters for performance and human achievement. Systems enabling peer reward and accountability build resilience.

    Protect, invest, together in a learning workforce

    Health policymakers are manifesting intent to act on the health workforce crisis.

    Alongside urgent investments, applying systemic perspectives from learning innovations like those The Geneva Learning Foundation has pioneered presents a path to growing motivated, capable workforces ready for the challenges ahead.

    Rethinking assumptions opens eyes – when we commit to support health workers holistically, the rewards radiate across health ecosystems.

    Reference: Agyeman-Manu et al. Prioritising the health and care workforce shortage: protect, invest, together. The Lancet Global Health (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00224-3

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    https://redasadki.me/2024/02/12/protect-invest-together-strengthening-health-workforce-through-new-learning-models/

    #healthWorkforce #healthWorkforceShortage #HRH #HumanResourcesForHealth #learningCulture #performance

    #healthworkforce #healthworkforceshortage #hrh #humanresourcesforhealth #learningculture #performance
29. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-12 · 06:27 UTC

    The severe global shortage of health and care workers poses a dangerous threat to health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The authors of the article “Prioritising the health and care workforce shortage: protect, invest, together”, including six health ministers and the WHO Director-General, assert that this workforce crisis requires urgent action and propose “protect, invest, together” to tackle it.

    Deep protection of the existing workforce, they assert, is needed through improved working conditions, fair compensation, upholding rights, addressing discrimination and violence, closing gender inequities, and implementing the WHO Global Health and Care Worker Compact to ensure dignified working environments. All countries must prioritize retaining workers to build resilient health systems.

    Significantly increased and strategic long-term investments are imperative in both training new health workers through educational channels and sustaining their employment. Countries should designate workforce development, especially at the primary care level, as crucial human capital investments impacting population health outcomes. Intersectoral financing is key, bringing together domestic funds, grants, concessional sources, and private sector partners into coordinated national plans. Global solidarity is required to resource-constrained LMIC health workforces.

    Intersectoral collaboration between ministries of health, finance, economic development, education and employment can develop integrated health workforce strategies. South-South partnerships offer pathways for health worker training and mobility to address regional shortages. Small island nations confront severe but overlooked workforce obstacles requiring specially tailored policy approaches.

    The severe projected health workforce shortfall urgently necessitates that actors globally protect existing health workers, strategically invest in growing national workforces, and unite intersectorally behind robust health employment systems, especially in lower resourced contexts. As the authors emphasize, “there can be no health, health systems, or emergency response without the health and care workforce.”

    What about the role of education?

    This article does not provide much direct discussion of health education systems related to the global health workforce shortage. However, it makes the following relevant points:

    1. Chronic underinvestment in the health and care workforce, including in education and training, has contributed to long-standing shortages.
    2. There is a need for strategic investments in health and care worker education and lifelong learning, with a focus on primary health care, to help address shortages.
    3. Investments in standalone health infrastructure will have little effect unless matched by investments in developing the health workforce through education and training.
    4. Increasing, smarter and sustained long-term financing is crucial for health and care worker education and employment.
    5. Regional and subregional collaboration should be explored to bring together resources and capacities for health workforce education and training.
    6. Intersectoral collaboration between health, education, finance and other sectors is important for developing policies and making investments in health workforce education.

    Read more to understand what this means for health education: Protect, invest, together: strengthening health workforce through new learning models

    Reference: Agyeman-Manu et al. Prioritising the health and care workforce shortage: protect, invest, together. The Lancet Global Health (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00224-3

    Illustration: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

    https://redasadki.me/2024/02/12/prioritizing-the-health-and-care-workforce-shortage-protect-invest-together/

    #globalShortage #HRH #HumanResourcesForHealth #workforce

    #globalshortage #hrh #humanresourcesforhealth #workforce
30. 

    Reda Sadki @[email protected] · 2024-02-12 · 06:27 UTC

    The severe global shortage of health and care workers poses a dangerous threat to health systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The authors of the article “Prioritising the health and care workforce shortage: protect, invest, together”, including six health ministers and the WHO Director-General, assert that this workforce crisis requires urgent action and propose “protect, invest, together” to tackle it.

    Deep protection of the existing workforce, they assert, is needed through improved working conditions, fair compensation, upholding rights, addressing discrimination and violence, closing gender inequities, and implementing the WHO Global Health and Care Worker Compact to ensure dignified working environments. All countries must prioritize retaining workers to build resilient health systems.

    Significantly increased and strategic long-term investments are imperative in both training new health workers through educational channels and sustaining their employment. Countries should designate workforce development, especially at the primary care level, as crucial human capital investments impacting population health outcomes. Intersectoral financing is key, bringing together domestic funds, grants, concessional sources, and private sector partners into coordinated national plans. Global solidarity is required to resource-constrained LMIC health workforces.

    Intersectoral collaboration between ministries of health, finance, economic development, education and employment can develop integrated health workforce strategies. South-South partnerships offer pathways for health worker training and mobility to address regional shortages. Small island nations confront severe but overlooked workforce obstacles requiring specially tailored policy approaches.

    The severe projected health workforce shortfall urgently necessitates that actors globally protect existing health workers, strategically invest in growing national workforces, and unite intersectorally behind robust health employment systems, especially in lower resourced contexts. As the authors emphasize, “there can be no health, health systems, or emergency response without the health and care workforce.”

    What about the role of education?

    This article does not provide much direct discussion of health education systems related to the global health workforce shortage. However, it makes the following relevant points:

    1. Chronic underinvestment in the health and care workforce, including in education and training, has contributed to long-standing shortages.
    2. There is a need for strategic investments in health and care worker education and lifelong learning, with a focus on primary health care, to help address shortages.
    3. Investments in standalone health infrastructure will have little effect unless matched by investments in developing the health workforce through education and training.
    4. Increasing, smarter and sustained long-term financing is crucial for health and care worker education and employment.
    5. Regional and subregional collaboration should be explored to bring together resources and capacities for health workforce education and training.
    6. Intersectoral collaboration between health, education, finance and other sectors is important for developing policies and making investments in health workforce education.

    Read more to understand what this means for health education: Protect, invest, together: strengthening health workforce through new learning models

    Reference: Agyeman-Manu et al. Prioritising the health and care workforce shortage: protect, invest, together. The Lancet Global Health (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00224-3

    Illustration: The Geneva Learning Foundation Collection © 2024

    https://redasadki.me/2024/02/12/prioritizing-the-health-and-care-workforce-shortage-protect-invest-together/

    #globalShortage #HRH #HumanResourcesForHealth #workforce

    #globalshortage #hrh #humanresourcesforhealth #workforce