Category | Description of activities | Outcomes and comments |
---|---|---|
Recruiting partner organizations | ||
Organizations | Followed selection criteria, prepared concept papers that advocate for obesity and NCD and policy environment High level officers appointed Focal Points to coordinate programs with researchers | Twelve government and non-government organizations identified, eight approached, six were endorsed and recruited while two declined. |
Participants | 49 senior officers recruited across organizations | Emails, phone calls and face to face meetings held |
Advisors | Followed selection criteria of those familiar with the policy-making process | Four advisors were recruited |
Mapping policy environment | ||
Source of information | Searched in government websites: organizational mission, vision statements, corporate and strategic plans, annual reports, received hard copies from contacts within organizations | Access to Roadmap for democracy and sustainable socio-economic development (SSED), Peoples Charter for Change, MDGs, Corporate plans, strategic plans. |
Analyzing organizational capacity and support for evidence-informed policy-making (EIPM) | ||
Semi-structured interviews | Conducted with individual participants and experts in each participating organization | 49 participants and 5 experts consented and interviewed |
Questionnaires | Developed, piloted and administered to participants prior to evidence-informed policy-making activities | 49 participants returned completed questionnaire |
Developing evidence-informed policy-making skills | ||
PowerPoint Presentations | Developed Master presentations for evidence-informed policy-making | PowerPoint presentations tailored to each organization needs prepared |
Fact Sheets | Developed guide on how to acquire evidence using different search engines, access and analyze | 50 Fact sheets distributed to participants |
Template for policy briefs | Developed template for writing policy briefs | 5/6 organizations used the template, one organization had its own template prior to engagement with TROPIC |
Template for presentation of policy briefs | Developed template for PowerPoint presentation of policy briefs | 2/6 organizations made oral presentations using template provided, 2 others discussed policy briefs in a closed meeting, the 2 NGOs discussed proposed policy briefs via phone and send through email. |
Evidence-informed policy-making | Conducted 27 workshops across 6 organizations, 45% of participants attended at least 1 workshop and 55% attended whole workshop series | 2 organizations selected a second more senior participant group because of high staff turnover and recognition of the importance of having senior officers develop their EIPM skills |
Skill-based workshop (small group) | Conducted 26 workshops with small group of participants on skill training, 35% of participants attended | These included those who either missed out a session or need skill training in referencing, use of Endnote software, professional writing and health impact assessment. |
Facilitating development of evidence-informed policy briefs | ||
One-to-one meeting | 156 meetings conducted with 40 participants across 6 organizations, assisted in acquiring evidence and writing briefs | 77% of participants attended; 262 hours of support provided from individual TROPIC team |
Small Group meeting | 30 meetings conducted across 6 organizations, generally 2 participants, encouraging continuity of EIPM against tight work schedule, and completing policy briefs. | 35 hours of support provided |
Policy brief meeting | 98 meetings conducted across 6 organizations, assisted individuals or small groups in reviewing policy briefs, in writing and presentation skills to high level officers. | 52% of participants attended; 141 hours of support provided |
Telephone-base counseling | 85 phone calls made to participants across organizations in shaping the development of policy briefs | 21 hours of support provided |
Email, SMS | 799 emails sent to participants supporting the development of policy briefs, counseling and encouraging continuity of EIPM, 33 txt messages reminding participants on approaching deadline for next draft of briefs | 290 hours of support provided from individual TROPIC team |
Selection of policy topics | Facilitated selection of 35 policy topics by participants | 35% of participants completed at least one policy brief; 20 policy briefs completed and presented to high level officers |
Sourced materials: Technical | Facilitated access to Hinari website, Endnote software and Use of IT Laboratory from Ministry of Health for practical learning of acquiring evidence using different search engines | Sourced Hinari from Ministry of Health to its participants, referred student access to those enrolled in other local institutions in Fiji |