JAMES ATTA AGLAH BEd. Health Sciences Dip. Health Information HOW TO ORGANISE COMMUNITY BASED MEETINGS PRESENTATION FOR NGOs IN NORTHERN GHANA JAMES ATTA AGLAH BEd. Health Sciences Dip. Health Information

OUTLINE Planning & Contact Pre-meeting Activities The Meeting Process Conclusion Post-meeting Activities

Planning Decide: Expected day/period for the meeting Decide on the number of people expected to participate Arrange for items that will be needed at the meeting eg. Water, print materials, etc

Planning Contact: Zonal/Focal person in area (this also applies to the health teams in most communities) (Zonal/FP) Key personalities inviting them/confirming scheduled date & time (where appropriate, invitation letters should follow these verbal invitations/agreement By phone or follow-up-reminder visits (ZC/FP) In the case of durbar/large numbers, appropriate avenues must be used to send out announcements

Pre-meeting Activities Organizers must be present on time & venue arranged accordingly ZC/FP could take the morning to call on key persons (chiefs, opinion leaders) remind them of the time of the meeting In such case, ZC/FP must return to venue on/before time MEETING DAY

The Meeting Process Start meeting on time and work within time Follow regular protocol: Prayer, Song, etc Lead person steers meeting Welcome participants Allow for introduction (all participants where possible / some (Chiefs & special groups present))

Ask participants to give the purpose of the meeting The Meeting Process Ask participants to give the purpose of the meeting Highlight: To discuss 5 difficult behaviours or practices in Yagaba (Northern Ghana) Praise participants for responses Pose the following questions: What are cultural behaviours? ………. Responses Give some good cultural behaviours that promote MCH in this community………….. Responses (Link this discussion to what pertains elsewhere / NG)

Pose the following questions: The Meeting Process Pose the following questions: What are some of the cultural practices here that hinders MCH? Agree on points from various contributions Write this list on a visible board eg flip chart Expand this question to include practices they know in other communities Take agreed list sequentially and stimulate a discussion on how participants can help change these behaviours

Write out agreed approaches to change on another visible board/screen The Meeting Process Write out agreed approaches to change on another visible board/screen Allow for an ice-breaker Summarize meeting: Go through agreed points – allow participants to do this and quickly making sure you don’t restart the meeting all over again. Highlight agreed expected change activities Agree on next meeting schedule where appropriate

Conclusion Thank participants for their presence and contribution. Single out chiefs, opinion leaders, and other special people who make it to the meeting Follow closing protocol (prayer/song/etc) When available, share part-up items and close. Where applicable, Zonal Coordinator/Focal Person arrange for departure of participants

Post Meeting Activities (Zonal Coordinator/Focal Person) Call participants to thank them for making it to the meeting. Where PA was used in conveying the meeting, use same method in this process Send feedback of key agreements to participants/community

THANK YOU!!!