Strengthening capacity for Violence and Injury Prevention: supporting the needs of policy makers

1. Strengthening capacity for Violence and Injury Prevention: supporting the needs of policy makers Francesca Racioppi David Meddings, Dinesh Sethi, Inge Baumgarten Violence and Injury Prevention Programme WHO European Centre for Environment and Health

2. Overview • Background – a changing policy framework • Emerging needs • TEACH VIP - overview • A pilot workshop for VIP Focal persons • What next?

3. Changing policy framework…. • At the international level • World Health Assembly Resolutions • Violence and Health (56.32) (2003) • Road Traffic Injury Prevention (57.10) (2004) • WHO Regional Committee • Resolution on injury prevention in the WHO European Region (EUR/RC55/R9) (2005) • EC Communication and Council Recommendation (2006) • At the national level • Violence: Finland, Georgia, Germany, Norway, Portugal UK, • Unintentional injuries: Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, UK

4. Public Health Advocacy Services for victims Research Engaging other sectors Policy Prevention & control Injury surveillance, evaluation A broader role for the health sector Providing services for victims is only one of the roles that the health sector can play. Other roles offer further opportunities to reduce the burden of injuries.

5. ….and new skills required: • Mobilizing political support and resources • Effective advocacy; • Developing accountability; • Increasing self-efficacy • Embracing the broader role of the health sector • Understanding different stakeholders priorities • Working across sector • Identifying opportunities for mainstreaming injury prevention across a range of policies within and outside the health sector • Taking advantage from participating in international initiatives

6. Listening to the needs of European National VIP Focal Persons…. • Advocacy skills; • Engage effectively other partners both within and outside the health sector; • Create a common understanding of the public health approach to VIP; • Learn from each other’s experience; Source: WHO - Report of the 1st meeting of European National Person, 2006

7. Interpreting the needsstarting from TEACH-VIP T raining, E ducating, A dvancing C ollaboration in H ealth on V iolence and I njury P revention

8. Introduction to TEACH VIP • Comprehensive injury prevention and control curriculum; • Developed by WHO and a global network of injury experts • Classroom instruction model; • Pilot testing in 2004 involving 23 settings worldwide; • CD-ROM format available as of 2005 • Russian translation available as of fall 2006

9. Goals of TEACH VIP • The main goal of TEACH-VIP is to provide training in the field of public health. • Primary target audience: public health students • The aims are: • to better apply key injury prevention & control principles • to contribute to develop preventive programs & policies • to design effective surveillance systems, evaluate intervention programs & policies, and collect & assess injury data.

10. Structure of the course TEACH VIP • 21 "core" lessons and 39 "advanced" lessons, 1 hour each • “Core” lessons: overview on key aspects of injury prevention • “Advanced” lessons: 13 modules each containing 3 lessons covering core-module topics in greater detail • Effectiveness of modular structure in communicating complex health related topics • Opportunities for local adaptation/relevance

11. Interpreting the needsStrengthening capacity for violence and injury prevention: a workshop for VIP Focal Persons • Salzburg, American Austrian Foundation, 22-23 June 2006 • English & Russian • 39 participants from 27 countries • Policy-oriented content: • Based on the main items of implementation of the Resolution EUR/RC59/R9 • Learn-from-each-other approach • Introductory presentations by facilitators; • Participants’ case studies; • Discussion • Cost-effective: • Back-to-back to the 1st European Conference on Injury and Prevention and safety promotion Supported by the Austrian Ministry of health

12. The basis of the programme: The Resolution on prevention of injuries in the European Region • Member States and the WHO have taken commitments to: • Develop national plans for injury prevention • Improve national surveillance • Strengthen national capacity to respond to the burden of injury and provide services for victim • Advocate effective injury prevention activities • Promote good practice and the exchange of knowledge across the Region • Prioritize research in primary prevention and trauma care • Strengthen partnerships across sectors and stakeholders • Report back on progress achieved in 2008

13. Objectives of the workshop • To strengthen the capacities of the European focal persons in fulfilling the Network’s vision “LIVE” (Life without Injuries and Violence in Europe), by: • Establishing a common understanding of the public health approach to violence and injury prevention • Sharing experiences from different parts of the Region.

14. Programme overview Day 1 • Welcome and logistics • Basic TEACH VIP: introduction and overview of basic principles of VIP • Policy making and planning • Data collection and surveillance • Prevention of injuries and violence Day 2 • Capacity building • Advocacy and the media • Building partnerships • Evaluation and closure

15. Evaluation • Total participants: 39 • Respondents: 32 (82 %) Overall assessment (from 1 =insufficient to 5 = excellent)

16. Evalutation • Preferred modules (number of preferences expressed):

17. Evaluation • Did the workshop achieve the programme objectives? YES 100 % • Did the presentations: • Meet expectations: YES: 97 % • Be useful for the work: Definetly: 40 % Mostly: 60 %

18. Conclusions • Overall very positive evaluation • Preference for modules closer to participants´s immediate needs • Media and advocacy • Development of national plans • Could be improved by: • More group work • Less dense contents and more time for breaks (more physical exercise)

19. Thank you for your attention! http://www.euro.who.int/violenceinjury