Regional Programs: Training
Child Rights .
Public Health (in particular HIV/AIDS) . Environment
. Gender and Social Justice . Archive
Regional Training Courses
21.
Costa Rica, February 1995
Theme(s) HIV/AIDS.
Length 6 days.
Target Group
Journalists in Central America (most participants were identified by regional NGOs or by donor organizations).
Objectives
To improve understanding of extent and implications of HIV/AIDS.
To improve understanding of the ethics of reporting HIV/AIDS.
To improve the ability of participants to report on HIV/AIDS and to involve them in HIV/AIDS prevention.
Context
First stage in a three-year ILPES/Panos programme for capacity building of the Central-American media to report on HIV/AIDS.
Participants
29 journalists from print, radio and TV, from Central American countries.
Female/ Male Ratio: 19/10.
Working Methodology and Activities
Lecture-style presentations (scientific and statistical information); small group sessions (to analyze issues and give insights in many dimensions); training exercises; extensive range of field trips; several group discussions and reporting exercises; group and one-to-one interviews. The field visits were essential to the programme. Almost every day at least three visits were arranged, including holistic workshops for homosexual men and for incarcerated men and women, visits to La Sala, a meeting place for women working in prostitution, and 2828, a meeting place for sexual minorities.
There were 17 resource persons and coordinators for each medium. Particular emphasis was given to the social background of the epidemic (such as the status of women, sexual minorities, religion, human rights and economic aspects).
Documentation Used
A reader (more than 100 pages) from wide range of sources, including ILPES material and Panos material specifically designed for media (eg. Crónica Mensual).
Results
Workshop was highly successful. A disparate group of journalists coalesced into a highly motivated team. The quality of the reports was high.
Daily news reports were carried by Costa Rican TV, Canal 2. Long articles came out in La Republica and Esta Semana.
Evaluation by Participants
Appreciation of workshop was high, with all participants qualifying it as good, very good or excellent. The same holds for the various activities.
Pre- and post-test questionnaires examined knowledge and attitudes. Significant improvements were recorded. However, in 3 areas (number of people with AIDS, not HIV; Percentage of condoms which break in use; and percentage of homosexuals infected) misunderstanding increased rather than decreased.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
Areas for such workshops to improve include: (a) Participants should bring examples of previous work (to indicate pre-workshop record); (b) More time should be devoted to relate presentations to participants' work; (c) More time for networking discussions; (d) Avoid increase in misunderstanding regarding certain details.
Panos role as facilitator can be improved, through producing a training manual on all aspects of a media information programme, incl. workshops and follow-up.
Monitoring and distribution of media products after 12 months.
21. San José, Costa Rica, 12-19 February 1995. ILPES/Panos
First Central American Media Workshop on HIV/AIDS.
The Latin American Institute for Prevention and Education
in Health (ILPES), based in Costa Rica, was Panos' partner
organization in this workshop. Technical assistance
for the electronic media was provided by Radio Nederland
Training Centre (RNTC). The organizers were aware that
the success of the workshop would depend on their ability
to respond to the needs of participants, as they became
deeper involved in the issue as the week progressed.
Therefore a number of changes were effected in the program.
The extent and implications of HIV/AIDS were primarily
covered in sessions on the first three days, together
with field trips arranged throughout the week. Session
on Monday afternoon and Thursday morning covered the
ethics and impact of reporting the disease. Thursday
afternoon and all Friday were devoted to the production
of reports. The press participants each produced their
own article on an aspect of the epidemic. The radio
and television participants worked as two teams in each
medium to produce reports. Coordinators for each medium
(press, radio and television) were present.
Special attention was given to attitudes in reporting
and the development of journalists' responses and approach
to HIV/AIDS issues. Reports could be hostile or sympathetic,
and have various possible impacts on audiences. A particular
concern was about how to report in a positive manner.
The field trips were essential to the programme. Almost
every day at least three visits were arranged, including
holistic workshops for homosexual men and for incarcerated
men and women, visits to La Sala, a meeting place setup
by ILPES for women working in prostitution, and 2828,
a meeting place for sexual minorities. There was also
a forum one evening on women and AIDS. Many participants
also met the family and friends of a young man who had
died of AIDS on the day the workshop started, 12 February.
Moreover, a round-table discussion with an individual
living with HIV made a profound impact on all those
present.
The productions were judged by a jury of five people:
the three media coordinators and representatives of
ILPES and the Guatemalan Association for the Prevention
and Control of AIDS (AGPCS). It was noted that they
were of high quality. An award was given to the best
production in each medium, as well as to the best proposals
for follow-up activities.
It was decided to take reports generated by participants
after the workshop and disseminate them throughout the
region, thus multiplying their impact. Also, ILPES and
Panos would distribute a wide range of additional material
on HIV/AIDS to participants in order to improve their
understanding and reporting on the epidemic. There were
ideas to form a network of journalists reporting on
HIV/AIDS, however no such network was established.
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