15th EUSPR Conference – 11 to 13 September 2024, Cremona, Italy
EUSPR 2024 Pre-conference Workshops
Workshop 1 – Getting Started with Communities that Care (CTC): an interactive orientation to the framework’s foundations and key elements for implementation (10th September 2024, 9:00-13:00)
Workshop facilitators:
- Dr. Nicole Eisenberg, University of Washington
- Mr. Frederick Groeger-Roth, Ministry of Justice Lower Saxony
- Ms. Dalene Beaulieu, University of Washington
- Dr. Margaret Kuklinski, University of Washington
- Mr. Mats Glans, City of Malmo
- Ms. Birgitta Mansson, City of Malmo
- Dr. Karin Streimann, National Institute for Health Development Estonia
- Dr. John Toumbourou, Deakin University
- Dr. Eric C. Brown, University of Miami
Duration: half-day (4h)
In this half-day pre-conference workshop, participants will learn about Communities That Care (CTC), an evidence-based framework that supports data-driven, comprehensive, and coordinated community-driven prevention efforts aimed at improving young people’s behavioral health. CTC has been implemented in countries across five continents and is highlighted as one of the community-based approaches in the European Prevention Curriculum.
The workshop’s overall objective is to help participants envision how CTC can assist in meeting their own local and national prevention and health promotion objectives. Dialog with CTC experts from multiple countries (e.g., Estonia, Germany, Sweden, the United States and others) will assist participants in identifying potential structural drivers and other facilitators and barriers to successful implementation. Participants will also gain understanding of the processes, tools, and supports available to assist with their own CTC implementation.
The workshop includes four interactive segments featuring real-world experiences from multiple countries and ample time for discussion and questions: (1) An introduction to CTC, including the scientific foundation and evidence base, phases of system implementation, critical parts of the system (e.g., use of the CTC Youth Survey) and supporting infrastructure. (2) Participants will be exposed to early implementation considerations like funding and key leader support, readiness, translation and cultural adaptation, and related processes and tools. This segment will also address common infrastructure questions, such as backbone agency choice, funding mechanisms, evidence-based intervention selection and support, and sustainability. (3) The third segment will feature one of the pillars of CTC, the Social Development Strategy (SDS), a proven process for building protection and resilience in young people. Participants will hear how different communities have leveraged the SDS to build protection and engage community members in the planning and implementation of CTC. (4) Finally, participants will learn about training, coaching, and ongoing technical assistance available to support CTC implementation, including CTC Plus web-based materials.
Workshop 2 – Sustainable future of EUPC trainings in Europe (10th September 2024, 9:00-12:30; 13:30-17:00)
Workshop facilitators:
- Mrs. Triin Vilms, National Institute for Health Development, Estonia
- Ms. Helena Heidemann, National Institute for Health Development, Estonia
- Dr. Gregor Burkhart, European Drugs Agency, Portugal
- Dr. Karin Streimann, National Institute for Health Development, Estonia
- Mr. Maximilian von Heyden, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
Duration: all day (6-7h)
The workshop is aimed at EUPC trainers and facilitators and provides opportunities to discuss how to advance the content and methods of EUPC without changing the core components of the training. We will explore the challenges and possible solutions that trainers face, learning from each others’ experiences. In addition, possible ways to understand and evaluate the participants’ performance and learning outcomes will be discussed.
The second part of the workshop will explore what is needed to create a sustainable implementation system which can be used in different countries. We will discuss how the national and EU level trainings supplement each other, how to systematically support the development of trainers’ competencies and how can we monitor achievement in different levels.
On the agenda:
Part 1
- Welcome & sharing our experiences
- Challenges and opportunities regarding content, delivery and structure of EUPC
- Critical themes in EUPC that need development
- Learning journey during EUPC
- Understanding participants’ performance and learning outcomes
- Needs for the future
Part 2
- Overview of the current implementation system
- How to ensure quality and fidelity while using learner-centred approach?
- How to support the development of trainers’ competencies?
- What does EUPC future entails – a standardized training or a set of principles with a variety of training methods?
- How to assess effects of EUPC?
This workshop is interactive and provides opportunities for EUPC facilitators to evolve together as a network and learn from each other’s success and challenges. The registered participants are asked to fill out a questionnaire about current needs and challenges in advance.
Workshop 3 – Publishing Your Research: Essential Tips for Early Career Researchers in Prevention Science (10th September 2024, 9:00-12:45)
Workshop facilitators:
- Prof. Zila van der Meer Sanchez, Universidade Federal de São Paulo
- Dr. Samuel Tomczyk, University of Greifswald
Duration: half-day (3-3.5h)
This workshop is designed to empower young researchers in prevention science by enhancing their understanding of the academic publication process, improving their manuscript preparation skills, and increasing the visibility of their research. Participants will learn to navigate the publishing landscape, identify journals that match their research focus and understand what editors seek. The workshop will also delve into manuscript preparation, covering essential aspects like crafting a compelling abstract, structuring the paper effectively, and choosing the right journal to increase its chances of publication. Additionally, the workshop will address common pitfalls in manuscript preparation and, also, discuss the characteristics of predatory journals. This includes strategies for recognizing and avoiding these deceptive publications to protect the integrity of one’s research. By focusing on these critical aspects, the workshop aims to equip participants with the tools necessary for advancing their scholarly work and achieving publication success in reputable journals within the field of prevention science.
Workshop 4 – Integrating PPI and RRI: Crafting Innovative Digital Tools to Empower Youth Mental Health (10th September 2024, 13:30-16:30)
Workshop facilitators:
- Dr. Josimar de Alcantara Mendes, University of Oxford
Duration: half-day (2.5-3h)
Introduction: In an era of burgeoning digital mental health tools, harnessing the expertise of young people is paramount. This interactive session will shed light on the complementary nature of Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). By fostering collaboration between researchers, youth stakeholders, and mental health professionals, these frameworks offer a powerful approach to shaping robust solutions, especially in the digital world. Through engaging discussions and practical exercises, participants will explore how PPI and RRI synergise to empower youth voices within research and collaborative processes.
Objective: To illuminate the complementary relationship between PPI and RRI, emphasizing their collaborative potential in shaping robust digital tools for enhancing youth mental health. Through insightful discussions and practical engagement, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how these approaches synergize and contribute to participatory, responsible, and effective digital solutions.
Methods or Approach (Interactive Session Structure):
Part 1: Unveiling PPI and RRI Concepts – Exploring PPI and RRI in the context of developing digital tools for youth mental health. Drawing inspiration from the Digital Youth Programme, we will showcase the process of development of a collaborative and digital version of the Card Sort Task for Self-harm (CaTS-APP). This experience will serve as a tangible illustration of the seamless integration of PPI and RRI principles in practice, emphasising how the CaTS-APP, as a collaborative and digital tool, will aid assessment and intervention in youth mental health.
Part 2: Introducing the ‘RRI Framework of Collaborative Projects Involving Young People’ – Presenting the ‘RRI Framework of Collaborative Projects Involving Young People’ (CoPYP). This framework is a guiding compass for researchers and practitioners, outlining responsible and inclusive practices in collaborative projects with young people.
Part 3: ‘Hands-On Activity’, Crafting a Digital Tool for Youth Mental Health – Participants will engage in hands-on activities guided by the AREA guidelines (‘Anticipate’, ‘Reflect’, ‘Engage’ and ‘Act’). Drawing from the case reported by ‘A collective autoethnography of coproduction in mental health research by academic researchers and young people in Brazil‘ (Siston et al. 2023, BMJ Global Health,), attendees will utilize these guidelines to comprehensively analyse the scenario and: i) Anticipate potential challenges and opportunities inherent in collaborative projects; ii) Reflect on the implications of the collaborative effort; iii) Engage in insightful discussions, leveraging the CoPYP framework, to collectively explore responsible measures and actions; iv) Act by formulating tangible actions and strategies to collaboratively devise a plan for the responsible development of the intended digital tool.
Results or Practice/Policy Implications: By exploring a real-world example, participants will gain a tangible understanding of how PPI and RRI frameworks can seamlessly integrate into collaborative projects. Through the hands-on experience, participants will have the opportunity to translate theoretical knowledge into practical skills, fostering the development of impactful and responsible digital tools that address the specific needs of young people.
Conclusion: The session will highlight the power of collaboration through PPI and RRI in shaping effective digital tools for youth mental health. Participants will be equipped with valuable tools to develop robust and inclusive solutions involving young people. This session will foster critical thinking and practical skills, ultimately bridging the gap between knowledge and action.
Workshop 5 – Participatory methods in health promotion: photovoice as a tool for individual and community assessment, mobilization, and change (10th September 2024, 13:30-17:00)
Workshop facilitators:
- Prof. Daniela Marzana, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
- Prof. Sara Martínez Damia, CERISVICO research center, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Duration: half-day (3-3.5h)
Originally developed by Caroline Wang in 1994, photovoice has gained scholarly interest in recent decades as a participatory method for assessing community needs and assets, mobilizing community groups, and promoting social and policy change. The method is particularly useful in community settings to mobilize hard-to-reach or socially excluded populations and to foster the development of community coalitions around pressing health and social issues.
Based on the pillars of participatory and critical approaches (Marzana, et al., 2023; Wang & Burris, 1997; Wang et al. 1998), photovoice enables people to document community assets and strengths for others, including stakeholders and policymakers, and to become aware of what needs to be changed in their community.
After recruiting participants, the researcher/facilitator typically chooses an initial general topic and then asks the recruited participants to decide on the specific questions they would like to address in relation to that topic. Participants are encouraged to take pictures in their real-life settings and then come together for critical discussion. The discussion is guided by the “SHOWeD” technique in order to explore the diverse experiences of the participants and to facilitate a deeper understanding of the community. Finally, guided by the researcher/facilitator, the group plans a format for sharing the photos and stories with policymakers or community leaders. As a highly participatory process, photovoice is configured as an important tool for promoting individual well-being and community health.
The key characteristics of photovoice can be summarized as follows:
- The photographic language is egalitarian and universal, making it an effective way to communicate across cultures.
- Photovoice is flexible, meaning it adapts to different needs.
- Participants share and analyze the photographic data, so they actively participate in the research process.
- Photovoice is a bottom-up process that allows for the co-construction and exploration of new constructs.
- Photovoice can promote participant empowerment and a process of social change and community mobilization.
The workshop will cover the theoretical and methodological assumptions of photovoice. Participants will experience how it works in practice by conducting a mock photovoice. Possible implications for prevention and the practical use of photovoice in different areas of interest to participants will be discussed.