Social-Behavioural Heuristic-Algorithm to Strengthen Accountability Culture

Use of Social-Behavioural Heuristic-Algorithm* Training to Strengthen Accountability Culture for Grass Root Groups in Uganda

 2017-2020

Training Session Manual

After 30+ years of HIV, there are subtle/obvious subcultures that have emerged. In order to tell the tale of two cities (objective and subjective cultures) we are empowering communities to compile, generate and collect stories. Using storytelling to generate people's understanding of culture and how that in turn impacts their ability to communicate as they solve problems is what prompted this.

This is a two day training session targeting people living with HIV or Resource Persons willing to work as PrEP & Adherence ambassadors. The goal of the training is to provide skills which in turn increase participation in life promoting activities by persons living with HIV ( Zero HIV-related social action). The skills include: knowledge seeking (Acquisition, processing, information seeking e.g. on the 3 zeros); journal making (writing/note taking on manifestations); adherence planning (feeling, performance, psychosocial/treatment and human interest angle); wellness planning and maintenance (hygiene/nutrition/health); support group formation and maintenance & network building (social support networks); activity and scheduling at personal, community and organizational levels (time orientation skills); planning community actions using the problem-solution-appropriate resource analysis tool (task-at-hand orientation e.g.mainstreaming Three zeros into group activity plans); Linkage and partnership growing (movement building, navigation & docking skills); report-writing using a variety of mass media platforms.

Source: Alice in Wonderland. Isn't wonderful when we can dialogue despite our differences?

Objectives:

1. By the end of this session, participants will be able to identify life-promoting patterns.

2. By the end of this session, participants will be able to identify resources to use during mobilization and organization for Zero HIV-related social action.

3. By the end of this session, participants will be able to present a plan of action thereby provide opportunities for predictability and evaluation.

Source: Google. Two different camps sharing "opinions!"

Day I mini-objectives:

Using the three zeros to identify present needs (intragroup)

Using the three zeros to identify resources for present needs (Intragroup)

Leveraging resource base and needs through use of action plans/scheduling (Intragroup)

Prioritizing, stocking and Shelving as resource control & management skills (Intragroup)

Identifying opportunities to work with other resource groups (Scaling)

Intercultural communication Competences (maintaining scaling) by: establishing or building ethos/pathos/logos, establishing and maintaining rapporteur, planning for physical meetings through calendar drawing, strategic planning, and sharing strategic planning, strategic marketing  plans using machine-assisted mass media e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, texting, emails, listservs, youtube videos, LinkedIn, Postcards,  blogs, instagram or snail mail

Positioning for feedback and dissemination (controlling verbal and nonverbal cues).

MARPS in Uganda Logo

Outcomes:

Track narrative

It is possible to generate narratives to track impact such as how are services reaching people; proximity such as distance to service points;timeliness such as how one plans to make refills; prominence such as how long one has lived with HIV; novelty such as how many have not missed any medication; conflict such as how one has managed to overcome a challenge that could have hindered adherence; and population such as adolescents or single-mothers telling their stories**.


Track productivity
It is possible to generate record how many events are repeated in which groups are empowered to track impact such as how are services reaching people; proximity such as distance to service points;timeliness such as how one plans to make refills; prominence such as how long one has lived with HIV; novelty such as how many have not missed any medication; conflict such as how one has managed to overcome a challenge that could have hindered adherence; and population such as adolescents or single-mothers telling their stories. This will provide information on adjustment, flexibility, empathy and adaptability of all concerned. 

Track relevancy 
It is possible to track relevancy of programmes and projects through their own stories on such matters as how are services reaching people; proximity such as distance to service points;timeliness such as how one plans to make refills; prominence such as how long one has lived with HIV; novelty such as how many have not missed any medication; conflict such as how one has managed to overcome a challenge that could have hindered adherence; and population such as adolescents or single-mothers telling their stories.

Track competence
It is possible to track competence since many groups will be taught how to report on matters such as how are services reaching people; proximity such as distance to service points;timeliness such as how one plans to make refills; prominence such as how long one has lived with HIV; novelty such as how many have not missed any medication; conflict such as how one has managed to overcome a challenge that could have hindered adherence; and population such as adolescents or single-mothers telling their stories. This will demonstrate communication practices.

Track resource use
It is possible to track resource use by beneficiaries as they negotiate: use of services; proximity such as distance to service points;timeliness such as how one plans to make refills; prominence such as how long one has lived with HIV; novelty such as how many have not missed any medication; conflict such as how one has managed to overcome a challenge that could have hindered adherence; and population such as adolescents or single-mothers telling their stories.

Day II mini-objectives

Making of schedules using Results-Oriented-Management Logic Frameworks asking: What, When, Why, who, How, Where, Which

Heuristics are tools that motivate users to conduct brainstorming, consultation and they engender role sharing by teams using them. They are experience-based techniques that help in problem solving, learning and discovery. 

A heuristic method such as: a list of needs; social mapping; resource mapping; and self analysis enable groups to identify resources to address their needs. Heuristic tools enable a comparison of existing cultural norms to see if they are also solutions that may apply to majorities and those that are unique for minorities. 

Heuristic algorithm is an algorithm that is able to produce an acceptable solution to a problem in many practical scenarios, in the fashion of a general heuristic, but for which there is no formal proof of its correctness.

Social-Behavioural Heuristic-Algorithm combines problem-solution statement  and motivated sequence narration. It is an analytical tool designed to make a rain check for the purposes of testing readiness, integrity and status of organizations. It is a tool that enables organizations measure social-behavioural value they contribute by doing their work over a given period of time. 

Source: Associated Press. This picture captures all the 8 categories of intercultural communication

Conclusion:

This training empowers communities to develop an understanding of objective and subjective cultures related to HIV and how to engage in effective and appropriate communication that in turn promotes plans for zero HIV-related deaths, discrimination and stigma. 

The objective cultures (internalized cultures) are around the institutional aspects of mobilizing and organizing systems whose products are: test clubs, post test support clubs or groups, self-help development groups, documentation, assets and resources promoting positive living. This impacts on personality and socialization. 

The subjective culture (externalized cultures) refers to experiences of social reality by existing institutions e.g. in case of people living with HIV organized under a self help group, their ability to negotiate services as a group will be affected by how prominent they are and this is an aspect of a subjective culture. This in turn impacts on roles and behavior.

* This tool was first piloted in Kawempe Division, Kampala Capital City Authority and Bigasa County in Bukomansimbi District in 1997 & 2007.

** It goes without saying that a tool like this one borrows from other frameworks and assumes that the groups ready for training have gone through phases such as: forming, norming, storming and performing. And that internal organization of groups will promote full participation in life promoting cultural practices. This tool borrows from the Behavioural Assessment Scale For Intercultural Competence 8 categories and the D-I-E Frameworks.

Behavioural Assessment Scale For Intercultural Competence (BASIC) provided keys to decode cues as people engaged in forms of communication verbally and nonverbally through reading:

1. Display of respect, this category is what enables us to sense cordiality.

2. Orientation to knowledge, this one enables us to sense appeal.

3. Empathy, this one enables us to be aware of another person's thoughts.

4. Interaction management, this sparks interest to interact.

5. Task role behavior, this one enables take up responsibilities and duties.

6. Relational role behavior, this is a general display of interest.

7. Tolerance for ambiguity, this is the ability to cope in an unfamiliar setting.

8. Interaction posture, this is the ability to respond in a non evaluative/non judgmental manner.

D-I-E: is short for description, interpretation and evaluation

It is useful to control meaning of verbal and nonverbal symbols.

For those interested in the subject of Intercultural communication competence look up:

Lustig, M. W., & Koester, J. (2013). Intercultural competence: Interpersonal communication across cultures (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.