Project Report: Creative Arts and Social Inclusion: Engaging communities with substance misuse and HIV in Zimbabwe
by Clement Nhunzvi, Mesh Editorial TeamSubstance abuse and HIV are highly prevalent, complex and often misunderstood conditions among young people in Zimbabwe. Supported by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, Clement Nhunzvi and his team in Zimbabwe used a creative arts competition to engage school children (13-20 years) in social inclusion and stigma reduction when confronting substance abuse and HIV in the community.
Project Report: Science-2-Society: Raising future leaders in high schools in South Africa
by Lerato Ndlovu, Mesh Editorial TeamImmunologist Lerato Ndlovu shares her experience of using a play and career talks in a project, supported by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, to engage high school pupils in rural South African communities with research and increase their scientific understanding of TB and its treatment.
Project Report: Gown and Town: Increasing retention of high school students to improve adolescent health in Nigeria
by Adesola O. Olumide, Mesh Editorial TeamIn this project, from the Institute of Child Health, University of Ibadan and funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, viewpoints were shared by adolescents and teachers through a photo exhibition to understand reasons behind high school dropout rates. A stakeholder forum was held to give students an opportunity to voice their experiences and to catalyse better support for high school enrolment and retention, enabling adolescents to make better decisions to improve their health.
Project Report: The Sciback-skit programme: Engaging young people as malaria ambassadors in Kenya
by Trizah Milugo, Mesh Editorial TeamIn this project from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya and funded by the DELTAS Africa CPE Seed Fund, high school students were educated about malaria and scientific research, to inspire them to become ambassadors in their communities, and to go on to have careers in science.
This study published by Wellcome in 2021 explores the role, benefits and potential of young people’s involvement in health research, with a focus on mental health, infectious diseases and global heating. It provides recommendations on how to meaningfully involve young people in research, and what it means to do that well.
Developed in Kenya, this toolkit can be used to support engagement with vaccine studies and particularly for COVID-19. These illustrated slides give a simplified scientific explanation of vaccine development, including the sequence and timeline for clinical studies, ethical review and randomisation.
This interactive Mesh learning webinar held in September 2020 explored the possibilities for community engagement with health research when we cannot meet in person. Find the recording here
Report: The Explorer Series - Exposing young audiences to the excitement and value of Science in India
by Sarah Iqbal, Yukti Arora, Hina Lateef NizamiThe report describes the DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance's The Explorer Series project, which was a touring speaker event designed to bring the excitement and value of science to school students. It also shares tools and tips for similar work
Report: Next Generation Biomedical Scientists (NGBS)
by Alice MutambiranwaThe NGBS was a nationwide programme in Zimbabwe engaging secondary school pupils in order to raise awareness on genomics technologies and careers in genomics technology. The project sought to inspire high school students to identify local health challenges, and through community engagement, originate research-based solutions.
I’m a Scientist, Get me out of here! is an online, student-led STEM engagement activity that has is run in the UK and internationally. Students log in, read six scientist’s profiles, ask them questions, take part in text based live chats and vote for the one they to win a cash prize. The project in Kenya is in partnership with the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme.
Lab_13 is an in-school space dedicated entirely to investigation, innovation and creativity; a space managed by young people; a space where children learn to be scientists as well as learning science. The project has developed a family of laboratories based within primary and secondary schools, in both rural and urban environments, across the UK, London, Europe and Africa.
The SALUS project is a school engagement project exploring HIV research and treatment using animation, storytelling and online content. The pilot was conducted in the Umtata Region of Eastern Cape, South Africa
Webinar: Why is it important for health researchers to engage school students?
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis webinar from Dr Alun Davies from KEMRI | Wellcome Trust Research Programme in Kenya, outlines the goals, methods and outcomes of school engagement as a “win-win” engagement approach for both researchers and students
Literature: Planning for the social and economic impacts emerging from school-university engagement with research
by Mesh Editorial TeamIn this article from the Journal of Science Communication (2015) the authors reflect on their work with teachers and students at a local school in Milton Keynes in the UK. They propose a flexible and adaptive metric to support all stakeholders with planning school engagement.
Literature: Who should decide about children’s and adolescents’ participation in health research?
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis paper from BMC Medical Ethics explores how researchers and research centres can activtly involve children and young people in health research activities and in the development of research proposals. They used group discussions with community members and schools students in rural Kenya to explore views on the topic.
Report: KEMRI | Wellcome Trust Research Programme: School Engagement Programme
by Alun Iwan Davies, grace mwangoThe KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme's School Engagement Programme (SEP) aims at promoting an interest in science and science related careers amoung students as well as promoting mutual understanding between members of the community and researchers.
Superheroes again Superbugs is a public engagement programme that aims to raise awareness on antimicrobial resistance and promote community action by engaging with students in India
Project Report: Z Factor: Using themed drama competitions to facilitate conversations on psychosis
by Denford GudyangaAn overview of a project in Zimbabwe engaging communities on mental health stigma and discrimination. It worked to help combat stigma and open up collaborative pathways between the traditional/faith based and medical models of mental health treatment
Project Report: Thailand’s first Three Minutes Thesis (3MT) competition
by Mesh Editorial Team, Natinee KulpijitThe 3MT competition aims to cultivate academic presentation and research communication skills, especially the crucial ability to effectively explain academic research to a non-specialist audience in a short amount of time. At the competition in Thailand, 9 doctoral candidates from MORU and OUCRU competed against the clock to present their thesis to an audience of secondary school students.
Project Report: Actors & Doctors: Staging Public Health Matters
by kartiksharma, Dr Mallika Sarabhai, Sarah IqbalThis theatre project aimed to increase awareness of and engagement with complex public health concerns such as mental, environmental and sexual health. Implemented in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, by the Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
Project Report: Hip Hop Health: Research, Rhyme, and Rhythm for Healthy Communities
by Mesh Editorial TeamThe Hip Hop Health project facilitated the collaboration of young people with health researchers in South Africa to frame research questions, undertake investigations in their communities, and then write and perform hip hop music to share their findings
Literature: Young People's Views on Science Education in England
by Mesh Editorial TeamThe Wellcome Trust’s Science Education Tracker is a survey of young people’s attitudes toward, and experiences of, science education and careers in England. The findings of this survey informed multiple reports, including this one looking at young people’s views on science education.
InformalScience.org is a central portal to project, research and evaluation resources designed to support and connect the informal science education community in museums, media, public programs and a growing variety of learning environments
Science Communication evaluation methods at Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome Trust (MLW)– the case of the Samala Moyo project
by Mesh Editorial TeamA collection of easily accessible articles outlining community engagement with global health projects funded by the Wellcome Trust in 2010.
Article: Community Engagement for the Rapid Elimination of Malaria: the Case of Kayin State, Myanmar
by Mesh Editorial TeamThis article outlines Community Engagement efforts linked to a Targeted Malaria Elimination (TME) project in four Kayin State villages, in Myanmar where there is a real threat from the spread of drug resistant parasites. The Community Engagement programme was aimed at promoting population uptake and adherence to Mass drug administrations (MDA) in the region.
mGenAfrica is an internet-based platform and mobile application designed to promote engagement between research staff in genomics and other health research fields with high school learners (16-19 year olds)
Project Report: Using Traditional Arts to Engage School Students on Environmental Health Issues in Delhi, India
by Rachita Gupta, kartiksharma, Banalata SenOur Environment, Our Health was conceived to raise awareness among school students of India’s pressing environmental health challenges. The approach enabled students to learn, discuss and respond to environmental health issues through a process of creative inquiry and puppetry
Alexander Adadevoh from Lab 13 Ghana demonstrates how creative hands-on activities can be used to stimulate investigation, curiosity, discussion and learning in science.
This article describes and provides the tools to use a card game developed to engage players with the genetics behind malaria susceptibility.
Guide/Project Report: A Question of Taste - Hands-on Demonstration of Genomics
by Mesh Editorial Team, Bella StarlingThis article introduces an activity designed to introduce people to key concepts in genomics.
Science Engagement in Schools: Panel Discussion from 2017 Wellcome Trust International Engagement Workshop
by Editorial TeamThe benefits of running science engagement activities in schools, as well as some of the key challenges of doing so, were explored by a panel of school engagement experts from around the world in this discussion the Wellcome Trust International Engagement Workshop in 2017
Literature: The Value of Hands-on Activity In Science Engagement
by Relating Research to PracticeThis document from Relating Research to Practice provides practitioner briefs and links to four key pieces of research on the value and practicalities of engaging audiences with science through crafting, hands-on activities, or "tinkering".
Project Report: A puppet show to engage the community addressing antimicrobial resistance and research with children
by Alice Hawryszkiewycz, phaikyeongFishy Clouds, a puppet theatre show, was created to engage the community on issues of antimicrobial resistance and research with children in Thailand. Fishy Clouds ran for twelve shows during the months of November and December 2016 in schools, hospitals, theatres and health centres. The show was performed in Bangkok and in the greater Mae Sot area in the Tak district of Thailand.
Project Report: Samala Moyo
by Malawi–Liverpool– Wellcome Trust Clinical Research ProgrammeSamala Moyo is an interactive exhibition with an outreach component designed to open the Malawi–Liverpool– Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Programme (MLW) to the local community and creatively explore crucial topics in medical research. The project was developed from a small International Engagement Award-funded pilot project and subsequently received £188,000.
This brief report provides you with an overview of PRIDE’s activities at the Durga Puja Festival in New Delhi, India, to raise awareness among young people about mental health.
Village Drama against Malaria used Cambodian drama, art, music workshops and village concerts to mobilise rural communities to eliminate malaria. This report reflects upon the operations, successes and challanges of the project,
Art is a powerful medium for communication and engagement with science. To create a collaborative project that melds art with research creative practitioners and scientists must be brought together, but these individuals may think differently, have different priorities and work in different ways. This account of Genome Adventures, gives a little insight into the process of bringing different disciplines together and the challanges and benefits that result.
Project Report: Angkor Hospital for Children’s Young Persons Advisory Group
by Claudia Turner, Sreymom polAn introduction to the work of the Angkor Hospital for Children’s (AHC) Young Persons Advisory Group, a group of young Cambodians (aged 10 – 15 years) who meet monthly to discuss important operational and research issues arising from the AHC management.
Project Report: The Vaidya’s Oath: Public Engagement with Microbial Resistance through Drama
by Arundhati RajaA case study of The Vaidya’s Oath project which engaged audiences and school children with antimicrobial resistance.
Case study of a project run by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine which enabled adolescents in Zimbabwe to capture their stories and the stories of others living with HIV.