Module 1: Communication Planning
Materials by Module
![Toolkit_CommResources_Icon-crcl-purple Toolkit communication resource icon](/healthyyouth/fundedprograms/1807/toolkit/images/Toolkit_CommResources_Icon-crcl-purple-thumbnail.png?_=46771)
In this Module:
- How a communication plan can help with program implementation
- How to develop a communication plan, including a fillable template
- How to use plain language to develop effective communication materials
Communication Plan
Communication is key to implementing school-based HIV/STD prevention strategies that include sexual health education (SHE), sexual health services (SHS), and safe and supportive environments (SSE).
Take some time to think about how communication can help support your program implementation:
- What do you want to achieve across SHE, SHS, and SSE, and how can communication support your efforts?
- What district-level or school-level activities will you conduct to:
- strengthen staff capacity,
- increase student access to programs and services, and
- engage parent and community partners?
Communication planning can help you implement these activities.
Capturing the answers to these questions, and more, in a communication plan will help you define your communication goals. A communication plan also will provide you with an overall communication strategy that can support your program implementation and bring it to full capacity.
Goals
Goals
What you want to achieve
What you want to achieve
Audience
Audience
Who you want to reach
Who you want to reach
Messages
Messages
What information you want to communicate to your audience
What information you want to communicate to your audience
Methods/Tactics
Methods/Tactics
What you are going to do
What you are going to do
Timeline
Timeline
How you get everything done and who is responsible
How you get everything done and who is responsible
Budget
Budget
How much your communication activities cost
How much your communication activities cost
Evaluation
Evaluation
How you determine if you are successful
How you determine if you are successful
Use the Communication Plan template [DOC – 140 KB] to develop a communication strategy to support your program implementation.
The template has prompts to guide you through defining some of the elements listed above.
Think about:
- What you want to achieve across the SHE, SHS, and SSE strategies
- What district-level or school-level activities you will conduct within the overarching domains to:
- Strengthen staff capacity
- Increase student access to programs and services
- Engage parent and community partners
The template has prompts to guide you through defining each element of your communication plan.
Developing Effective Communication Materials
Your communication plan will need to include materials specifically developed for your audience(s). Module 2: Communication Templates and Module 4: Sample Social Media Post and Graphics include templates content, and graphics that you can use to develop and customize your materials
Following the checklist will help you to write for your audience(s) to make your materials more effective.
Health Literacy Best Practices Checklist
Additional communication planning resources: