Our approach to research uptake builds on many years of experience of generating research evidence which has policy relevance in partnership with a range of stakeholders; working directly with program managers and policy makers in the definition of the problem and execution of the research to facilitate rapid uptake of best practices as they are generated; overcoming barriers to the use of evidence; and applying best practice communications techniques to ensuring that findings are packaged and disseminated to target audiences through a two-way process of dialogue and exchange. This approach is aligned with DFID Guidance and aims to: ensure research questions are supported by in-country and international demand; use and develop communication products and channels which are fit for target audiences of the research; build capacity among target audiences to ‘access, evaluate, synthesise and use research evidence’.
To ensure we begun on the right footing, COUNTDOWN initiated its activities by holding various stakeholder mapping consultations and capacity audits. This helped to identify all relevant stakeholders and their potential role in the successful implementation of the COUNTDOWN. Stakeholder meetings at national, district, community levels ere held to understanding their levels of capacity. This constructed a deeper understanding of our audiences, the demand for research and our positioning in terms of stakeholders with influence.
The evidence generated by COUNTDOWN will be relevant to the following audiences: policymakers within partner countries, active NGOs and community level institutions within the countries (Ghana, Cameroon, Liberia & Nigeria), bilateral and multilateral donor organisations, academics; relevant individuals at the World Health Organization and government staff from across a range of ministries and sectors.
COUNTDOWN's research was designed “beginning with the end in mind.” Delivery of the research uptake strategy is embedded as the responsibility of all COUNTDOWN members and our research methods and partnerships continue to inform our approach. Mindful of the need to both build capacity for research uptake within COUNTDOWN, and integrate the knowledge and skills of professional communications staff, there are research uptake officers in each of our focus countries and all strategically positioned in institutions that inform or make policy.
In conjunction with all partners, a monitoring and evaluation system has been put in place and draws on FHI360’s strong experience in monitoring & evaluation research uptake and implementing existing tools to track project outcomes. Monitoring research uptake capacity and assessing bottlenecks is central to how we operate.