NOURISH Project: Interpersonal Communication Guide for VHSGs

The guide is designed to support the "Grow Together" campaign, which focuses on improving nutrition and health outcomes for children under the age of two. The guide emphasizes the importance of IPC in promoting behavior change related to nutrition, particularly in pregnancy, infant, and young child feeding practices. IPC is considered an effective approach because it allows volunteers to work with families to solve problems and address their specific challenges within their own resources. VHSGs, as trusted and influential individuals, play a crucial role in promoting key behaviors through IPC. The guide identifies multiple opportunities for applying IPC to promote key "Grow Together" behaviors, including home visits, community growth promotion sessions, village fairs, and community dialogues. VHSGs may also support activities such as demonstrating and providing technical assistance for "first 1,000 days" gardens, fish powder, and sanitation. The guide provides a comprehensive overview of IPC skills, including building rapport, asking questions and active listening, and discussing key messages. It also includes tools and key messages for promoting specific behaviors, such as pregnancy, infant, and young child feeding practices. The guide is based on evidence from a systematic literature review and existing resources, including the Health Promotion and Communication Project (HealthPRO) of USAID/Philippines and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) on Gender Mainstreaming and Childhood Development and Protection in Agriculture. The training guide is designed to be practical and grounded in the knowledge and skills needed for Cambodian VHSGs to perform their tasks more effectively and consistently. The guide has been field-tested among select NOURISH staff and VHSGs in Battambang, and the results have been used to adjust the guide. The guide includes a checklist for IPC skills, an agenda for the IPC skills training for VHSGs, and a pre- and post-test written questionnaire. The guide is intended to support the training of VHSGs in IPC skills and to promote effective communication with "first 1,000 days" families. The NOURISH Project Interpersonal Communication Guide for VHSGs is a valuable resource for promoting behavior change related to nutrition and health outcomes among children under the age of two in Cambodia. The guide provides a comprehensive overview of IPC skills and tools for promoting specific behaviors, and it is designed to be practical and grounded in the knowledge and skills needed for Cambodian VHSGs. The guide's emphasis on building rapport, asking questions and active listening, and discussing key messages is particularly relevant for VHSGs, who play a crucial role in promoting key behaviors through IPC. The guide's focus on promoting specific behaviors, such as pregnancy, infant, and young child feeding practices, is also critical for improving nutrition and health outcomes among children under the age of two.