JOB SUMMARY
The Public Engagement Coordinator will be responsible for delivering engagement projects and activities linked to OUCRU research and health sciences, in particular the RESHAPE project and projects involving youth. He/she will take on two main areas of engagement as the following:
1. Engagement within the RESHAPE research project
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection of major global significance. The public health and economic burden of symptomatic infections is very high in Vietnam, especially in the southern provinces. Many types of dengue research are currently being undertaken at OUCRU including observational studies, cohort studies, therapeutic intervention trials and human-to-mosquito transmission studies, some of which involve vulnerable populations such as children and/or very sick patients in intensive care units. In addition, novel research approaches such as use of human challenge models are under consideration. All such research must be performed in accordance with internationally recognized standards for ethical and scientific quality, but it is also crucially important that due attention is paid to the views and principles of Vietnamese stakeholders and research collaborators.
The RESHAPE project is a programme of work designed to explore attitudes to clinical dengue research at different levels in Vietnamese society, in order to facilitate open discussion of complex issues and to ensure a truly equitable and balanced approach as the breadth and range of potential dengue studies expands. One sub-project (the LEAF project) involves engagement with senior stakeholders, including senior representatives from public health organisations and academic institutions, while a second sub-project (the SEED project) aims to recruit a cohort of medical and public health students undertaking their university studies in Ho Chi Minh City, to explore their perceptions and views of clinical and public health orientated research focused on dengue.
We are looking for a Public Engagement Coordinator with experience in working with youth and public engagement in Vietnam.
The Public Engagement Coordinator will develop a formal engagement strategy for the LEAF and SEED projects, in particular looking to maximize involvement of the medical and public health students (around 600 students) in the SEED cohort activities. The individual will coordinate implementation of this strategy which includes activities such as science cafes, science debates, peer-to-peer interviews, poster presentations and community-led film making.
2. Youth engagement with science
The Public Engagement Coordinator will work closely with other members of the OUCRU youth engagement team to design and deliver a wide range of activities with Vietnamese young people in HCMC and provinces. The aims of the youth engagement programme are to promote participation and voices of young people in promoting good health sciences for peer as well as to build their capacity to become ambassadors to enable wider engagement in their communities.
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KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Leading all engagement activities related to the RESHAPE research project. Main tasks include:
· Designing the engagement strategy in accordance with the research protocol and other SOPs and guidelines.
· Working closely with other team members of the RESHAPE project i.e., study doctors, research coordinators, social science researchers, communication officer to implement the designed engagement activities including science cafe, science debate, participatory films of youth voices, youth advisory board for SEED research and online engagement activities with the students in the cohort.
· Supporting the organization of other SEED activities, for example introductory meetings, science lecture series, student enrollment.
· Working closely with other research team members in monitoring the progress of the participatory action research.
· Supporting the SEED’s social science team to conduct in-depth interviews, focus group discussions when neccessary.
· Supporting the LEAF project activities as necessary, including helping to develop appropriate informational material for dissemination to senior stakeholders and/or targeted groups within the wider community.
· Supporting the drafting of reports, research papers and presentations.
· Contributing to wider project discussions and planning with the SEED team.
2. Joint coordinating ongoing OUCRU youth enagagement activities. Main tasks include:
· Organizing training, workshops for young people to learn about public engagement with science.
· Providing technical support to the PE Ambassadors when they run science debates for young people.
· Supporting the youth engagement team to disseminate OUCRU science debate and other successful youth-led engagement models to universities in HCMC and other provinces.
· Contributing to the development and implementation of media and communication material reated to OUCRU youth engagement scheme
· Providing input to the development of OUCRU youth engagement strategy.
· Where the applicant is unfamiliar with the job they may be required to spend time learning the fundamental aspects of this discipline.
DEPARTMENT
Public and Community Engagement with Science Group (PE)
LOCATION
This position will be based in Ho Chi Minh City
HOURS OF WORK
Full time Monday – Friday, 37.5 hours per week, extra hours may be required.
TENURE
Initially for 01 year, including a 02 month probation period, with possibility of extension based on annual performance appraisal and research approval
REPORTING TO
Dr Mary Chambers (Head of PE), Prof. Bridget Wills (RESHAPE Project PI)
