Communicating to Engage

Abstract

Breakout Session 1B: This workshop offers a different approach to improving communication between community members and researchers. Presenters will demonstrate improvisational theater techniques that help build skills around connecting authentically with an audience, paying attention to others, and reading body language. The purpose of this approach is to build a bridge among community members, patients, providers, researchers, and other stakeholders involved in health-related research. Researchers often struggle to clearly communicate the purpose of their research and its implications, which leaves community members uninspired to engage. This skills-based workshop will introduce elements from theater training to encourage participants to communicate better as partners in research. Using techniques adapted from the Alda MethodTM of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, the leaders will demonstrate ways of reframing research to be community-oriented, conversational, and accessible without “dumbing it down.” These techniques have been used to build interest in community engagement, develop community advisory panels, and aid study recruitment, among other applications. Participants will learn: distilling techniques to communicate about research or health using clear, vivid language the value of focusing on the needs of the audience relationship building techniques through empathy, listening, and authentic connection.