Our Views, Our Voices

by HCC


Healthy Caribbean Coalition – Our Views, Our Voices Peer Training Programme

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) Our Views, Our Voices programme is a peer-led training programme which stems from Our Views, Our Voices an initiative of the NCD Alliance and People Living With NCDs .

The HCC programme aims to equip people living with and affected by non-communicable diseases (PLWNCDs) to become effective spokespersons, able to share their lived experiences to build a powerful narrative on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to amplify the advocacy agenda of PLWNCDs.

The programme will focus on, among other things, developing the communication skills of participants who will be able to contribute to the advocacy efforts of the HCC. HCC’s priority policy areas for action on NCDs include access to essential medicines, childhood obesity prevention, cervical cancer prevention, mental health and broader NCD prevention and management for the 5 priority NCDs.

Trainings will be led by PLWNCDs – Our Views Our Voices Peer Trainers. One training session will be held for participants in Barbados and will be supported by the HCC. One training session will be held in Trinidad and Tobago for participants in Trinidad & Tobago will be supported by the Trinidad & Tobago NCD Alliance (TTNCDA).

Two-Day Workshop Training Dates
Barbados : November 28th – 29th, 2019, at the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre in Barbados. Read more
Trinidad and Tobago: 2020.

Participants will:

  • Be introduced to global, regional and national NCD contexts, including HCC/TTNCDA priority policy areas for action.
  • Gain an enhanced understanding of the concept and mechanisms of meaningful involvement of PLWNCDs.
  • Develop communication skills to leverage personal stories to call for change.
  • Gain confidence in being spokespeople and advocates for NCD prevention and control.
  • Develop a list of actions that can be taken to take advantage of advocacy opportunities and advance the Advocacy Agenda of PLWNCDs in HCC/ TTNCDA priority policy areas.
  • Apply their learnings and skills through speaking and advocacy roles.

Meet Your Certified Our Views Our Voices Peer Trainers

Asha Samaroo – Trinidad & Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago Training)
Diana Gittens – Guyana (Barbados Training)
Jenna Thompson – Healthy Caribbean Coalition

Asha and Diana were accompanied by HCC Advocacy Officer Jenna Thompson at the Our Views Our Voices Train-The-Trainer Workshop held in Geneva in June 2019. Watch the videos below to hear more about their experiences.

Photos from the  Our Views Our Voices Train-The-Trainer Workshop held in Geneva © NCD Alliance/Gilberto Lontro

This work is supported by the NCD Alliance as part of its partnership with Access Accelerated to support work related to the Our Views, Our Voices initiative, find out more about the NCD Alliance Programme here.