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Storytelling for Public Health

How can you effectively convey your public health message using storytelling? 


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Course Information

  • Audience: Public health professionals, especially program managers and communication specialists, in governmental and non-profit sectors. Public health stakeholders who would like to contribute their story to the public health dialog.
  • Format: Self-paced
  • Price: Free
  • Length: 1.0 hours
  • Credential(s) eligible for contact hours:

    Sponsored by New England Public Health Training Center (NEPHTC), a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designated for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES) to receive up to 1 total Category I continuing education contact hour.  Maximum advanced-level continuing education contact hour is 1.  Provider ID: 1131137 Event ID:SS1131137_04012020.
    If you are not seeking a CHES/MCHES contact hours, if you complete the post-test and evaluation, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. The Certificate will include the length of the course.

  • Competencies: Communication Skills
  • Learning Level: Performance – learners will be able to outline a story using a storyboard.
  • Companion trainings: None
  • Pre-requisites: None
  • Technical Requirements: This training was created with Articulate Storyline. Please refer to the Articulate 360 System Specifications to ensure your system meets the minimum requirements for viewing.


About this course

This course introduces storytelling as an effective communication tool in public health practice. After reviewing story structures, learners will review public health stories in multiple formats and outline their own story using a storyboard.

Do you have a great idea, data, or experience to share but can’t seem to reach your intended audience? Create a story to match your communication goal, audience, delivery options. In this course you will learn the elements of story and become familiar with two formats that you can use to frame your story. After reviewing real public health examples in a variety for formats, try outlining your own story using a storyboard. 


What you'll learn

After completing this course, you will be able to...

  • Briefly describe the history of storytelling
  • Explain why story is an effective means of communication
  • Define the subject, audience, goal, and delivery format options for a story
  • Define the elements of a story: hook, inciting incident, protagonist, antagonist, tension, climax and conclusion
  • Explain two story formats: Story Mountain and the Journey Curve
  • Describe how a storyboard is used to outline a story
  • List questions to ask yourself when creating your title
  • List ethical consideration of storytelling
  • Outline a story in storyboard format


Subject Matter Expert


  • Lynn Zanardi Blevins

  • Lynn Zanradi Blevins has been practicing public health in government and academic settings for 20 years in the areas of infectious disease, environmental health, emergency preparedness, and One Health (human-animal-environmental health).



    Enrollment and Contact Hours

    Select the Enroll button below to register for the course. If you have any trouble accessing the course, contact support@nephtc.org.

    Acknowledgement:

    This project is/was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UB6HP31685 “Regional Public Health Training Center Program.” This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

    * Yale School of Public Health, Office of Public Health Practice, a New England Public Health Training Center partner, is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. All CHES credit inquiries are managed by YSPH

Self enrollment (Student)
Self enrollment (Student)