Attention All Public Health Educators!
The Sheela Basrur Centre Communications Student Award provides students from public health and/or communications disciplines an opportunity to showcase their talents, knowledge and creativity by developing communications strategies on critical public health issues
In tandem with this year’s Vaccine Sciences Symposium organized by Public Health Ontario, the Sheela Basrur Centre is inviting students to develop communications strategies/campaigns that focus on restoring public confidence in immunization and address vaccine hesitancy.
We’re looking for students to create innovative approaches to ease misconceptions about immunization stemming from social media, misinformation and advocacy by celebrities like Jenny McCarthy, who, in recent years, has led the charge on the anti-vaccine movement in North America.
These commentaries, along with personal beliefs based on individual stories and misinformation have done much to erode public confidence in vaccines. Public perception towards the risks involved in vaccination has caused some parents to become reluctant to vaccinate their children and themselves.
Innovative communications campaigns are needed to counter the anti-vaccine movement and help restore public confidence. We’re looking to students for new ideas on engaging the public, telling the vaccine story, and helping protect Ontarians against vaccine-preventable diseases.
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Please Share This Exciting Opportunity Within Your Networks of Students and Colleagues
Eligibility:
This award is available to graduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled in a public health and/or communications program at an Ontario university or college (communications programs may include media studies, journalism, public relations and marketing).
Expectations:
Students are to address the challenges posed by vaccine hesitancy with a communications strategy/campaign, outlining promotional concepts for restoring public confidence in immunization and vaccine effectiveness.
Up to six students will be selected to showcase their ideas/campaigns during a 5-minute presentation at the 2013 Vaccine Sciences Symposium on December 5, 2013. This presentation will be a brief snapshot of the proposed strategy/campaign. The award will be given for the best student communications presentation. Approximately 200 public health professionals are expected to attend this year’s Vaccine Sciences Symposium.
Award value:
There will be one prize of $250 (CDN) awarded.
Application deadline:
October 15, 2013
For further details about this award, please visit:
www.sheelabasrurcentre.ca/communications-student-award.html