RESOURCE CENTRE MANUAL
HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
• Example of resources needed to carry out the objective: staff time, relevant
materials in the resource centre or obtainable from elsewhere, stationery,
photocopier, postage.
• Example of revised objective: To produce and distribute an information
pack on malaria diagnosis and management to 20 health clinics and
training institutions within the next six months.
3. Identify action required to achieve the objective
A series of tasks needs to be identified for the objectives to be achieved. List
these as steps. Ask yourself:
• What tasks are necessary, in what order, to meet the objective?
Example:
1. Plan the content of the information pack and decide how to distribute
the packs, in consultation with other staff and users.
2. Calculate costs and staff time, and make sure that funds and time are
available.
3. Allocate responsibilities.
4. Gather information for the pack (search resource centre, contact other
organisations).
5. Request permission from publishers to photocopy material.
6. Photocopy material and prepare packs.
7. Distribute packs.
4. Work out how to evaluate the activity
Plans for finding out how far the activity has achieved its objectives need to be
built into the action plan. Ask yourself:
• How will we know whether we have achieved our objectives?
Example:
8. Contact five clinics to see whether they have received the packs.
9. Include an evaluation form in the pack, asking health workers whether
the information has improved their knowledge, how they have used the
information, and how future packs could be improved. Assess the
feedback from the forms.
Then incorporate plans for evaluation into your action plan.
Example (showing plans for evaluation in bold italics):
1. Plan the content of the information pack, including evaluation forms,
and decide how to distribute the packs, in consultation with other staff
and users.
2. Calculate costs and staff time, and make sure that funds and time are
available.
3. Allocate responsibilities.
4. Gather information for the pack (search resource centre, contact other
organisations).
5. Request permission from publishers to photocopy material.
6. Prepare evaluation forms.
7. Photocopy material, prepare packs.
8. Distribute packs.
9. Contact clinics to see if they have received packs.
8 SECTION 1: PLANNING A RESOURCE CENTRE