Module 1: Communication Planning

In this Module:

How a communication plan can help with program implementation
How to develop a communication plan, including a fillable template
How to use plain language to develop effective communication materials

Communication Plan

Communication is key to implementing school-based HIV/STD prevention strategies that include sexual health education (SHE), sexual health services (SHS), and safe and supportive environments (SSE).

Take some time to think about how communication can help support your program implementation:

What do you want to achieve across SHE, SHS, and SSE, and how can communication support your efforts?
What district-level or school-level activities will you conduct to:
- strengthen staff capacity,
- increase student access to programs and services, and
- engage parent and community partners?

Communication planning can help you implement these activities.

Capturing the answers to these questions, and more, in a communication plan will help you define your communication goals. A communication plan also will provide you with an overall communication strategy that can support your program implementation and bring it to full capacity.

The elements of a communication plan include:

bullseye pointer icon Goals

What you want to achieve

users solid icon Audience

Who you want to reach

comments alt solid icon Messages

What information you want to communicate to your audience

database solid icon Methods/Tactics

What you are going to do

calendar check solid icon Timeline

How you get everything done and who is responsible

money bill solid icon Budget

How much your communication activities cost

chart line solid icon Evaluation

How you determine if you are successful

Use the Communication Plan template word icon[DOC – 140 KB] to develop a communication strategy to support your program implementation.

The template has prompts to guide you through defining some of the elements listed above.

Think about:

What you want to achieve across the SHE, SHS, and SSE strategies
What district-level or school-level activities you will conduct within the overarching domains to:
Strengthen staff capacity
Increase student access to programs and services
Engage parent and community partners

The template has prompts to guide you through defining each element of your communication plan.

Download the templateword icon

Developing Effective Communication Materials

Your communication plan will need to include materials specifically developed for your audience(s). Module 2: Communication Templates and Module 4: Sample Social Media Post and Graphics include templates content, and graphics that you can use to develop and customize your materials

Following the checklist will help you to write for your audience(s) to make your materials more effective.

Health Literacy Best Practices Checklist

Identify the action you want the reader to take after seeing your materials
Determine 3–5 messages you will include in your materials
Describe in your materials the benefits of taking action —what’s in it for them
Tell readers only what they need to know—skip unnecessary details that may distract from your main messages and benefits
Use plain language that any reader will understand—avoid technical jargon
Use images or graphics and data that are relevant to the content
Use captions on your images to reinforce your messages, as applicable
Create opportunities for reader interaction (e.g., questions to answer)

Tell the reader what to expect from reading the material
Put the most important information at the beginning of your material and repeat it at the end
Use headings, subheadings, or bullets to break up sections of content

Use words your audience uses
Use active voice
Use a friendly, conversational style
Use short sentences
Use familiar examples
Use simple words and be consistent
Avoid abbreviations and acronyms when possible
Limit use of statistics

Leave white space between columns or sections of content
Use bold to emphasize key words
Create a layout that aids readability (left-justified and at least ½” margins)
Use bullets to break up large sections of text
Use color to aid readability
Use images that are relevant to your text

Additional communication planning resources:

Page last reviewed: March 26, 2021

Content source: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion