Program duration: 01/11/2010 - 01/11/2012

Health Reporting Training Project- HeaRT

Education, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency – Lifelong Learning: Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig and Dissemination 

Prolepsis coordinated a 2-year EU co-funded project, titled “Health Reporting Training – HeaRT” under the Education, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency – Lifelong Learning: Leonardo da Vinci, Grundtvig and Dissemination. 

HeaRT’s primary goal was to develop high quality vocational training offering knowledge and skills to journalists to improve health reporting in the EU aiming at reliable health information dissemination and education for the general public. Due to the massive impact media have on health perceptions and decision making, HeaRT aimed to contribute to better quality health news. 

Based on a critical analysis of health journalism education, a comprehensive review of existing knowledge and original research, HeaRT produced and piloted innovative vocational training tools. Workshops were conducted in all partner countries and an online e-learning tool as well as an easy-to-use CDROM were developed and widely disseminated across the EU for further use by professionals, organizations, academic institutions. 

More specifically, HeaRT: 

–    Explored and recorded existing relative educational programs on an EU level and built an electronic platform with useful information on the identified programs. 
–    Reviewed the literature and conducted a survey among journalists concerning their needs and beliefs on specialized training on the issue of journalism and health. 
–    Developed training methodology, curriculum and materials that combine expertise on both health and journalism. 
–    Piloted 4-day seminars for journalists in the 7 EU countries that participate in the project. 
–    Made the educational material available and easily accessible as an online training tool through the project’s website. 
–    Conducted a European conference in Greece and national info days in United Kingdom, Estonia, Portugal, Romania, Germany and Finland.