Free Online Courses
Background
After a series of successful EpiHacks and noting increasing interest in applying this approach to address disease surveillance challenges, Ending Pandemics partnered with Business on Network (BON) to develop a series of online courses to support potential EpiHack hosts and organizers in learning how to plan and execute EpiHack events. These trainings help users to consider both the practical and logistical considerations required for such an event, as well as how to engage in facilitation and management of participants during the event.
The many successful outcomes and products from past EpiHack events speak to the value of these unique convenings and the power of bringing different sectors together. Ending Pandemics, BON, and our other EpiHack partners place a strong emphasis on having local organizations take the lead in organizing and facilitating EpiHacks to meet their own challenges.
Our Approach
Business On Network (BON) has established the EpiHack / Online Course Trainings to support the continued planning and replication of EpiHackevents moving forward. We have collaborated with past EpiHack organizers and facilitators from previous EpiHacks to create training and mentoring programs for our prospective EpiHack organizations and facilitators. Current we provide four free online courses:
The two foundational courses: General Organizer Course and General Facilitator Course consist of standard toolkits, useful materials, and practical methods on how to conduct an EpiHack event for any organization that is interested in hosting an EpiHack event. We typically require any new EpiHack organizers to complete these courses prior to the event.
Furthermore, we have developed two advanced courses: Advanced Organizer Course and Advanced Facilitator Course, for any former EpiHack organizer or facilitator who has proven his/her organizing and/or facilitating skills in EpiHack event(s) and has completed our General Course(s) to take further steps to become an EpiHack mentor.
We are continually revising and improving these training materials and welcome the community's feedback. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, comments or feedback.