Stigma Conversations: Facilitation Tools

Stakeholder Mapping

While efforts should be made prior to the Stigma Conversation to ensure diverse stakeholders are present and engaged, there may be additional actors who could potentially be engaged in the stigma reduction action plans. Time during the Stigma Conversation can be taken to work with participants to map stakeholders. The following exercise helps in organizing stakeholders into different groups and identifying those who can be allies and who may need additional advocacy or engagement to support the efforts of the action plan. The below activity can be about particular topic areas (for example: supporting services for Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men) or could remain general depending on the objectives of the Stigma Conversation.

Stakeholder Mapping Exercise

Each participant should have access to sticky notes and markers. The facilitators then can use tape, flip board paper, or other tools to design the below grid somewhere that is visible to attendees.

Participants of the stigma conversation should take time to brainstorm all the stakeholders that are in the community and fit within the above categories. This activity can take 20 to 30 minutes to complete. The facilitator can ask the following questions at the end:

• Are we missing any stakeholders?
• Does it seem like our broad community is engaged in stigma reduction efforts or that we have quite a few barriers?
• Are there any common trends between those who are allies, neutral-allies, neutral-barriers, or barriers?

SWOT Analysis

The Stigma Conversation may also be interested in conducting a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis to ascertain what areas may need the most work to ensure stigma reduction in the response to HIV and hepatitis. This analysis can be done in parallel with the Stakeholder Analysis to see which stakeholders have the strengths, opportunities, weaknesses or threats for stigma reduction efforts. The facilitator should ask participants, when it comes to reducing stigma in the community and the work that we do, what are our:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Opportunities:

Threats:

Notes should be taken under each area (preferably on flip charts and posted in visible spaces), saved throughout the stigma conversation and referred to regularly as action plans are developed. This will help ensure a full knowledge of opportunities to strengthen initiatives, build capacity in other areas, and ensure threats are reduced as much as possible.

More information can be found here.

Action Planning

Health departments may be interested in developing next steps or action plans from the discussions held during the Stigma Conversations. As such, tools will be provided for health departments to think through concrete steps to reducing stigma and other structural barriers that hinder prevention and care for HIV and hepatitis.