Materials
It Takes a Village Workshops
The It Takes a Village project is divided into four workshops. Each workshop is about two (2) hours long. A facilitator presents the workshops. The project is designed for 6 to 12 participants.
During the first workshop, project participants become members of a village council and in turn, the workshops become village council meetings or fono. Each workshop or fono becomes an opportunity for the participants or village council to learn about birth outcomes disparities in the context of their culture. The fono have videos, presentations, discussions, activities, and assignments.
Is your organization interesting in implementing this curriculum? Check out this Implementation Guide opens in a new tab to help you determine what you may need.
It Takes a Village Project
Since 2012, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Office of Health Equity, along with public health and health care professionals and community partners, has been working to address birth outcomes disparities in Utah’s Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities. The final product of these efforts is the It Takes a Village: Giving our babies the best chance project. Grounded in Pacific Islander cultural beliefs and practices, the project raises awareness and educates about maternal and infant health.
Videos
Video: The unspoken truth
The Unspoken Truth is the first episode in this community education and engagement series. The title refers to the silence that surrounds infant mortality and its impact among Utah’s Pacific Islander communities. It was filmed in Salt Lake County, Utah with the collaboration of local community-based organizations and features local community members.
Video: It takes a family
It Takes a Family is the second video in the community education and engagement series for It Takes a Village: Giving our babies the best chance. It focuses on the importance of doing all you can before pregnancy to make sure the mother, baby, and family is healthy.
Video: From day one
From Day One is the fourth video in the community education and engagement series. It focuses on the importance of doing all you can to make sure the mother and baby are healthy after and between births.
Video: A healthy community
A Healthy Community is the sixth video in the community education and engagement series for It Takes a Village. The focus of this video is the community’s part in solving the issue of infant mortality among Utah’s Pacific Islanders.
Optional Video: The earlier, the better
The Earlier, The Better educates about the importance of receiving early prenatal care.
Optional Video: In this together
In This Together talks about the excitement and anxiety around having a new baby.
Activity instructions
Fono 1: Communication activity
By using open communication, we will nurture the relationships that connect us to each other. This activity will be a place to begin to help us feel confident about how to talk more openly about infant mortality with our community.
Fono 2: Navigation activity
In a western context, we have many different opportunities to nourish our fonua or fanua or the space in which we live. This activity will help us gain skills to navigate the resources available in this western space that will encourage our fonua or fanua to thrive.
Fono 3: Connection activity
Just as mothers have a responsibility to pass on their knowledge and wisdom to their children through the kaliloa or ‘aliloa, we each have a responsibility to pass on what we have learned to our kin members and community through our connections.
Fono 4: It Takes a Village project
The final activity challenges the village council to work together and make an impact on the larger community through a village project.
Presentations
Fono 1: Infant mortality
Learn more about infant mortality among our Pacific Islander community here in Utah.
Fono 2: Preconception health
Learn more about being healthy before pregnancy or nourishing the fonua or fanua before pregnancy.
Fono 3: Birth spacing
Learn more about birth spacing and the benefits of birth spacing.
Optional: Prenatal care
Learn more about prenatal care.
