Some guidelines for developing an international program

What makes a successful international program?

• Meets a locally perceived need
• Strong leadership at secretariat of organization and with local partners
• Organizational commitment/patience to see it through
• Empowers participants
• Integrates with on-going local programs
• Any resources are easily adaptable locally
• Maintains quality at the local level
• Match training to where needs are
• Match expectations
• Agree on definitions, outcomes and expectations
• Sustainable
• Shows some results - benchmarks/short-term goals

What are some of the challenges an international program may encounter?

• Wide variability of conditions/situations in different countries
• Culture and Language - understanding partners and matching goals and expectations
• Localization vs "core control" - deciding what is "core" and what can be modified locally. How to maximize local changes for quality and consistency?
• Obtaining information from and about local partners
• Available resources - money, time, capacity, etc..
• Sustainability

** Adapted from discussion of American Academy of Pediatrics Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Global Implementation Task Force Discussion facilitated by Bonnie Koenig, August 2006, copyright, American Academy of Pediatrics