Communication for social change

Communication for Social Change is defined as 'a process of public and private dialogue through which people define who they are, what they want, what they need and how they can act collectively to meet those needs and improve their lives. It supports processes of community-based decision making and collective action to make communities more effective and it builds more empowering communication environments' (Communication for Social Change Consortium CFSC).

This list of key resources was compiled for the Exchange Lunchtime Discussion on Communication for Social Change. It offers key resources relating to issues around this approach. Source welcomes details of additional resources and accounts of how they are useful - please send these to sourceassistant@hi-uk.org.

Selected resources

A new weave of power, people & politics : the action guide for advocacy and citizen participation

VENEKLASEN, Lisa
MILLER, Valerie
March 2007

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This comprehensive action guide provides an approach for building people’s participation and collective power that goes beyond influencing policy and politics to transforming public decision-making. It offers easily adaptable 'modules' for NGOs trainers, activists, grass-roots organisations, who wish to develop ideas around advocacy. One of the strengths is that it focuses on peoples participation and explores ideas relating to power and politics in citizen-centred advocacy. It emphasises power and constituency-building discussed through the lens of gender/race/class and is based upon the concrete experiences of social change worldwide
It also offers facilitators tips, sample exercises and easily adaptable handouts, along with core information to support anyone through the learning process. Based on long-term experience of a range of practitioners, the guide provides well-tested methods for promoting citizen participation and practical ways of realising a rights-based approach.
The contents, chapters 1, 3, 5, 10 and 13 can be accessed electronically

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy in adults : a guide for trainers

HORIZONS. Population Council
2004

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Successful HIV therapy requires 95% adherence. As antiretrovirals are becoming more widely available and an increasing number of ARV programmes are launched in developing countries, HIV patients need to be helped to strictly follow a treatment plan. This manual, one of the first adherence training tools developed in Africa, has been designed for health professionals in the province of Mombasa, but can be adapted to other contexts. It consists of four modules, each including Power Point presentations, suggested activities and additional informative material. Module 1 provides basic information on adherence, highlighting the consequences of non-adherence. Module 2 deals with all aspects of patient preparation for adherence and module 3 aims to provide trainees with specific skills in preparatory counseling for patients prior initiating ARV treatment. Finally, module 4 is designed to help health care providers assist patients during treatment

Advancing health communication : the PCS experience in the field

PIOTROW, Phyllis Tilson
et al
March 2003

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"This guide for health communication programs is based on the worldwide experience of the Population Communication Services (PCS4) project from 1995-2002... "This report is designed to help organizations carry out effective communication programs by addressing step-by-step some of the major problems likely to arise and by focusing on problem-solving in the rapidly changing field of health communication"

Appropriating the internet for social change : towards the strategic use of networked technologies by transnational civil society organizations

SURMAN, Mark
REILLY, Katherine
November 2003

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This research report argues that analysis of the Internet focuses too much on technology and on overcoming a "digital divide" in access to the Internet. The report looks at examples of how people in international civil society organisations have used e-mail, websites and databases to help them collaborate, publish information, mobilise people in their networks, and access information for research. The report does not cover local or national civil society organisations

Communication for social change : a position paper and conference report

DEANE, James
January 1999

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Describes an exploratory meeting in South Africa in 1998, and the ideas that emerged. Outcomes include 'a concrete definition of communication for social change, an outline for the skills and attributes needed to do this work, the conceptualization of how to train/educate people in this work and an agreement on evaluation measurements'

Communications and development : a practical guide

BURKE, Adam
1999

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DFID guide to development communications in three sections: background (channels of communication, rights, participation, implications to poor people and civil society); guide to implementing development communications (including forming a strategy, planning, using mass media, building capacity); guide to different media (drama/performance, mass media, ICT)

Communications framework for HIV/AIDS : a new direction

JOINT UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME ON HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
1999

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This framework, the product of a participatory research project on the use of communications for HIV prevention, finds conventional communications that focus on behaviour change limited in their scope and effectiveness. It questions the relationship between knowledge and behaviour, and the stress in ‘behaviour change’ communication on individual change. For sustainable change, the influence of a number of domains of social context need to be addressed, including: political and policy frameworks, gender, socio-economic status, spirituality and religion, and culture. It builds on these domains to create broad regional strategies for communications in Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean. Its suggestions for future national strategies combine interpersonal communication and mass media in key areas of HIV/AIDS prevention and care. It stipulates that participatory processes are central to designing and operationalising national strategies

Health communication : lessons from family planning and reproductive health

PIOTROW, Phyllis Tilson
et al
1997

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"Rapid growth of communication media and enhanced understanding of communication processes have enabled the application of systematic communication strategies to programs to improve health behavior. This book, based on the experiences of the Population Communication Services (PCS) of the Center for Communication Programs of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, focuses on the theory and practice of family planning communication. Since 1982, PCS has worked with governments, nongovernmental organizations, and commercial firms in more than 50 developing countries in the design, implementation, and evaluation of family planning communication programs. The book's chapters cover the process of developing communication programs aimed at increasing use of family planning, theoretical models of individual behavioral change that guide program design, each phase of communication program development from research through evaluation, and challenges that lie ahead for reproductive health communication programs in the 21st century. Lessons presented in the book are illustrated with case examples and empirical data from developing countries"

How to improve the use of medicines by consumers

CHETLEY, Andrew
et al
2007

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This manual focuses on selecting, testing, implementing and evaluating interventions to improve the use of medicines at community level. Two broad strategic areas are identified: communication strategies and strategies to create enabling environments. "What has become clear over the years is that there is no single model or approach that is the solution to all health communication challenges. Different techniques are appropriate in different contexts to deal with different priorities and problems. This manual will help you to build skills and experience to make that selection more effectively"

Interview with Denise Gray-Felder, Director of the Communications Division at The Rockefeller Foundation in New York, USA

COMMUNICATIONS INITIATIVE
August 1998

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At the time of the interview, Denise Gray-Felder was responsible for the Rockefeller Foundation’s internal and external communications, public information, public policy communications, reputation management and stakeholder relations world wide. She discusses the changing role of communications in the sector, and the emergent social change communications stream

Involving the community : a guide to participatory development communication

BESSETTE, Guy
2004

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This manual argues that communication facilitates the development process. It conceptualises communication as interaction between and among the people whose development is being considered. In this way, communication becomes the development process itself, and the stakeholders - community members or their supporters who share an interest in the outcome - are development communicators as well. Using examples from environmental and natural resource management to illustrate participatory development communication, the manual is adaptable to other development areas, including health. It describes the root concepts of participatory development communication, a ten-step methodology for its application, and suggests communication tools appropriate to the approach. In an annex appended to the book, the author presents a summary of the changing perception of the relationship between the twin processes of communication and development. This adds a theoretical background to the material that gives it more depth for development researchers and practitioners for whom the book is intended, and will also be useful for development communication students

Linking knowledge and communication : ECDPM strategy on knowledge management and communication

EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT POLICY MANAGEMENT (ECDPM)
November 2008

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"The broad objectives of this Knowledge Management and Communication Strategy are; To guide the Centre [ECDPM] in using knowledge management and communication more strategically in all our activities; To optimise our knowledge management activities and those areas of communication which the Centre is valued for; and To strengthen our efforts in the areas of communication and outreach where we are lagging behind, in particular with a view to reaching and engaging audiences which we have not so far sufficiently tapped into"

Mapping dialogue : a research project profiling dialogue tools and processes for social change

BOJER, Marianne Mille
MCKAY, Elaine
ROEHL, Heiko
April 2006

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This report profiles ten methods for facilitating dialogue. The approaches are diverse: some are designed for small groups, others for large numbers of people; some explore conflict while others are based on what is agreed. Part 1 looks at the foundations for, and approaches to, dialogue and offers some background on dialogue in traditional African culture. Part 2 maps out ten dialogue methods in depth and a number of others more briefly. Part 3 offers some ideas for how to assess what method to use in a given context

Mapping political context : a toolkit for civil society organisations

NASH, Robert
HUDSON, Alan
LUTTERELL, Cecilia
July 2006

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This comprises of a range of tools that civil society organisations (CSOs) can use to understand and map political context, in order to engage more effectively in policy processes. The tools have been selected because they cover a wide variety of political dimensions. As such, they provide a menu of different approaches to mapping political context; CSOs and others can select from this menu and make use of the tools according to their own needs

Overview of health communication campaigns

THE HEALTH COMMUNICATION UNIT
March 2007

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This guide provides a hands-on 12-step process to developing health communication campaigns. Each chapter is created according to the steps, with information on what the step is, why it is important and what is required to carry it out

Policy briefs as a communication tool for development research

JONES, Nicola
WALSH, Cora
May 2008

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There has been little systematic research in the development field about the communication needs of developing country policy-makers and how such research can be used to inform policy brief content and design. This background note looks at the research communication environment involving researchers, policy-makers and development practitioners from the North and South in science, technology and innovation

Responding to reproductive health needs: a participatory approach for analysis and action

WORLD NEIGHBORS
2001

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A report and training guide documenting two workshops in Nepal in the late 1990s, designed to help NGO trainers gain skills to assist communities in identifying and addressing reproductive health needs. Specific objectives include helping participants develop a gender-sensitive approach, analyze their current activities with regard to gender issues, and gain skills in the use of participatory methods and tools. Describes the methodology, objectives and stages of the workshops, and includes participatory exercises and tips

The paradigm of communication in development : from knowledge transfer to community participation : lessons from the Grameen Bank, Bangladesh

FUGELSANG, A
CHANDLER, D
1997

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This case study describes in some detail the communication methodologies in a cooperative bank in Bangladesh, which relies on the participation of landless people. The paper describes and analyzes the bank's approach to external and internal communication and information processing, its methods of information, management and decision-making - features of the Bank's organization and functioning which have played a significant role in its success

The partnering toolbook

TENNYSON, Ros
2003

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This publication is in three parts: Part 1 is a short book that describes the generic partnering process from inception to conclusion. Part 2 is in the form of ‘stand alone’ tools to enable practitioners to develop effective partnerships. Part 3 includes more information about the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the issues around food fortification and case studies selected to be locally appropriate for each of the different language versions

SUPPORT tools for evidence-informed health policymaking (STP)

OXMAN, Andy
HANNEY, Stephen
Eds
December 2009

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This is a set of 18 tools that can be used by those involved in finding and using research evidence to support evidence-informed health policy making. The series addresses four broad areas: supporting evidence-informed policymaking; identifying needs for research evidence; finding and assessing research evidence; and, going from research evidence to decisions

The value of advocacy in promoting social change : implementing the new Domestic Violence Act in South Africa

USDIN, Shereen
CHRISTOFIDES, Nicola
MALEPE, Lebo
MAKER, Aadielah
November 2000

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This paper describes an advocacy campaign to ensure the effective implementation of South Africa's Domestic Violence Act. Lessons from the campaign stress the importance of coalition building to draw on diverse strengths, and the use of a combination of advocacy tools, including lobbying, media advocacy and social mobilisation to achieve campaign goals. While many advocacy efforts focus on the development of policy and legislation, ongoing efforts are needed to ensure effective implementation, the commitment of adequate resources and monitoring to identify gaps and propose new solutions. The experience presented highlights the important role of policy advocates in connecting the multiple streams at play in the policy and legislative arena

The barefoot guide to working with organisations and social change

REELER, Doug
et al
July 2009

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This is a practical, do-it-yourself guide for leaders and facilitators wanting to help organisations to function and to develop in more healthy, human and effective ways as they strive to make their contributions to a more humane society... The guide, with its supporting website, includes tried and tested concepts, approaches, stories and activities. Its purpose is to help stimulate and enrich the practice of anyone supporting organisations and social movements in their challenges of working, learning, growing and changing to meet the needs of our complex world. Although it is aimed at leaders and facilitators of civil society organisations, we hope it will be useful to anyone interested in fostering healthy human organisation in any sphere of life. This resource has a supporting website where additional resources are available

Reflect

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Reflect is an innovative approach to adult learning and social change which fuses the theories of Paulo Freire with the methodology of participatory rural appraisal. The website includes news and information about current and past Reflect initiatives, as well as links to the 'Mother manual' and related resources

Soul Beat Africa : social change

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This is the 'social change' page in the 'thinking' section of Soul Beat Africa, a joint initiative of Soul City and the Communications Initiative. It lists and links to about 20 resources, from papers and commentaries to interviews and case studies, on this topic

The Communication Initiative

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The Communication Initiative (CI) is a partnership of development organisations seeking to support advances in the effectiveness and scale of communication interventions for positive international development. The CI strategy includes provision of real-time information on communication and development experiences and thinking, facilitating horizontal linkages between people engaged in communication action, peer commentary on programmes and strategies and taking opportunities to promote strategic thinking on communication and development issues and problems. Themed sites within this website relate to: avian flu; HIV & AIDS; democracy & governance; early childhood development; health communication; ICT policies and studies; ICT for development; natural resource management; polio; and community radio and edutainment in Africa

CIET International

USA

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511 Avenue of the Americas #132
New York, NY 10011

CIET is an international group of professionals from a variety of disciplines, including epidemiology, medicine, planning, communications and other social sciences, who bring scientific research methods to community levels. By involving people at these levels in information gathering and analysis, CIET helps them to participate, in an increasingly informed way, in decisions that affect their lives. Through both formal and on-the-job training over a series of reiterative survey cycles, CIET shares its collective skills and its methods with national, regional and local planners to help develop local stakeholder information systems and build indigenous capacities for evidence-based planning and action. CIET is also an academic centre, based at the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero in Mexico that provides formal training in evidence-based planning through short courses and an intensive eight-week course as well as through diploma, masters and doctoral programmes. In addition to New York and Mexico, it also has offices in Nicaragua, Pakistan, London, Ottawa and Johannesburg

Communication for Social Change Consortium

USA

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14 South Orange Avenue
Suite 2F
South Orange NJ 07079

The CFSC Consortium is dedicated to the belief that innovative communication processes are critical to the development of poor and historically marginalised communities. The Consortium seeks to increase the capacity of communication specialists, development workers, aid agencies, nonprofit organisations and communities to use communication for social change concepts in order to improve the lives of those who have been long excluded. Based on important experiences that are surfacing through participatory research, the Consortium is redefining how communication is practiced and taught to develpoment organisations and practitioners working in excluded communities

Panos Institute

UK

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9 White Lion St
London N1 9PD

Panos believes people will only be lifted out of poverty if they have a greater say in their own development. Panos works with the media to produce informative articles and radio programmes and to stimulate public debate within developing countries on issues like HIV/AIDs, unjust trade rules and climate change