12 ways to communicate development more effetivelcy

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12 Ways to Communicate Development More Effetivelcy

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12 ways to communicate development more effectively

From fundraising to behaviour change, communications is key to development work. Our panel explain how to do it better

Rachel Banning-LoverMaria Schleimann, communication officer, International Dalit Solidarity Network, Copenhagen, Denmark, @idsnupdatesCampaign for justice, not pity: We focus on access to rights and justice for the people we work with. We get participants to make videos to showcase the voices of the communities we work with.

Move beyond simplistic case studies: To meet media demands for personal appeal, we over rely on case studies. We need to re-evaluate how we can still deliver nugget-size communication goodies, but giving a stronger representation of the cause.

Tobias Denskus, lecturer in communication for development, University of Malm, Malm, Sweden, @aidnography

Engage youth: This is a huge challenge. We need to engage young people but not produce a new generation of voluntourists or social entrepreneurial fixers. Young people open up more channels of communication.

Communicate unsexy results: People who donate and volunteer want to see results and aid cant always produce those results immediately. How can we communicate the small-scale, less exciting effects of aid, such as parliamentarians trained through a UN programme?

Kofi Yeboah, communications manager, Clean Team Ghana, Kumasi, Ghana, @kofiemeritus

Let the people who own the story tell it: They can evoke the most empathy. Communicate and understand the issues of poverty from the perspective of these people.

Sina Odugbemi, senior communications officer (policy), World Bank, Washington DC, USA, @WorldBankMake a case for development spending: Polls in Europe consistently show that support for development is wide but shallow. This is due to the limited power of emotive campaigns. People need to know if any of their money is doing permanent good or whether the cynics are right. That kind of case-making is, sadly, not done consistently and rigorously.

Avoid promoting quick fixes: What that does is provoke disillusionment down the road. We need to discourage young people particularly from thinking complex problems can be solved with a rush of energy and cool new tools. We need to be communicating that many tough challenges will require stamina and sustained effort and commitment.

Onyekachi Wambu, director, Afford, London, UK

Campaign more for job creation: Jobs are key to reducing poverty in the global south, but were not strong at making the case for job creation. We need a powerful answer to why people unemployed in the north see this as a good use of their tax dollars.

Address myths about inequality: India has more poor people than Africa. However, the British media are increasingly asking: why should Britain be sending aid to a country with a space programme?

Victoria Okoye, senior communications specialist, Abt Associates, Accra, Ghana, @victoria_okoyeCommunicate to the beneficiaries: You need to communicate to the communities youre working in, not just to the donors and general public. This is critical for strengthening relationships.

Daniel Balaban, representative and country director, WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger, Braslia, Brazil, @danibalabanShare communications tactics with local organisations: Wealthy countries role should be to share their knowledge of communications with others to tell peoples stories without imposing views.

Jennifer Peterson, director of communications, GRM Futures Group, Washington, DC, USA, @GRMINT

Create powerful stories through shared experiences: Focusing on the individual lives of children, women and men impacted by development work creates powerful connections. It helps us realise both the commonality and differences in our lives. For example, many women across countries and cultures find connections around a shared experience as mothers.

Read the rest of the discussion on the live Q&A here.Read more stories like this: Do you want my job? The NGO advocate Millions of retweets, celebrity backing but no happy ending: #BringBackOurGirls six-month timeline Media and communications: the first line of defence against Ebola How to campaign online: 15 dos and donts