DRP OverviewOctober 2005
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UNDP/GEF DANUBE REGIONAL PROJECT
Paul Csagoly
UNDP-GEF DRP Communiocation Expert
IW Learn Workshop
Vienna, January 19, 2006
From the start! Communicating strategically
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In the beginning…
• WWF commissioned for Comms Strategy in 2002
• ‘Living document’• Focus on how to:
– use comms as a project tool
– communicate what DRP is and does – why?...
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It’s a complex project!
• 60 - 80 technical sub-projects• 130 grants• 13 countries• Danube impacts on Black Sea• Link with larger WB project• Many partners and players• Need comms to simplify!
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Communicate 6 key DRP project goals
Brochure for China GEF conference forced quick thinking, clear messages
1. reduce nutrient pollution2. reduce toxic pollution3. improve water services4. strengthen agro policy5. provide RBM tools6. protect wetlands
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Desired Outcomes
1: Increased stakeholder awareness of DRP, six key goals and activities
2: Focus on one goal - reducing nutrient pollution from agriculture
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Desired Outcomes3: Increased public
awareness about big picture– What’s a basin,
nutrients, ICPDR, WFD?
4: Internal communications support for select DRP projects
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Other strategy parts
• Target audiences• Main messages• Delivery mechanisms (products
and activities)• Monitoring and Evaluation
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Communicating the DRP - basic products
• Visual identity and strapline
• Brochures• Website• Presentation• 1000s of photos!
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Results: ICPDR-related
• Danube Watch (design and stories)• Danube Day and art competition• Raise awareness of Danube issues,
solutions and ICPDR • Funding ICPDR publications, materials • Capacity-building• Media support (press releases)
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NGO support• Enhances NGO
projects• Strategic help
– DEF campaigns (local, international)
– Regional grants• Other DEF support
– Visual identity, branding
– Media support (press releases)
– Funding publications
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Agriculture and pollution• Farmers, NGO grants, federal agro ministries• Early reports – thick, technical, not widely
disseminated– Identify ‘news/tools’ (new information,
recommendations, partnerships)– Re-package and disseminate (Fact Sheets, stories,
Danube Watch, media)– Encourage maximum use and application
• Now– Communications Strategy– Media support– Disseminate news/tools
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Tariffs and charges• Help municipalities
improve wastewater treatment
• Work with project manager
• Strategy targets utility managers
• Ensure maximum dissemination, awareness, use of results/tools
• “We know your needs, here’s how we can help”
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Main Lesson: Take comms seriously
• Sub-projects comms -- not seen as key project tool from start. Not strategically planned, budgeted, resourced enough. – Reactive– Poster, brochure, 1 workshop enough?– National newspaper story?– Poor dissemination, awareness, and use of
results/tools
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Main Lesson
• Getting project managers to strategize– What does it
mean?– Believe they
already do it– Think it’s extra
work
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Main Lesson
• Explain, convince, train, apply• Complex and time-consuming process• Hard to transfer in 2 hours to large
group with various backgrounds and different languages
• Human contact, small group, ample time!
• IW Learn mobile trainers enhance manual?