Current Projects 

The CFSC Consortium works throughout the world advocating for and implementing participatory communication approaches designed to help people make the shifts they want and need in public values and beliefs that are essential for long-term social change. Below is a list of some of the projects we are currently involved in. This list  will be updated regularly.

Ongoing work to strengthen the evaluation of social change communication programmes

Since early 2009 Ailish Byrne, the Consortium's Senior Associate for Research and Evaluation, has been leading an initiative to strengthen the evaluation of social change communication, with specific reference to HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. The paper has a wider relevance, i.e. beyond HIV/AIDS programmes, raising issues and suggesting recommendations that are applicable to many development and social change initiatives, across sectors. The paper is being produced as one component in a multi-staged ongoing research and learning process, funded by UNAIDS. It stems from growing recognition of the need for expanded approaches to monitoring and evaluation in HIV/AIDS programmes, of the need to learn from innovative developments in other fields, and for practical guidance in this area.

The attached papers by Rick Davies on Social Network Analysis and David Byrne on Working within a Complexity Frame of Reference were written as contributions to the larger paper, which will shortly be available on the Consortium website. For more information about the broader research and learning process, click here to see Ailish's recent article in MAZI 19.

aids2031

The Consortium is taking the lead on the communication and governance issues in this initiative, which aims at “nothing less than influencing the course of history,” according to Dr. Peter Piot, UNAIDS’ executive director.  aids2031 comprises partners who have come together to look at what we have learned about the AIDS response in order to consider future options.  This initiative considers a variety of factors, including advances in science, as well as changing socio-economic and geopolitical trends.  Working in seven key areas, aids2031 hopes to spark new thinking and evidence on AIDS in order to influence the investment, programming, research and leadership of tomorrow.  We seek to shift today’s global AIDS response from primarily short-term, crisis management to a long term, sustained response.  This initiative brings together multidisciplinary teams—including economists, epidemiological, biomedical, social and political scientists—to question conventional wisdom, stimulate new research, encourage public debate and uncover new evidence.

KnowWater Project

This project, a joint initiative of the CFSC Consortium and WaterLife Foundation, is now in development.  Its goal is to provide, free of charge, essential information to the world’s poor people on water—its availability, cost, delivery and distribution, quality, regulation and social and political concerns impacting accessibility.   We will provide this information in an easy-to-use format.  We will also provide the information on a customized, subscription basis to those in commercial business, industry, government and multilateral organizations.

The CFSC Anthology: Historical and Contemporary Readings (English Version)

This groundbreaking work brings together a broad variety of views on communication for social change.  The book features more than 150 key thinkers from around the globe.  Edited by Alfonso Gumucio-Dagron and Thomas Tufte, the anthology reviews the evolution of communication for social change thinking from the early 20th century to the present.  With more than 1,000 pages, this reference work is essential for communication and development experts, as well as for anyone conducting business globally.

Knowledge Building In Developing Countries: Distributing the CFSC Anthology With Support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York

Thanks to project support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, we are disseminating our Communication for Social Change Anthology: Historical and Contemporary Readings to university libraries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin American and the Caribbean, as well as to departments of international affairs and communication. 

The CFSC Anthology: Historical and Contemporary Readings (Spanish Version)

Will be published early in 2008.

The CFSC Body of Knowledge

The CFSC Consortium’s Body of Knowledge is a searchable, comprehensive database of more than 3,500 entries that can be assessed from the Consortium’s Web site.  Updated continually, it is a multi-language guide to books, articles, brochures, pamphlets, position papers and other writings on communication for social change and development communication.  It is a welcome resource for practitioners and academics around the globe.  

Case Stories

The Consortium continually creates case stories that illustrate the effective use of CFSC principles and that can be practical, up-to-date tools for practitioners, academics and supporters. 

Communication for Empowerment: UNDP Oslo Governance Centre

In partnership with UNDP Oslo Governance Centre, with funding from the U.N. Democracy Fund, this initiative seeks to accelerate democratic participation in national development processes in six countries of Africa and Asia.  The project will comprise four main elements: national consultations, information and communication audits, building partnerships to develop strategic responses to meet the needs of poor and vulnerable people and disseminating results to regional and global audiences.

Community Media Project: AMARC and Swiss Development Cooperation

A publication, CD and series of dialogues designed to capture the key lessons and learning from the World Congress session on community media, which took place in Rome, October 2006, and to highlight the growing importance of community radio in the 21st century.

Education for All in Lesotho: Ensuring Every Basotho is Educated

With the aim of developing and implementing a nationwide communication strategy, this UNICEF-funded effort is in partnership with the Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training.  Its focus is on education as a human right.  Communication challenges include helping shift long-held normative behaviours and beliefs about child discipline, school safety and access to free education. 

ICT and Poverty Project: UNDP and Swiss Development Cooperation

This effort is a resource guide for practitioners in development and information communication technology communities.  It aims to help bridge the “paradigm gap” by providing background information and a series of tools that can be used by practitioners to build a common understanding of the potential-and the limitations—of ICTs within the context of poverty-reduction strategies and comparable (national and sectoral) strategies with which they deal.  The guide will be available by year-end.

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation: New York City, Zambia and Ethiopia

The Consortium is using its PME approach with the African Services Committee, a nonprofit organization based in Harlem, New York City, dedicated to improving the health and self-sufficiency of African immigrant communities in New York City.  We have also used our PME approach in Zambia and Ethiopia.

Polio Communication in Nigeria

This USAID/JSI-funded project to work on resolving the remaining communication challenges impacting polio immunization and help facilitate participatory processes that will help overcome communication obstacles to immunization. 

Stop TB Technical Advisory Group

The Consortium holds the only non-medical seat on this scientific panel.  We provide advice and counsel on how to bring about needed cultural and social change. 

Voices of the Magdalena DVD: CFSC in Action via the Power of Local Community Radio (Available in Spanish and English)

This 35-minute video documentary on the community radio network in the Magdalena region of Colombia shows how poor and marginalized people caught in the violent and destructive confrontation between guerrilla and paramilitary forces use community radio.  The documentary highlights the powerful role of communication for social change in the midst of conflict that has caused enormous economic, political and social damage to the people living in the region.

UNDP Communication for Development

The Consortium has been selected by UNDP headquarters as training vendor for its regional offices in communication for development.

UNAIDS

The Consortium is consulting with UNAIDS on ways to incorporate communication for social change into HIV prevention response.

Master’s Degree Curriculum Development at Universidad del Norte, Colombia; Kansas State University, United States and Kenya; Ohio University Without Walls, State University of New York (SUNY), Binghamton

This ongoing commitment prepares practitioners, researchers and teachers who will generate theoretical and applied knowledge useful in addressing social issues facing developing countries.  The Consortium is working to have its suggested approach to curriculum used within and between developing countries. 

Mazi: The Consortium’s Online Quarterly Report

The title of our online report means "together.”  Mazi covers critical trends and issues in communication for social change.  The report comprises photo essays showing CFSC in action, position papers, case stories and useful resources.  It’s available free of charge to thousands of practitioners, academics and supporters from all over the world. 

CFSC Network for Practitioners

The Consortium serves as the central repository and essential source of information for practitioners from around the world who are dedicated to implementing CFSC methods, helping them update their skills and learn from the network’s vast experience.

CFSC University Networks  

The Consortium serves as the facilitator of a global network of leading academics and institutions that offer specialized studies in communication for development and social change.  The Consortium fosters exchanges among the university network members.