SOCIAL MOBILIZATION By Deo ODIE

Outline  By the end of this session, the participant should be able to; a. Identify an appropriate strategy tool for use when need be b. Have gained skills to articulately employ the various strategies. c. Think of other plausible strategies available and at their disposal

Introduction: Social Mobilization Community mobilization has been active in Africa especially within rural and urban centres. It is a process of sensitizing populations on issues which need primacy, extra emphasis laced with a call to action. Across the region, it is NGOs and other activists that have taken up the role to champion campaigns, advocacy events and such-like activities for the public. Mobilizers however, would be more effective if provided with training, additional communication materials, particularly in more remote areas.

Social Mobilization For mobilization to be effective, messages need to be tailored to more specific audiences, including:  Women, Faith Leaders, Business Leaders, Village Elders, Young Men e.t.c Would-be social mobilizers need to identify A. potential target audiences for mobilization; B. for each target audience, do-able, yes-able actions or interventions they can take to support the campaign e.g. on children’s literacy; & C. for each target audience, cost-effective communication tools that clearly explain how to take those actions.

Social mobilization: why is everyone talking about it?  An education crisis is calling for extraordinary measures.  Governments have resource limitations  must mobilize additional resources to scale up.  Sustainable scaling up  commitment by broader group of stakeholders

Social mobilization: two types  Mass mobilization  Very large scale, often national  Involves services of professional mass marketing firm  Community mobilization  Usually involves a change agent organizing/mobilizing at the community level  Often involves civil society organizations working at the grassroots/school level

Community stakeholder engagement  CBOs  Community heads  Youth leaders  Market women  Artisans and craftmen  Health workers e.t.c

Tools for mobilization  Campaigns  Sensitisation programs  Trainings  Talks  Music events  Drama -Skills building for peer education

Evaluate each audience separately: What will be your message?  What value will you tap into? (YES-able)  What misperceptions will you have to overcome? (DO- able)  What is the simplest thing you can ask them to do?

For Specific Groups,…. 1. a. What is your goal? b.Who are your decision-makers? 2. b. What do you need communication for? 3. a.Pick your audience. b. What are they thinking? (Who will do focus groups?) c. What is the message for this audience? c.1. What can this audience do individually? d. Who will be the messenger? (What is the private sector role?) 4.* Tactics 5.* How will you measure success?

Social mobilization & communications  Communications media :  radio & TV announcements  billboards and posters  advertisements in newspapers  contests, festivals  adult literacy materials and newsletters  Lots of success in public health, only a few successes in education

Why Social Mobilization? We are looking towards achieving the following outcomes:

Soc. Mob Strategies Peer to Peer/One- on- One Associate Mobilizers Health Talk Forums Walk-Ins Workplace Intervention Interventions with Women Distribution of IEC materials (Booklets) Video Den Intervention Sporting Activities e.g Wrestling Educational Road Shows Community Strategy Radio Programs

Health Talks When doing a Health talk, the following must be considered;  A Clinician must be present to respond to queries  IEC posters for pasting (upto 5)  IEC Booklets for distribution (depending on availability)  Condoms for demonstration and distribution  Penile/Vaginal model  A list of participants of the health talk session

Barriers to soc mobilization efforts Culture Age bracket or difference Language used Irrelevance of the message Use of deep vocabulary/Technical jargon Presentation – How the sender is dressed, poses or mannerism Environment Sitting arrangement Negative audience Bad timing for the message

Crafting communication tools 1. Start with strategy, end with tactics. Strategy = select goal + identify decision maker + select target audiences + identify messages + select tactics/media

Crafting communication tools 2. Make hard choices. 3. Tailor the communication to the audience.

Any Questions?

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