Capacity Strengthening

Strengthening the capacity of organizations and NGOs--small and large-- is a critical part of the work that C-Change does to raise the quality of social and behavior change communication (SBCC) programming. Currently, C-Change is providing capacity strengthening to organizations working on HIV prevention, enhanced uptake of modern family planning methods, malaria prevention, and antenatal and maternal health care in Africa, South Asia, and Eastern Europe.
 

SBCC Theory

Many theories and models have been used to guide health and development communication work. These theories and models tend to explain human behavior on one of the three levels of change: individual, interpersonal, or community.

Over time, there have been requests for a conceptual shift that consolidates our thinking about social change on a continuum from individual behavior change on one end to broader social (cultural, political, institutional) change on the other end.  A Socio-Ecological Model for Change views individual behavior as a product of multiple overlapping individual, social, and environmental influences. Using this model allows for programs working through a continuum of strategies to affect both social and individual change, away from ad hoc interventions to a coordinated social movement for change over time.

Please view C-Change's PowerPoint presentation below for more detailed background on the theories and models that inform its approach to SBCC:

SBCC Framework

The SBCC Framework guides implementation of SBCC. SBCC is:

• An interactive, researched, and planned process aimed at changing social conditions/norms and individual behaviors;
• That requires an socio-ecological model for analysis of not only knowledge and motivation but also social/gender norms, skills, and an enabling environment; and
• Which operates through three key elements, namely, Advocacy, Social Mobilization, and Behavior Change Communication.

A 1-page handout of the SBCC Framework is available for download.

Strengthening SBCC capacity in Southern Africa

C-Change is implementing several activities in the Southern African region to strengthen the capacity of regional and local NGOs to carry out evidence-based social and behavior change communication (SBCC) programs.

Activities include:

• Working with Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT), a large network of local organizations in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe that work at the community level in HIV and AIDS;
• Developing low-literacy materials and tools for HIV prevention;
• Strengthening organizations in Namibia receiving PEPFAR funding to strengthen SBCC capacity and development of materials on HIV drivers to stimulate community discussions on HIV drivers like multiple concurrent partnerships; and
• Carrying out training in Lesotho of community facilitators who in turn lead dialogues with community members of diverse age and male and female around sensitive subjects related to the HIV epidemic.

For further information, see the PDF on C-Change Activities in the Southern Africa Region.

Low Literacy Materials for HIV Prevention in Southern Africa Region

C-Change is developing materials on HIV prevention for low literacy audiences to assist communities to initiate thoughtful discussions around key drivers of HIV.

The target audience for these materials is adults in semi-urban and rural areas, ages 20 and older, an age group, which has received less attention in recent years due to an emphasis on youth. The materials are designed to help low literate audiences “make meaning” for themselves of the information on key HIV drivers, such as multiple concurrent partners [MCP], alcohol, intergenerational sex and violence.

During May-June 2010, C-Change concept tested these low literacy materials in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Namibia in cooperation with partners Southern African AIDS Trust (SAT) and Soul City and its regional network partners. They carried out focus group discussions with men, women and community facilitators.

Six types of materials were tested, including community mobilization cue cards, role play concertina cards, a set of storytelling puppets and puppet instructions, “promotional proverbs” and “best kept secrets” cubes, promotional playing cards, and dialogue buttons.

Results from the testing are informing the design and user-friendly formats of the materials and appropriate content for a particular audience.(Concept testing is done earlier in the materials development process than pre-testing. Questions are somewhat different and more open-ended. During concept testing, the facilitator continually checks back with the audience to determine what interests them as well as which creative idea works.)

During the testing, local language proverbs and slogans were collected from respondents. That information is being used in adapting the materials to the many cultural groups that live in the Southern Africa region. Soul City is leading this adaptation effort. Their regional network partners in Malawi, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe will promote production and use of the materials to other organizations, as well as explore options for expansion and integration into existing programs.

C-Change Delivers Training for Malaria Communities Program Grantees

C-Change developed and facilitated the training workshop “Designing for Behavior Change” for 21 professionals from 20 USAID Malaria Communities Program Grantees from throughout sub-Saharan Africa (Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia), who gathered in Kenya in October 2009. The training drew from the C-Modules: A Learning Package for Social and Behavior Change Communication.

The goal of the workshop was to provide participants with an orientation to the tools and knowledge needed to carry out an evidence-based social and behavior change communication (SBCC) approach when developing communication strategies and interventions for malaria prevention.

The Behavior Change training followed an experiential approach, utilizing a case study with extensive group work and sharing of experiences.

Participants were split into fictional districts, and using a social and behavior change communication framework, engaged in several exercises that highlighted the building blocks of a SBCC strategy. Participants increased knowledge on the basics of SBCC as evidenced by post-test evaluations.
 

SBCC Concentration at University of Witwatersrand

The University of Witwatersrand School of Public Health has officially launched a new concentration in SBCC within its Masters in Public Health program--a first for the Southern African region. C-Change regional partner Soul City worked closely with the University of Witwatersrand in this effort. Thirteen students from South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Lesotho inaugurated the new program in January 2010. The program was designed to accommodate and indeed welcomes  professionals who are actively pursuing their careers.

USAID supported this effort through C-Change. CDC and Great Britain's DFID also provided support. Also inaugurated in early 2009, with technical and financial assistance from C-Change, is the Center of Excellence (CoE) at the University of Witwatersrand’s School of Public Health in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Center offers training in SBCC at the certificate and diploma levels in addition to the Masters concentration.
 

SBCC Capacity Assessment Tool

C-Change is assisting organizations to assess the professional competencies of their staff to carry out SBCC programming, planning and evaluation. In Namibia, Kenya, Nigeria, and elsewhere in Africa, C-Change is implementing an SBCC capacity strengthening program with NGOs and other partners. The process begins with C-Change conducting an assessment using the  SBCC Capacity Assessment Tool. This assessment helps an organization identify the areas where their staff need improvement in

SBCC competencies. As NGOs and partners improve the SBCC skills of their staff, effective communication programming across health and development areas and a better understanding of the importance of communication as a key element in programming,will become the standard.

In addition to the SBCC Tool, C-Change is developing other resources for use by USAID missions, NGOs, and organizations that use SBCC elements in designing and implementing health programs. With these efforts, C-Change is establishing a “gold standard” for SBCC to be practiced in health and development programs.