Effective mechanisms and forms of communication

The forms of communication can be important for facilitating learning, participation, dialogue and behavioural change, especially where approaches and models are being disseminated between different cultures and contexts. Development workers, when faced with different social, political, economic, cultural and institutional contexts, often expect people to consider and take on new ideas and practices that may be radically different from those they have grown up with. This can lead to them being dismissed or rejected simply because they are ‘foreign’ or because they are not appropriately communicated. External approaches which attempt to influence attitude, behaviour or practice may therefore be futile unless a more holistic approach is adopted which takes into account cultural norms, beliefs and knowledge.

However, tapping into a culture’s pool of traditional, creative forms of communication and expression, such as local folk artists, proverbs, storytellers and fables, can allow new ideas to be presented in ways, which are locally appropriate and relevant. This involves understanding the insider’s perspective, learning about the community’s culture and using local language. In addition, communications become more effective in promoting change when they use vivid, personal images, where people have control of the communications process and where popular formats are used, such as soap operas, oral tradition, radio, theatre and television. But what happens when practitioners work with different cultures and environments, which mean different forms of communication? I.e., how to effectively communicate with people who are in different parts of the world, or who have different realities, such as the dichotomy between rural vs. urban, local vs. external? What is happening in this field? Often the communication and dissemination of our work to beneficiaries seems to be something taken for granted, with little attention to this part of the process. However, the importance of how we communicate can make a big difference when we try to engage, empower and build capacities.

In this way traditional and modern forms of communication can be integrated to increase the appeal of new approaches or models and the effectiveness of their dissemination and exchange. This combination of methods and approaches to communication can also no longer be seen as ‘expert’ outside advice provided for ‘recipient’ organisations, but as the sharing of knowledge in a process of mutual exchange.