WHAT I LEARNED TODAY: Day 19 of the free online C-Modules course on Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC)

Thank you for visiting my blog! My name is Mary-Sanyu, and I am passionate about Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC). I have embarked on a life-long journey to champion for the growing practice of SBCC in Africa.

I am currently studying "C-Modules" -- a 6-module learning package on SBCC that was developed by C-Change and can be freely downloaded at this link: CLICK HERE.

When I am done with the 6 modules, I will roll out free capacity building workshops for organizations in my community that engage in SBCC. 

What I studied today:

Today, I jumped back to Module 0 (Introduction Module) and reviewed the Practitioner's Handbook.

What I learned today:

1. Over the years, there has been a shift from Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) to SBCC because approaches to behaviour change have expanded beyond a focus on the individual in order to emphasize on sustainable, social change.
2. C-Modules was designed for practitioners who want to build their own capacity to develop, implement, monitor, and re-plan quality SBCC programs and contribute to collective learning about SBCC.
3. SBCC has 3 main characteristics: i) SBCC is a process; ii) SBCC applies a comprehensive, socio-ecological model to identify effective tippings points for change; iii) SBCC applies three key strategies: a) Advocacy; b) Social mobilization; c)  Behaviour Change Communication.
4. There are different behavioural theories and models that feed into the Socio-Ecological Model. By looking at theories and models, practitioners can begin to understand or further reinforce "what, why, and how health problems should be addressed".
5. There are 10 principles of SBCC: i) Follow a systematic approach; ii) Use research (e.g. operations research), not assumptions, to drive your program; iii) Consider the social context; iv) Keep the focus on the audience(s); v) Use theories and models to guide decisions; vi) Involve partners and communities throughout; vii) Set realistic objectives and consider cost-effectiveness; viii) Use mutually reinforcing materials and activities at many levels; vix) Choose strategies that are motivational and action-oriented; xx) Ensure quality at every step.
6. C-Change's Socio-Ecological Model for Change is based on a synthesis of theories and approaches from disciplines such as psychology, sociology, communication and political science.

Interested in signing up for this course? CLICK HERE.

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C-Modules were developed by C-Change, funded by USAID under Cooperative Agreement No. GPO-A-00-07-0004-00. The six modules can be freely downloaded and used, provided full credit is given to C-Change as follows: C-Change (Communication for Change). 2011. C-Modules: A Learning Package for Social and Behavior Change Communication. Washington, DC: FHI 360/C-Change.