The document discusses various concepts and models for program communications and advocacy strategies. It outlines several key questions to consider when developing an advocacy or communications strategy, including defining the objective, identifying target audiences and stakeholders, crafting clear and simple messages, selecting appropriate channels, assessing available resources, developing an action plan, and evaluating impact. The document also provides examples of different communications models such as ACADA, COMBI, and Johns Hopkins and discusses basic concepts for advocacy including strategic actions to influence decision makers and integrating communication as a key tool.

1. Che Saret
Communications Specialist
AusAID Manila

2. I. An Introduction to Program Communications
II. Developing a Communications & Advocacy (C&A) Strategy
for Programs
III. Case Studies

4. Program-Based Approach
Program
• an integrated set of activities designed to achieve a related set
of outcomes in a relatively comprehensive way
Program-based approach (PBA)
• a framework governing the relationship between a donor
(AusAID) and a partner (MCW) receiving and utilising
development funding in a way that is as administratively efficient
and most likely to maximise development benefits as possible.

5. PBA & Communications
Getting
ownership right
A rights-based
approach PBA Getting
accountability
right
Communicating
for, not just
about, results

6. Communication Components

7. Communication Models
ASSESSMENT
•Situation Report COMMUNICATION
ANALYSIS
•Problem Analysis
Evaluation •Behaviour Analysis
•Participant Analysis
•Communication
Channel Analysis
*Communication
ACTION Research and Objectives
•Implement Plan Monitoring * Evaluation
Indicators
* Message & Material DESIGN STRATEGY
Development PLAN
* Pre-testing & Revisions
•Advocacy
* Materials Dissemination •Social Mobilization
& Training Plan •Behaviour Development
* M&E Plan
Select/ Determine Communication
* Plan of Action * Strategies/ Activities
•Partners/ Roles
•Channels
•Approach, Appeal, Ton
e
ACADA Model developed by UNICEF

8. Communication Models
P Process developed for the Population Communication Services Project
of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

9. Communication Models
COMBI Approach
1. State Overall Goal
2. State Expected Behavioural Results / Objectives
3. Conduct Situational “Market” Analysis vis-à-vis Precise Behavioural
Result
- SWOT, market segmentation
- consumer need/want/desire, cost, convenience
- positioning, “competitors”
- communication situation/issues…
4. Present an overall strategy for achieving stated behavioural results
5. Present the COMBI plan of action
6. Management : Describe structure for managing the implementation
7. Monitoring
8. Impact assessment
9. Scheduling (Calendar/Timeline/Implementation Plan)
10. Budget
- Used by WHO’s Communicable Diseases Programme

11. Basic Advocacy Concepts
• Strategic actions with the objective of influencing
decision makers/stakeholders to take action to deliver
change
• Upstream engagement, lobbying, public relations,
policy development, awareness raising, empowerment,
social mobilization, campaigning, media work and
communications can all be terms for advocacy work.
• Deliberate mapped process
• Based on evidence

12. Advocacy and Communications
Communication must be seen as the key tool to
obtain your advocacy objective.
Advocacy : the what
Communication: the how
 avoid ad hoc messages
 have a starting and exit strategy
 continuity
 if the objective changes explain why

13. Keep it simple.
Your message should be:
 clear, visionary and simple
 accessible to the larger public
 go beyond the “converted”
“People want to listen to a message. This could be
passed through me or anybody. I am not a leader.
Messenger. The words of the songs, not the person, is what
attracts people.”

14. Key Questions
1. What do we ask?
- situation analysis/ environmental scan
- choosing the advocacy priorities
- program objective / policy ask
2. Who can deliver it?
- stakeholder analysis (allies, fence sitters, resistors)
- mapping stakeholders’ interest, influence, importance
- pick only a few targets to direct energy & focus
- pick the ones that might influence each other
- pick the ones you have the ability to influence
- mapping targets
- target audience

15. Key Questions
3. What must they hear?
- evidence-based messages for a specific audience
- program objectives vs communication objectives
The message is the overarching theme that holds an entire
advocacy strategy together.
The clarity of the message is as important
as the choice of medium.
4. Who from?
- choosing messengers strategically
5. How can we make sure they hear it?
- channels / touchpoints
- identify entry points / opportunities

16. Key Questions
6. What do we have?
- recognize capacities and gaps
- maximize resources
7. What do we need?
- credibility, skills, effective coordination and leadership
- strong capacity to generate and communicate info
- ability to assess risks
- capacity to work with people, bottom-up approach
- partners and networks to form a broad base for advocacy
- resources
8. How do we begin to take action?
- set goals and interim outcomes & develop an action plan
9. How can we tell if it’s working?
- measuring activities, outcomes, goals, impacts
- what worked well, what did not, what must be improved
- what lessons are drawn for next time,
what messages resonated

17. “Great communicators have an
appreciation for positioning. They understand
the people they’re trying to reach and what
they can and can’t hear. They send their
message in through an open door rather than
trying to push it through a wall.”
John Kotter
(Professor at Harvard Business School)