Purpose

The overall objective of the project was capacity development of CSOs and citizen initiatives for effective communication with citizens, target groups and the media, enabling them to “sell” their stories to the public, produce a larger public outreach and enhance their image as advocates for the interests of the public.

Implemented by: Institute of Communication Studies

Project duration: 01.06.2017 – 01.06.2018

Donor: SDC – Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (grant managed by MCIC)

Project Description

The action’s aim was to enable CSOs to successfully communicate with the target groups and the broader audience using new media through which they can improve the visibility and impact of their activities in the public. The action aimed to perfect the skills and knowledge of CSOs for communication with citizens and the media using digital media, in order to inform and mobilize their target audiences and citizens to promote the public interest and create conditions for positive social change. They acquired skills and knowledge for rapid response through the use of digital media when, e.g. they detect a violation of human rights and law, and the democratic process by the main political actors that require urgent mobilization of support from citizens. They learned how to determine their target audience on digital media, techniques to communicate with the target audience of social media, but also to quickly mobilize support from citizens about various initiatives of public interest. The project determined the weaknesses of CSOs in their past communication with target audiences, citizens and the media and suggest best practices that CSOs can apply in their strategy of communicating. Through training, they will make visible the results of their work and will be able to enter into discussion with the citizens and the concerned public.