Messaging and IEC Material Development

IEC Message
Development:
The basics relevant for
HIV responses

Rouzeh Eghtessadi (MPH)
Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information
Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS)
Regional Office
479 Sappers Contour, Lynnwood
Pretoria, South Africa

Tel: +27 12 361 0889
Fax: +27 12 361 0899

Website: http://www.safaids.net
Email: rouzeh@gmail.com
HIV/AIDS INFORMATION : the power to make a difference
SAfAIDS - P O Box A509,Avondale, Harare, Zimbabwe, Tel: 263 4 336193/4, Fax: 263 4 336195, E-mail: info@safaids.org.zw, Website: www.safaids.org.zw Southern Africa
HIV/AIDS Information
Dissemination Service

Documentation and Organisational
Culture
Messaging is a vital component of documentation
Begin by deciding:
– Why document?
– What should be documented?
– When should documentation take place?
– Who should document?
– Who should we document for?
– How can we document? What is needed? (inputs,
methods)
– Where can we document?
“Messaging is nucleus of an effective organisational HIV Knowledge
Management System”

Before you start
Should be based on evidence:
-Know the Facts
-What has worked?
-What hasn’t worked?
-If being tried for 1st time, what is the risk
level/adverse impact level, if fails?
-What will “last” e.g. Coca Cola

Tips for message development
•
(1)
Do not be in a hurry! (just to meet a target)

• Take time to know the target audience: information
needs, gender, sexual orientation, culture, literacy level

• Explore packing creatively: what will entice!

• Identify how the message will be relayed: dissemination
and communication modes accessible/best suited

• Be accurate e.g. ‘HIV’ not ‘HIV virus’

Know the potential barriers to the process & counter-strategise!

•
(2)
Avoid jargon and acronyms

• Adapt the language* and tone to suit the target audience

• Choose language, photos, videos, illustrations that are
non-stereotypical; are gender and culture sensitive:
messages should reduce stigma not cause stigma

• Use informative vs instructive language

• Pre-test the message: eg with sample representing target

Brand – brand - BRAND!! Ensure visibility & recognition
* UNAIDS has stipulated terminology and language that is non-stigmatising


(3)
• Share “actionable” suggestions

• Address “values” and “behaviours” (not groups and people!)

• Dispel “fears and “myths”

• Provide knowledge & facts

• Potray PLHIV in “positive” light


A powerful message will facilitate
reading, trigger thinking
(contemplation), processing (current
values/beliefs/practices) and lead to
action (behaviour change), and
ultimately sharing with others (create
mass transformation)


Remember “Impact” is your focus
& aim
Messaging will have impact if they are:
• I - inspiring
• M - memorable
• P - positive
• A - attention-grabbing
• C - clear
• T - taken from practical experience

Messaging plan sample
Problem: Increase in youth presenting with STIs and HIV at local clinic, in area
where alcohol use high amongst 12-18 yr olds
Objective: To raise HIV prevention awareness around risk of alcohol use and
HIV infection

* Link to dissemination plan and budget
Activity Target Who Inputs (what Timeline M&E Tools Budget
(message (responsible is needed)
product ) )
Campaign – 500 Youth Youth facilitator, FGDs to collect 3 mths FGD scripts FGD=? $
posters & 1000 graphics data, msg dvpt (break down Feedback Design =?$
stickers designer team, literature by sub- forms
review activity)

Community galas Youth,
– DVD shows parents,
and theatre traditional &
religious
leaders,

Policy round
tables – policy
briefs and
testimony DVDs


Develop a Messaging Plan
• Defines the target audience

• Outlines how you determine target audience information needs

• Guides you on how to pre-test ( where, and with who) ensure effective
and not discriminatory

• Shares type of packaging you will use to communicate the message

• Gives an idea of how much it will cost, and what resources are
needed (experts, search tools etc) to develop the message

• Shares a creative brief on the vision of what the end product will look
like, to enable follow-up in staff handovers or turnover

Creative brief for a material would include…
A sharp, succinct document, preferably no longer than 3 pages, including:
•Project goal (1-2 lines)
•Project objective specifically addressed by IEC intervention (2 lines max)
•Sub-objective specific to communication (i.e. IEC materials) (2 lines max)
•Need being addressed (3-5 lines)
•Evidence base informing the material ( >5 lines)
•Messaging Plan (include budget in last column) ( ½ page)
•Design and packaging outline (>5 lines)
•Pre-test plan and tools (1 page)
•Dissemination Plan ( ¼ – ½ page)
•Link to M&E ( ¼ page)
•Footnotes and references to show evidence base, links to supporting documents
etc

CRITICAL: Link to Project M&E
Ensure to link the IEC messaging process with the “end-
process” which is the M&E plan/indicators:
-What indicators has the project set against the objectives the IEC
materials are speaking to?

-Will the IEC materials, process plan & chosen dissemination
modes, enable measuring their intended effect/impact through the
current indicators?

-At project evaluation time, if planning done right at start -
should be able to show precisely the reach/value add/impact,
resultant from the IEC materials – otherwise futile !

Management considerations….
• Finances – remember documenting messages in
products need a budget

• Skills & personnel - expertise costs

• Time – budget time, so processes not hurried

• Networks – for expertise, dissemination, peer and
donor sharing and learning, set-up M&E systems
& document what messaging worked/had impact

Poor and wrong messaging can be disastrous
– especially if reaching masses, such as
television or radio airings, newspaper
inserts, campaigns etc.
(Makwapheni Campaign controversy?)

Can cost organisational integrity, donor trust
and value-consideration by community


Treatment &/or Prevention messaging …
consider
• Gender based violence (GBV) – free from violence free from
HIV, support positive living

• PMTCT – preventing transmission to baby, and PMTCT+ for
mother preventing premature orphaning

• Cultural practices – educate on risks eg dry sex, promote
positive practices protecting women, taboo of ‘sex-dialogue’

• MMC – couples counseling eg she needs to know no sex within
6 wks waiting for healing, use condoms

• Adherence - tips; support structures; benefits vs adverse
effects of defaulting


Treatment &/or Prevention
messaging….consider
• Condoms – female and male, make it exciting & sexy!

• Transactional sex, intergenerational sex, forced sex -
economic empowerment, equal opportunities

• Special groups/key populations e.g. sex workers; LGBTI;
migrant pops; IDP; institutionalised grps

• MCP - effects on treatment effectiveness; prevention
********************
Tools:
Messaging 1) Plan 2)Creative Brief 3) Baseline Report

HIV/AIDS INFORMATION Pre-test Report a difference
4) : the power to make 4) Dissemination feedback forms

Thank you…..


Messaging and IEC Material Development

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