Communications

dirksen's picture

JOIN NOW! 8th Global RCE Conference Communications and Outreach Discussion Group

Submitted by dirksen on Tue, 2013-11-05 11:27

Welcome to the 2013 Global RCE Conference Communications and Outreach Discussion Group! Please join in the pre-conference discussions today by sharing your thoughts on the topics you feel most need to be addressed in the group meeting during the Global Conference in Nairobi.

Comments

dirksen's picture

dirksen

Thu, 2013-11-07 11:44

Thank you all for joining the Communications and Outreach session. As a place to start, might I ask you each to share your thoughts on what you feel is most important for us to discuss as a group while we are together in Nairobi?
Abdullahi Tijjani's picture

Abdullahi Tijjani

Fri, 2013-11-08 02:39

This is a core issue in any organisational set up. Communication serves as binding factor that connects all people round the glove and help to share knowledge and researches finding for the sustainable development. It's important encourage and enhance communities of RCE to develop interest in it.
RCEkano's picture

RCEkano

Mon, 2013-11-11 06:15

With our diversity and ever changing RCE community, creating skills and abilities to effectively communicate among us is a key to the overall success of idea the behind the creation/ invention of the RCE community world over. Since the way we communicate is deeply influenced by the culture in which we were raised. our culture also influences the way we think, which naturally affects the way we communicate as both senders and receivers. The questions are
1- What are the challenges of our multi and intercultural communication barriers
2-Does communication fully used and it is being given its rightful position in RCES activities
3-What communication skills must we employ to abrogate these barriers and pave way to effective communication within and among the RCEs and the RCEs with the outside world
4- Are our communication filters ( Beliefs, values, feelings, Environment, past experience e.t.c.)considered and being used effectively in our communication processes.
5- Do we calibrate in our communication ( learning to notice how the other RCE or institution or person is reacting to our attempts to build rapport
6- What are the successes and opportunities of our existing communications channels and tools .
7- What are the weaknesses and opportunities of our communication channel and tools and how do we improve on them.
RCEkano's picture

RCEkano

Tue, 2013-11-12 05:07

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY:
An effect communication strategy should:
-Target audience
-Have a clear goals
-Identify transmission channel
-Adapt messages/ information to various audiences
-Understand the receiver information
It should further clarify
-What social group and actors will be interested in this knowledge/information
-What communication tools would be most appropriate to use for these target groups
-What is the time frame
-What are the need of this varied groups and actors
-When best to communicate - the timing
dirksen's picture

dirksen

Tue, 2013-11-12 08:25

I am so delighted to be a part of this conversation. Thank you Dr. Ali for your insightful comments and guidance in terms of the discussion.

I am speaking from the global perspective, as part of UNU-IAS and the Global RCE Service Centre. One of the things I feel many RCEs have expressed is that they are often so busy with running the programmes and sourcing funding for their work, they they do not have the time to focus on communications. And yet a greater focus on communications might lead to more avenues of funding and volunteer support. Many ask what can be done on a global level in order to support their communications efforts and to alleviate some of the burden placed on them. I personally would be very interested to hear more about this concern.
RCEkano's picture

RCEkano

Wed, 2013-11-20 13:20

Anna that is exactly what is happening- busy researching, running around and looking for fund. But the question is how do we even get the fund from wherever without good communication? One of the tools for effective fund rising and probably the foremost in my opinion is communication. Without it the research will not be well coordinated, the application will not be well executed and the fund may never come our way
RCEkano's picture

RCEkano

Wed, 2013-11-20 14:42

Anna in my opinion part of the solution to the problem is to give communication its rightful position as in any successful relationship that involves two or more people, organization or institution. Another thing is to form a communication and outreach committees at RCE level and to appoint a desk officer.
The most vital of all is to start making use of our media organizations that are made compulsory and vital component for any RCE to be acknowledged by UBUNTU committee. We can also start inviting international, regional and local medias of the locality where an RCE event is taking place be it regional continental or global, starting with Nairobi if possible.
Furthermore, our websites must be very effective and efficient. We must be updating and posting every vital information. And RCEs should be encouraged to to do that by UNU-IAS
Abdullahi Tijjani's picture

Abdullahi Tijjani

Tue, 2013-11-12 13:30

You have just hit the nail on right point funding is vital in all communication activities . it is however very critical in our RCE,s We would also be very glad to collaborate on how source fund on this issue.
RCEkano's picture

RCEkano

Wed, 2013-11-20 13:26

Dr Abdullahi fund as you said is vital for every RCE activity. But what Anna is saying is that most RCEs from their confession do not give communication any priority as they give to fund rising.
Nuruddeen Muhammad's picture

Nuruddeen Muhammad

Wed, 2013-11-13 13:09

Communication is the only channel via which two or more parties can work together. Only through effective communication can any organization win support from a donor/funder. What Dr. Ali is pointing out here is what we should all try to grab, for it will make our search for project funders easier and effective. One should not get busy searching for funder without good and effective communication skill.
Nuruddeen Muhammad's picture

Nuruddeen Muhammad

Wed, 2013-11-13 13:49

On what you said Dirksen, there are a lot of national and international donor/funding organizations on different projects and programs. I suggest for a kind of advertisement page be published and a desk officer placed at the UNU-IAS office, where all RCEs can advertise their projects/programs. The desk officer will be searching for funders for relevant projects. Why I suggest this is that, the UNU-IAS would make greather impact on convincing a project funder/donor than an individual RCE. I am saying this from live experience.

Search