Changemakers' Toolkit/Communicating for change

Introduction

What does this module cover?

Clear, powerful communication is a force for social change. But in a world where everyone is constantly scrolling through content, it can be hard to cut through.

To communicate effectively, we need to know who we're speaking to, what we need to say to connect with them, and how we can reach them.

This module focuses on answering these key questions. To do that we'll talk about audience identification, narrative framing, and message delivery.

Whether you’re working on or offline, our goal is to help you deliver powerful messages that inspire hope, drive action, and make a change.

Campaigning is all about human connection. To succeed, we need to engage people's emotions, shift their thinking, and inspire them to act. That's why effect communication is an essential part of any successful campaign.

This module will help you think more strategically about communicating for change. We'll provide practical tools and tips that you can use to develop your campaign messages. These can be applied to any kind of communication, from social media content to supporter emails to press releases to face-to-face conversations.

Learning Outcomes

Based on this module, you will learn how to:

take an audience-led approach to communicating for social change;
frame clear messages to change minds and inspire action;
deliver effective, impactful communications using different media channels and tactics.

Thought Provoker

What do you think are the most important qualities of a good communicator?

Accessible: no jargon or complicated language
Engaging: communicating in a way that holds the reader’s attention
Authentic: being honest and true to yourself
Emotive: engages the reader's emotions
Focused on audience: aware of who you are speaking to and how best to reach them
Concise: keeping things as short as possible
Clear: make the key message easy for your reader to understand
Inspiring: compels the reader to act

Whichever qualities you choose, think about a communicator you admire. Which of these qualities do they have?

Identifying your audiences →