PCI – Population Communications International –
Through its “My Community” Initiative

Presents:
Entertainment-Education Radio and
Social Marketing Trainings

Open competition to participate in one of PCI’s two trainings in 2006:

Antigua, Guatemala: July24-28
La Paz, Bolivia: August 7-11

Application Deadline: May 31, 2006

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: http://www.population.org/mycommunity (English); http://www.population.org/micomunidad (Spanish). You may also write to taller@population.org or call Natalia Vaccarezza or Brenda Campos at PCI in New York at +212 687 3366

Looking for creative ways to promote health, human rights, and social change in your community?

*Learn to write and produce entertainment-education radio serial dramas

*Compete for funding and technical assistance to produce your radio drama

Who is PCI?

PCI is a non-governmental organization based in New York that uses storytelling to change and save lives. Founded in 1985, PCI works with local partners around the world to develop high-quality, locally-produced radio and television programs across a range of health, development, and social issues. To date, PCI has worked in over 27 countries, utilizing integrated entertainment-education communications strategies to captivate millions of listeners and viewers with stories that promote positive behavioral and social change. 

What is “My Community”?

My Community is a grassroots empowerment program that enables community-based organizations to create and sustain integrated communications strategies for behavioral and social change.

My Community has three main components: trainings, seed grants, and technical assistance. In Phase I, PCI trains community-based coalitions to write and produce effective radio serial dramas that respond to local health and development needs. The radio dramas are a central component of a communications strategy that involves research, monitoring, evaluation, social marketing, partnerships with service providers, and sustainability. In Phase II, PCIworks with coalitions to develop a proposal for a new radio communications project. Groups then compete for seed grants from PCI to fund their project. In Phase III, PCI matches each group with an expert field consultant who provides them with customized, hands-on technical assistance.

In 2005, 21 coalitions from 7 countries in Latin America participated in PCI’s Radio Entertainment-Education and Social Marketing Trainings. PCI is currently providing financial and technical assistance to 11 coalitions to produce their own radio communication projects. To learn more about the 2005 My Community groups and their projects, please visit the web page: click here

What is Entertainment-Education?

Entertainment-Education (EE) is a communications strategy that involves the placement of educational content into entertainment media to promote behavioral and social change. Research shows that EE communication strategies can produce remarkable results. For example, a study of PCI and it’s partners’ behavior change communications project in India in 2003 demonstrated a 200% to 600% increase in the demand for healthcare services among listeners to PCI’s radio drama Taru.

What will the training cover?

• Radio Entertainment-Education (EE)
• Social marketing
• Designing and implementing integrated communications strategies
• How to write effective scripts
• How to produce, broadcast, and promote your radio drama
• Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation
• Fundraising and sustainability

During the training participants will write and produce an EE radio drama. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion and a CD of their radio drama to take home.

When and where?

In 2006, PCI will hold the following two trainings:

• Antigua, Guatemala: July 24-28
• La Paz, Bolivia: August 7-11.

The content of both trainings is the same. Each training lasts 5 days. Teams should decide which location and date is most convenient for them.

Who can participate?

PCI will accept applications from coalitions of two or more organizations based in Latin America (for example: a community radio station and an NGO). Coalitions should share the goal of producing an Entertainment-Education radio drama in 2006-2007 as part of an integrated communications strategy. Space is limited to 24 participants per training.

Prior experience in radio is not required. Applications from individuals will not be accepted.

How do I apply to participate?

1. Form a coalition — Create a coalition with other organizations in your community that share the goal of developing a Radio Entertainment-Education project in 2006-2007.

Some examples of organizations that could form coalitions: Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), radio stations, government institutions like the Ministry of Health or Education, health clinics, universities, or private institutions such as an advertising or marketing firm.

2. Design the basic profile of your project — Working as a team, define the goal of the radio communications project, your main themes and target audience. Determine who in the group will be the project manager and who will be the producer. Priority will be given to projects that are produced for and by youth, indigenous groups, and underserved and marginalized populations.

3. Complete and send the training application by May 31st to taller@population.org

Costs and Partial Scholarships Available

Cost includes: 5-day training, lodging, meals, and materials. Cost of travel is not included.

• Guatemala: $7600 quetzals or $1000 US dollars per person
• Bolivia: $8000 bolivianos or $1000 US dollars per person

Partial scholarships of up to 95% of the costof the training are available. Travel Grants are also available. Scholarships and travel grants will be awarded on the basis of institutional resources and need. PCI will provide scholarships for up to four people from each team.

Application for Training and Financial Aid

Please visit the website: http://www.population.org/mycommunity

You can also request a hard copy from PCI by email (taller@population.org), by telephone in New York (+212-687-3366), or fax (+212-661-4188).

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: May 31
• Notification: beginning June 7

Admission to each training is limited to 24 participants and will be awarded on a rolling basis. Only applications received before the deadline will be accepted. To attend the training, you need to receive a letter of acceptance from PCI and make a deposit with PCI to confirm your spot.

Travel

International participants are responsible for obtaining a valid passport and visa if required. PCI will work with you to assist you in obtaining these documents as necessary.

Competition for funding and technical assistance

Coalitions that successfully complete the training will have the opportunity to submit a proposal to PCI to receive funds and technical support to develop a new radio communications project. Through the My Community initiative, PCI plans to support a minimum of 6 new coalitions projects Latin America during 2006 with up to $15,000 US dollars in funding and hands-on technical assistance.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT: http://www.population.org/mycommunity (English); http://www.population.org/micomunidad (Spanish). You may also write to taller@population.org or call Natalia Vaccarezza or Brenda Campos at PCI in New York at +212 687 3366

Arvind Singhal and Everett M. Rogers (2002). "A Theoretical Agenda for Entertainment-Education", Communication Theory, 12(2): 117-135.