The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. 

Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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Soccer Schools for Health Promotion - Santiago de Chile, Chile

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The Pan American Health Organization has developed a curriculum to improve the health and development of adolescent boys by focusing on constructs of masculinity and its impact on health and healthy, equitable relationships. The curriculum uses the capacity of soccer coaches to transmit concepts of health promotion to adolescent boys, ages 8 to 12, during soccer practices or clinics. The curriculum has been adapted per the experiences of pilot tests in several countries in Latin America, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and Venezuela.
Communication Strategies
Although the process has differed slightly in each country, in general, coaches receive training on a variety of health issues (smoking, alcohol use, sexual behavior, violence, etc.) and the curriculum with the intention that they will then introduce these topics during soccer training sessions throughout the season. For example, during one session the coaches are asked to introduce a health topic such as violence by using the game of soccer as an example of fair play and the rules that govern the interactions on the field and then relating them to daily life. The curriculum guides the group through an introductory talk, warm ups, play and a wrap up.
Development Issues
Adolescents, Health, Gender.
Key Points
The project builds on the popularity of soccer in the region and the established relationship of trust that soccer coaches enjoy.
Sources

"Documenting and Sharing Learning in Health Communication for Development - A Literature Review." Prepared by Rafael Obreg