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

Time to read
1 minute
Print
a- a+
Published 14 years ago
Last updated 1 year ago
Read so far

Reel Youth

0 comments

Reel Youth is a not-for-profit media empowerment programme supporting municipalities, schools, youth groups, businesses, and service agencies in Canada and around the world that are looking for meaningful ways to engage youth and adults in producing and distributing digital media.

Communication Strategies

Reel Youth works with organisations to provide mobile stop-motion animation, video production, photography, broadcasting, and film festival programmes that create and distribute messages participants most want to share with the world. For example, Reel Youth offers a 3- to 5-day video production programme that asks participants: What changes do you want to see happen in your community and the world? It focuses on equipment training, filmmaking techniques and styles, insights from other youth films, and small group work to make 3-5 minute, professionally edited films. Claymation is a 3- to 4-hour exploration of stop-motion animation where youth work in small groups and use plasticine to make short films about their visions for a more just and sustainable world. Reel Youth's touring film festival is designed to engage youth who want to empower fellow young people in their communities to express their creativity, entertain audiences, and share their visions for a more just and sustainable world.

 

In addition to its Canadian projects, Reel Youth works in other countries to build capacity in local youth and adults to produce and distribute their own digital media, with a focus on giving voice to disadvantaged young people and celebrate the work that is being done to support them. For instance, in 2008 Reel Youth visited Nepal to make a film with children of incarcerated parents, in partnership with The Kamala Foundation and Prisoners Assistance Nepal. The film, "Family Stones", premiered at Reel Youth's screening at the 2009 Vancouver International Film Festival and toured with the 2009/10 Reel Youth FIlm Festival. In 2010, Reel Youth worked on a UN Habitat economic development project with a small group of youth at Prisoners Assistance Nepal, some of whom were featured in the film from two years before. The project left professional video production equipment in the hands of 8 youth and helped them set up their own business. In May 2007, Reel Youth travelled to South India to spend 5 weeks getting to know, and make films with a network of families living on the streets in Mysore.

 

For more information, visit the Reel Youth website

Development Issues

Youth.

Sources

Reel Youth website, November 4 2011.