Strategic Communication for Community-Driven Development: A Practical Guide for Project Managers and Communication Practitioners

This 42-page guide published by External Affairs Africa Region of the Social Development Department of the World Bank, describes a five-step strategic communication for community-driven development (CDD) process. CDD, as defined in the guide, is a participatory approach that provides communities and local governments control over decisions and resources that affect their development. The guide is intended to assist in planning, designing, implementing, and managing a comprehensive strategic communication programme in a CDD operation through introducing the concepts, focusing on strategic aspects, demonstrating linkages between communication objectives and project goals, and providing specific examples, including budgeting.


This guide focuses primarily on communication activities designed to support direct community empowerment efforts. It particularly looks at citizen - government - institution partnership building and information flow; mobilisation through information access and market linkages; activities for relationship-based development through capacity-building; incentives for collaboration based on democratic concepts of civic engagement and public service, as well as on financial and political incentives; and the scale-up possibilities of beneficiaries as trainers, educators, and information brokers as projects advance.


The five-step process includes:

• Step 1: Establish the Communication Management Function
• Step 2A: Conduct a Strategic Communication Assessment
• Step 2B: Conduct an Operational Communication Analysis
• Step 3: Develop a Communication Strategy and Action Plan
• Step 4: Implement Communication Activities
• Step 5: Conduct Monitoring and Feedback Activities

Tables show the communications functions for the following stakeholders: the World Bank project management team; the central government counterpart team; the state government counterpart teams; the central fund management unit; the local/district government management committee; facilitators of community-based appraisal process; and the community management committees.


The final section states that capacity building and budget are the two main cross-cutting issues crucial for the successful design and implementation of strategic communication interventions in CDD operations. For sustainability of communications interventions, suggestions include: visits to other communities and capacity building activities, including: opening communication centres; training local journalists; establishing new radio stations; and training station managers. Budgeting for communication interventions includes the costs of human resources and the costs of producing and implementing specific communication actions. Line items for communication actions might include the following:

• the costs of producing print and electronic materials;
• purchasing radio and television airtime;
• distributing print or electronic materials;
• maintaining electronic products (such as web sites, databases, and electronic newsletters);
• organising seminars, workshops, capacity building events, and study tours;
• conducting surveys and opinion research;
• preparing knowledge products (such as case studies);
• developing community radio stations and content; and
• sponsoring entertainment activities (such as dramas, concerts, and street shows).