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.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Published 26 years ago
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Lyceum of Arts and Crafts - Brazil

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The Lyceum of Arts and Crafts was founded in 1872 by craftsmen and artists to offer professional training to ex-slaves and their children, educating through art. Today, it is a non-profit self-sustained social enterprise which aims to educate youths through work.
Communication Strategies

It currently has about 250 apprentices, 14-17 yrs., in different Apprentice Programmes (Wood and Furniture, Building Maintenance and Renovation, Video, and Graphic Arts). Apprentices attend classes daily, for a four-hour period, and learn not only technical skills, but more importantly, citizenship and participation. In addition to technical information, activities cover a variety of skills, such as photography, capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian fight-dance), reading workshops and paper recycling workshops. There are also talks, exhibitions, theatre, cinema, and video presentations.
Development Issues

Youth, human rights, child rights, economic stability, education.
Key Points

Lyceum's apprentices are regarded as training professionals, with duties and responsibilities throughout the learning process. Lyceum sells its services and products, thus raising funds to pay staff and apprentices (they earn half a minimum wage during their first year and three-quarters in the following years) and reinvest in its activities. Lyceum's play Look After Me, produced as part of the programme "You Preserve What You Love" in partnership with the Board of Education of the State of Bahia was seen by over 60 thousand people. It received a number of state and national awards. Also, Lyceum's community TV presentations proved to be very powerful communication tools. For a year, they brought to the streets a video wall on which Lyceum production were shown. These focused on community information, culture and entertainment, and featured conservation and environmental issues, interviews with members of local community.
Sources

Material provided by Lyceum of Arts and Crafts to The Communication Initiative.