20 academicians attend communication workshop
KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) through the Development Communication Research Unit UMS-Unicef (UMS-Unicef C4D) will continue its effort to channel knowledge related to basic communication for development (C4D) for the implementation of activities or social projects among local communities.
Recently, the unit organised the C4D Basic workshop for academicians at UMS.
In a statement, it was mentioned that this was the fifth workshop organised since the unit was established under the Science Social and Humanities Faculty in September 2019.
Located at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), the three-day workshop is funded by Unicef. It was participated by 20 academicians from various faculties and departments, among them the faculty of psychology and education, medicine and health science faculty, corporate communication and strategic management and community involvement and sustainability centre.
The workshop is aimed at exposing the participants to basic C4D by stressing on five main aspects which are assessment or research by identifying behaviour and stakeholders that can affect the choices made, communication analysis and communication channels, those who form communication objectives who are capable of bringing change to knowledge, to attitudes and behaviors as well as monitoring and assessing the entire process.
“Aspects of communication is focused on in the implementation of social projects since communication plays an important role in changing negaitive social norms to positive ones, changing individual and community behavior and subsequently bring about social development.
“C4D intervention is part of the activities of projects, for example, it is used to address social issues such as underaged marriage, discrimination towards children and people with disabilities, the health of mothers and children and other related issues.
“C4D can also be used in other context, for example in raising the acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccine,” read the statement.
Organisations that have successfully implemted C4D are Sabah Health Department and the Good Shepherd Services.