Much of the public understands development as a question of charity – the idea that “we” (developed countries/the global north) need to give more to “them” (developing countries/the Global South). This has been described as the paradigm of the “generous giver / deficient receiver.” Many of our organizations have worked Read more…
It is clear that the kind of work that we need to do is not superficial, and means enduring changes in our attitudes and perspectives, as well as our skills. It is hard work that requires us to take risks. Some have noted that in the past several decades many Read more…
Sometimes – unlike people working in international development projects overseas – we are working without clearly established principles. Having clear principles can help guide us in our decision-making, and stop us from inadvertently doing things that work against our long term goals. Over the last decade or so, civil society Read more…
In order to be effective as public engagement practitioners, we need opportunities to reflect on our work and think about the underlying theories and assumptions on which we base our actions. The tools and resources that follow are designed to encourage practitioners to think about how change happens as a Read more…
Lessons can always be learned from public engagement work on development issues. The following case study specifically explores a malaria prevention program and the interconnections between public engagement, public relations, and fundraising. The malaria prevention program took place in over twelve countries in Africa in a collaborative process that engaged Read more…
Dialogue is a different way of engaging. It is about creating meaning together, thinking about issues in new ways and exploring and building common ground. Deliberative dialogue goes further and asks people to make choices by weighing competing values and priorities, by thinking through pros and cons, and by determining Read more…
The following is a reflection on and application of the theory of change developed by the How Change Happens Knowledge Hub. Fair Trade Manitoba, a program of the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation (MCIC), works with various institutions, including local and provincial governments, schools, and crown corporations, as they discover, consider, plan Read more…
