community action groups awareness

community action groups awareness aw_la_ag.indd 1

There are many formal and informal groups in every community groups that provide leadership, services and social connections. The SASA! team can support and encourage activism of leaders and members of the group with the ultimate aim of transforming the group itself to become more active in the prevention and response to violence against women and HIV/AIDS. SASA! will engage community groups in many ways; however, we recommend using a special approach with selected groups to guide them in becoming action groups. Community Action Groups become leaders of SASA! activities and leaders of change within their groups and communities. Engaging with groups requires energy, focus and diplomacy. Each of the recommended ideas for action groups represents a process that takes time, careful planning and determination. Always think ahead about how best to engage action groups in a meaningful and productive way. We recommend six categories of community action groups. You could support the development of all or some of these groups. 1 aw_la_ag.indd 2

Category Security Action Group Health Care Action Group Faith-Based Action Group Local Leader Action Group Business Action Group Peer Action Groups Examples Police officers, local defense units, neighborhood watch groups, prison officials, community liaison officers, etc. Doctors, nurses, clinical staff, home-based care givers, palliative care givers, health outreach workers, traditional healers, VCT counselors, etc. Leaders of all faiths: priests, bishops, imams, sheiks, reverends, nuns, pastors, preachers, etc. Village or street leaders, clan elders or chiefs, cultural leaders, etc. Market seller associations, beauty and barber shops, trade unions, farmers associations, teachers unions, etc. Micro-credit groups, prayer groups, support groups, positive women s/men s groups, mother s/ father s groups, sporting groups, men s associations, social groups (drinking joints/cafes), school clubs, youth groups, etc. Community Action Groups In the Awareness phase of SASA! you will identify potential action groups and initiate discussions with their leadership. For those groups interested in becoming actively involved in SASA!, you will begin raising their awareness of power, violence, HIV/AIDS, and how these are all connected. By the end of the Awareness phase you will have confirmed some of the action groups for the SASA! process. 2 aw_la_ag.indd 3

S u 3. Consider how you would like to engage the chosen group. Some ideas for the Awareness phase of SASA! include the following: Security officials can play an important role both in the response to and prevention of violence against women. For example, they can support women reporting violence, and they can send out clear messages that violence against women is not acceptable to their colleagues and community members. a. b. Conduct the Start and Awareness Training Modules with the group. Provide them with awareness raising materials so they can do in-house trainings and include violence against women prevention in their community outreach activities. Recommendations for Awareness 1. Decide with the SASA! Team which type of security officials you would like to engage as an activist group (i.e., police officers, local defense units, neighborhood watch groups, prison officials or community liaison officers). 2. Learn about the hierarchy you must respect to get permission and buy-in from this group s leadership. It will depend on your community whether you need to meet with officials at a national, regional/provincial, or local level. c. Consider a dual strategy, working with decision makers and front-line workers (perhaps engaging both groups in such things as training sessions and quarterly meetings, while only engaging front-line staff in ongoing trainings, office visits and joint community activities). d. Organize a presentation of SASA! using the power point or the SASA! Film. 3 aw_la_ag.indd 4

4. Meet with the necessary leadership. Present your ideas in a way that shows respect and talks about the benefits for them professionally: a. Security officials are often men, and they may hold quite traditional beliefs about women. Therefore, it might be more effective to approach the issue of violence against women by focusing on concepts such as crime prevention or safer neighborhoods in introductory meetings with them. 5. 6. Conduct your activities as agreed upon with the leadership. Meet again with security leaders and officials, ask if they would like to continue as an action group receiving ongoing training, resources and support from the SASA! Team to create change in the community through their security responsibilities. b. c. Discuss the benefits for security officials if violence against women was reduced, for example, saving officers time in handling cases, fewer resources spent on follow up/arrests/imprisonment, etc. Provide a written copy of the types of activities you propose. Discuss each of these openly, welcoming their questions and never getting defensive. If the leadership has hesitations or concerns, aim to get support and buy-in for at least one small trial activity. This will be enough to demonstrate your professionalism and to build rapport. 4 aw_la_ag.indd 5

a e p Health care providers are at the heart of the dual pandemics of violence against women and HIV/AIDS. They are the front-line caregivers who are essential in prevention and response. Recommendations for Awareness 1. Decide with the SASA! Team which type of health care provider you would like to engage as an action group. You may prefer to work at a district level within the formal health services, or with home-based caregivers in a rural community, or with traditional healers. 2. Learn about how they are structured the leadership, types of services, types of service providers, the hierarchy, etc. Understand the protocol you must observe to gain entry into this group. 3. Consider what activities you would like to conduct with this group. Some ideas for the Awareness phase of SASA! include the following: a. Conduct the SASA! Start and Awareness Modules with the health care providers you have chosen to work with. b. c. Spend time at the service delivery point (clinic, traditional healers hut, hospital, in homes, etc.). Observe their ways of working, handling clients, sensitivity to the issues, and the challenges they face. Encourage these health care providers to conduct health chats in their waiting rooms or in their community outreach activities. Help them make a list of practical things they can do in their normal day-to-day work of serving their community. d. Organize a presentation of SASA! using the power point or the SASA! Film. 5 aw_la_ag.indd 6

4. Meet with the leadership. Present your ideas in a way that shows respect for their work and talks about the benefits for them professionally: a. b. You may choose to talk about violence against women as a public health problem. Explain the connection between violence and HIV/ AIDS. Explain the critical role health care providers can play in both prevention and response to the dual pandemics. 5. 6. Conduct your activities as agreed upon with the leadership. Meet again with the leadership and health care providers ask if they would like to continue as an action group receiving ongoing training, resources and support from the SASA! Team to create change in the community through their health care responsibilities. c. Provide a written copy of the types of activities you propose. Discuss each of these openly, welcoming their questions and never getting defensive. If the leadership has hesitations or concerns, aim to get support and buy-in for at least one small trial activity. This will be enough to demonstrate your professionalism and to build rapport. 6 aw_la_ag.indd 7

i e p Religious leaders are critical in shifting the values and norms in a community. They often enjoy a different level of respect, reverence and loyalty than any other leaders in the community. Helping them understand the issues of power, violence and HIV and integrate them into their faith is an essential component in creating change in a community. Recommendations for Awareness 1. Decide with the SASA! Team which religious institutions you would like to engage as an activist group. a. Consider the faiths of SASA! Team members. Sometimes members of a religious community can more effectively engage those religious leaders. b. Consider how open each faith in your community may be to engagement in SASA! 2. 3. c. As a team, discuss the option of creating a multi- faith group. Mixing leaders of different faiths can be intellectually and spiritually engaging for participants. Religious leaders might not have regular contact with leaders outside their faith. This approach also emphasizes the universality of peace and non-violence. It shows the community that there is united multi-faith support for balancing power and preventing violence and HIV. Learn about the hierarchy and leadership structures within your chosen religious institutions. Also learn about the issues they deem important. This will help you decide who to approach and how to shape your introduction and engagement with them. Consider what activities you would like to conduct with this group. Some ideas for the Awareness phase of SASA! include the following: a. Conduct the Start and Awareness Training Modules with your chosen religious leaders and/or select leaders and members of the congregations. b. Spend time learning about the texts, scriptures, and 7 aw_la_ag.indd 8

teachings of the religious institutions you have chosen to work with. c. Attend masses, Friday prayers, crusades, etc. run by your chosen leaders. Understand how they engage their congregations and think about how you could help them use their platform to open up issues of violence against women and its connection to HIV/AIDS. d. Encourage the religious leaders to begin talking about power, violence and HIV/AIDS. 4. Meet with leaders. Introduce SASA!, remembering to use language and approach the issues in a way that is aligned with their interests. a. For example, the language they find most friendly might be happy families, healthy families, family values, peace, non-violence, compassion and service toward others. b. Most religions promote the importance of strong families. Explain how SASA! aims to strengthen families. 5. 6. c. Help them see the importance of engaging in SASA! for the sake of their congregations. d. Provide a written copy of the types of activities you propose. Discuss each of these openly, welcoming their questions and never getting defensive. If the leadership has hesitations or concerns, aim to get support and buy-in for at least one small trial activity. This will be enough to demonstrate your professionalism and to build rapport. Conduct your activities as agreed upon with the leadership. Meet again with religious leaders/congregations, ask if they would like to continue as an action group receiving ongoing training, resources and support from the SASA! Team to create change in the community through their religious responsibilities. 8 aw_la_ag.indd 9

d p Local leaders can guide and shape opinion and action that formalizes norms in a community. These leaders are important to identify and engage for investment in prevention and response to violence against women and HIV/AIDS. Recommendations for Awareness 1. 2. 3. Identify local leaders and decision-makers that are influential in your community. Consider which groups are most accessible and relevant to your work. Learn more about the leaders you would like to engage and the groups or constituents they represent. Understand the hierarchy they are operating in, the protocol expected and how to follow it. Learn about any bylaws or policies leaders use to prevent or resond to violence against women. 4. 5. Consider what activities you would like to conduct with these leaders and the groups they represent. Some ideas for the Awareness phase of SASA! include the following: a. Conduct a series of one-on-one meetings with key leaders and representatives from the group/ constituents. b. Organize a presentation of SASA! using the power point or the SASA! Film. c. Facilitate sessions from the Start and Awareness Training modules. d. Distribute SASA! materials. Meet with the leaders you would potentially like to engage. How you will do this will vary on the type of leader. a. Shape your introduction in a way that is relevant and appropriate for the leaders. For example, the language they might be open to includes fostering healthy families, crime prevention, reducing family conflicts, or improving response options for women in crisis. 9 aw_la_ag.indd 10

b. You might also choose to mention that the prevention of violence can ultimately reduce the time they and others (police, health care providers, etc) spend in responding to cases. c. Provide a written copy of the types of activities you propose. Discuss each of these openly, welcoming their questions and never getting defensive. If the leaders have hesitations or concerns, aim to get support and buy-in for at least one small trial activity. This will be enough to demonstrate your professionalism and to build rapport. 6. 7. 8. Explore how and to what extent the leaders are or could be involved in preventing violence against women and HIV. Learn about how they have made decisions or spoken about these issues in the past. Understand their perspective. Conduct your activities as agreed upon with the leaders. Meet again with local leaders, ask if they would like to continue as an action group receiving ongoing training, resources and support from the SASA! Team to create change in the community. 10 aw_la_ag.indd 11

a. Conduct a power point presentation and/or facilitate sessions from the Start and Awareness Training modules. Many people spend considerable amounts of time at their places of work. Leaders of local business, unions, and entire companies can play an important role in SASA! They can create and ask for work environments that are respectful of human rights. They can establish support mechanisms for employees or members experiencing violence and/or HIV/AIDS. They can make important financial and material contributions to community prevention and response efforts. Recommendations for Awareness 1. 2. Identify local businesses, companies, organizations or unions that are influential in your community. Choose which of these groups you would like to engage in SASA! as an activist group. Consider what activities you would like to conduct with this group. Some ideas for the Awareness phase of SASA! include the following: b. c. Spend time at their businesses to understand the pressures they experience. Get to know their business culture and values. Encourage leaders to lead awareness activities within their places of work. d. Hold a screening of the SASA! Film for the leadership, staff and /or members. e. Distribute SASA! materials. 3. Meet with the leadership of the group. Introduce SASA!, remembering to craft your introduction based on their interests. a. For most businesses, profit is the bottom line. Talk about how violence against women and HIV/AIDS negatively impacts their employee attendance, performance and profit. 11 aw_la_ag.indd 12 11/6/08 3:35:12 PM

b. c. d. Also appeal to their desire to portray a positive and socially conscious identity for their business. Help owners/leaders understand the issues. Provide a written copy of the types of activities you propose. Discuss each of these openly, welcoming their questions and never getting defensive. If the leadership has hesitations or concerns, aim to get support and buy-in for at least one small trial activity. This will be enough to demonstrate your professionalism and to build rapport. 4. 5. Conduct your activities as agreed upon with the leadership. With those business owners, leaders and staff who express interest in SASA!, ask if they would like to continue as an action group receiving ongoing training, resources and support from the SASA! Team to create change in the community through their business responsibilities. 12 aw_la_ag.indd 13 11/6/08 3:35:12 PM

c o u Single sex spaces for women, men and young people are important places where community members can find support, inspiration and courage. Women, men and youth need safe spaces with their peers to discuss issues, analyze their own situations, and feel connected to and supported by others. These groups can become powerful forces in the community, creatively and personally touching the lives of others. In this category, it may be beneficial and efficient to engage several groups, if your SASA! Team has the capacity to support them. Recommendations for Awareness 1. Identify existing women, men and youth groups in your community. Talk with others to see what groups already exist. If there are only a few, consider having SASA! Team members and/or community activists start new groups. Identify which groups you would like to engage in SASA! as action groups. 2. Introduce SASA! to the leadership and members of the various chosen groups. You may choose to have oneon-one meetings, or call members together to explore the potential of their group working with SASA! ideas and activities. 3. Learn more about the groups you are engaging. Learn about their schedules, their other connections in the community, their priorities, the common activities they do. Discuss with members how they could integrate SASA! in their activities. 4. With interested groups, begin by facilitating the SASA! Start and Awareness Training Modules. Train a few members from each chosen group, so that they can then go back to their groups and facilitate the same modules with all other members. 5. Give SASA! materials to group members. Encourage them to use them within their group and with others. For example, they could listen to and discuss the SASA! soap opera, hold quick chats, create community dramas, and more. 13 aw_la_ag.indd 14 11/6/08 3:35:12 PM

6. With those peer groups who express interest in SASA!, ask if they would like to continue as an action group receiving ongoing training, resources and support from the SASA! Team to create change in the community. Community can be a in the community. 14 aw_la_ag.indd 15 11/6/08 3:35:12 PM

www.raisingvoices.org/sasa.php aw_la_ag.indd 16 11/6/08 3:35:12 PM