PARTICIPATORY MEDIA SCENARIO #2: Communications for Development

Peter Varley s3157379

In Bangladesh, it is estimated that 16 million people are living with a disability, receiving little or no assistance and excluded from mainstream life.

The development sector is rift with wicked problems, and disability is no exception. While it may not be solvable, the life for a disabled person in Bangladesh is definitely improvable, and all evidence points to social media now being the tool to do it.

Through myability.org, a participatory social media pilot, Bangladesh’s disabled population will be provided with free IT training and platform through social media to share disability-related news and information thereby improving social inclusion.

The content will also form the foundation of a human rights campaign showcasing the abilities of disabled people in Bangladesh.

Behind myability.org is a team of passionate Bangladeshi and Australian project managers, specialist disability trainers, educators and communication professionals. While young, this group has many years

of practical expertise behind them. They come to this project with their eyes wide open and a host of specialist skills in advocacy, public health, cross cultural communication and information technology.

Bangladeshi’s disabled are ready to show the world what they can do. Come watch.

PROPOSAl STATEMENT

AIms

1. Empower disabled people in Bangladesh by giving them a voice, and a community, through social media;

2. Educate the national and international community about disability in Bangladesh

OBjECTIvEs

1. Construct accessible IT centre in central Dhaka location and myability.org online presence (in English and Bangla).

2. Build relationship with key development stakeholders working on disability programs and community leaders and ask them to promote the website/s and the IT centre open day and the aim of the project.

3. Promote myability.org, its aims and the IT centre open day in newspapers and radio stations.

4. Promote myability.org, its aims and the IT centre open day on key social media sites and with key stakeholders.

5. Train disabled Bangladeshis in basic IT and participatory social media skills and theory.

6. manage online community, provide feedback on content and post weekly questions.

7. Compile best content into disablilty adovacy package.

Strategy

Artist’s impression of the myability.org IT training centre in action

Image sourced from: http://www.unhcr.org/thumb1/4b4b1ff96.jpg

recommended platformS and rationale

WOrDPrEssThis blog is where the majority of the “participatory social media” activities will be taking place. It will host the myablity.org forum and links to participants blogs (similar to the class blog).

It’s relatively simple to use (or train someone to use), has a wide degree of participation options (the odd post or they can go the lengths of making a multi platform online ID)

TWITTEr + InsTAgrAm + FACEBOOkmyability.org will use these sites to update their stakeholders about projects, seek feedback, and direct people to the Psm project hosted on Wordpress.

sOunDClOuD + vImEOWhile audio and film are useful mediums for people with literacy/language difficulties, they do require a degree of technical know how to contribute (as well as a fast enough internet connection to be able to upload content).

I envisage most of the content for these platforms will be created at the IT classes by myability staff filming and recording the students, as well as going out into the streets and interviewing disabled homeless people.

myABIlITy.OrgThe best content from participant’s posts will be uploaded to the myablity.org homepage

Participants content will funnel through their Wordpress account. Will have links

myability.org’s social media platforms

Key organizationS worKing on diSability in bangladeSh

Action-Aid BangladeshunICEF Bangladeshsocial Assistance and rehabilitation for the Physically vulnerableCentre on Disability and Developmentleonard Cheshire DisabilityInternational Committee of the red CrossADD International

active StaKeholderS / audienceS to addreSS

Disabled people in BangladeshBangladeshi governmentlocal and international media organizationslocal and international development agenciesDisability advocacy groupsgeneral public (Bangladeshi)

sun

mon

Tues

Wed

Thurs

Note: Bangladesh’s working week is Sunday to Thursday

Used when applicable

timeline for the Social media material

myability.org’s social media platforms

ProblemIn Bangladesh, it is estimated that 16 million people are living with a disability, receiving little or no assistance and excluded from mainstream life.

Aims of the study• To investigate if a participatory social media project is sustainable in Bangladesh, and;

• If it can increase feelings of social inclusive for its disabled population.

BANGLADESH, DISABILITY AND WEB 2.0

BANGLADESH, DISABILITY AND WEB 2.0

Approx. • 30 million internet users (Nov. 2012);

More than • 3.5 million social media users – Facebook use grew 34% from July – Nov 2012;

Savar building collapse saw it • succesfully being used by Bangladeshis as an activism tool

Internet use is growing expediently in Bangladesh

Why?Developed a lean social media startup titled myability.org which will require 6-month review of first goal to gauge effectiveness, and to justify moving forward and further funding.

By Peter Varley s3157379

Limited information available re: participatory social media and use in international development context.

Literature review revealed that:

In the first world, participatory social media campaigns have • successfully been used for empowerment and social change;

Traditional participatory (or bottom up) communication has a • good track record in development and Bangladesh;

People with disability are embracing the mainstream social • networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter.

Literature / Arguments

MethodConvergent Parallel Design

- Metadata analysis

- Interviews and questionnaires

- Analyse data concurrently and write report

OutcomesDissemination: • Journal of international Communication, Journal

of International Development, Communication Initiative Network (preferably after myability.org goals 2 and 3 have been attempted)

Problems: lack of infrastructure, understanding/platform take up, • IT knowledge; cross cultural communication issues; accessibility; reaching a broad social economic cross section.

“(during the Savar building collapse) digital platforms played a vital role in enabling real-time updates, information exchange, coordinated relief efforts and the formation of shared opinions.”

Amin, A.r. (2013). ‘Silver Linings’ Generation: New Age of Digital Activism in Bangladesh. retrieved from: http://www.comminit.com/ict-4-development/content/silber-linings-generation-new-age-digital-activism-bangladesh

“people with disability are embracing the mainstream social networking sites such as mySpace, facebook and twitter.”

Ellis, k., kent, m., (2011) Disability and New Media – Does that Face-“Book” come in Braille: Social Networking Sites and Disability. Curtin university.

“in india, the national centre for promotion of employment for disabled people successfully applied participatory communication strategies to pursue the rights of disabled people.”

Thomas, T., (2009) Participatory communication: A practical guide – World Bank Publications, Washington

reSearchOn the left is a research proposal to evaluate the website (and particapatory social media and its use in international development) at the 6 month point.

“the evidence Suggests: within marginalized communities, there is tremendous untapped potential to use communication for collective good. when people most affected by social inequity have the confidence and abilities to access, manage and control the processes, tools and content of communication, development efforts are more sustainable and effective.”

(2010) Communication for Social Change. retrieved from http://www.communicationforsocialchange.org/roots

“approx. 30 million internet users in bangladesh – 5 million use internet every day”

“Social media users more than 3.5 million – facebook use grew 34% from July – nov 2012 (871,420)”

Billah, m., (2012) ICTs facts and figures on Bangladesh by We Are Social Singapore. retrieved from: http://www.knowledgebrokersforum.org/blogs/item/icts-facts-and-figures-on-bangladesh-by-we-are-social-singapore?kme=Email+hit&km_Email_subject=

“when people with disabilities actively participate in society and their voice is heard, all the community benefits from it and brings about positive change. negative attitudes and traditional beliefs are amongst the barriers that hinder the participation in society by persons with disabilities.”

(2012) Removing barriers, creating inclusion, empowering persons with disabilities. retrieved from: http://www.cbm.org/removing-barriers,-creating-inclusion,-empowering-persons-with-disabilities-370020.php

OThEr sOurCEs

Asough. A (2013). Success through social media in Nigeria (2013). retrieved from: http://www.comminit.com/ict-4-development/content/success-through-social-media-nigeria-0

goldberg, m. (2013) Crowd Sourcing the Next Development Agenda. retrieved from: http://www.undispatch.com/crowd-sourcng-the-next-international-development-agenda

goodman, j. Wennerstrom, A, Benjamin F. Particaporty and Social Media to Engage Youth: From the Obama Campaign to Public Health Practice. retrieved from http://www.communitytrials.org/doc/15%20Participatory%20&%20social%20media%20to%20Engage%20youth%20-%20From%20the%20Obama%20Campaign%20to%20Public%20health%20Practice.pdf

kanter. B. (2006) Using Participatory Media Tools in Nonprofit Campaigns. retrieved from http://www.nten.org/blog/2006/12/21/using-participatory-media-tools-in-nonprofit-campaigns

servaes, j. (2008) Communication for Development and Social Change. university of massachusetts