ABOUT US
 

Strategic Communication is key to make a difference in improving the lives of people in Bangladesh. Behavior Change Communication (BCC) makes use of an expanding mass media, new technologies, and creative ideas in communication to influence social behavior change towards a positive life.

BCC is therefore, particularly effective in the arena of health and other social development sectors of the country since these are the areas where millions of people need to understand, approve and actually use services. The role of BCC is thus crucial in-

• Creating awareness
• Increasing knowledge
• Building approval
• Influencing behavior

As the leader in the field of Strategic Communication, Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) provides expertise in conceptualization, development, management, implementation, and evaluation of BCC programs to meet existing and emerging social challenges. BCCPÕs programs are coordinated through national policies and program strategies that promote multisectoral collaboration, efficiencies of scale, and sustainable social behavior change.

BCCP: The Journey begins
Since its formation in 1996 BCCP, as the successor to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP) in Bangladesh, has been making impressive strides in the field of behavior change communication with the same mandate to design, manage, implement, monitor and evaluate large-scale strategic communication programs for various social development sectors in the country.

BCCP offers "One-stop" services
BCCPÕs teams with a cluster of highly qualified and experienced professionals offer a full range of technical expertise in all aspects of BCC programming to its various stakeholders, donors, related NGOs and the GOB. Thus, BCCP helps improve lives of millions by introducing them to a positive behavior change approach through cutting-edge and innovative communication.

The Process behind success
The "P" Process" is a tested and proven communication project planning process and an effective tool for designing, implementing and evaluating more scientific behavior change communication programs. Following the ÒP ProcessÓ process in every step of the communication programs, BCCP specializes in:
• Developing comprehensive national BCC strategies
• Designing and implementing national media campaigns
• Conducting communication training programs and workshops
• Facilitating collaboration among public and private sector agencies and NGOs
• Leveraging resources to extend the reach of programs
• Conducting formative and evaluative research to facilitate program development
• Advocating for effective and target-specific programs at all levels
• Managing programs, including contracts for private-sector agencies
• Monitoring community-based programs

Areas of Expertise
National Communication Strategies: BCCP's senior professionals have long experience in developing national communication strategies. While they were with JHU/CCP, they actively participated in developing the National FP-MCH IEC Strategy 1993-2000, the first ever IEC strategy in the country involving 41 key partners and the Government. BCCP along with key Government and NGO partners played a significant role in developing the National Integrated BCC Strategy for Health and Population Sector and the National HIV/AIDS BCC Strategy. BCCP also developed a comprehensive National Integrated Population and Health Program BCC Strategy as well as communication strategies for NSDP, Immunization and Other Child Health, Prevention of Trafficking in Children and Women and Strengthening Local Government through National Union Parishad Network. In addition, BCCP contributes to strategy development in other areas of social development sectors.

Mass Media: BCCP is skilled in designing, implementing and evaluating large scale mass media campaigns including radio, television, print advertisement and outdoor media. Optimizing the growing reach of the media in Bangladesh, BCCP promotes 'brand building' and 'category building' campaigns aimed at improving lives through positive changes in behavior and increasing customer flow in the 'Smiling Sun' clinics.

Community-Based Programs: BCCP has years of experience in developing, field-testing and replicating community mobilization approaches. ''Jiggasha : A Social Network Approach to Community Mobilization and Sustainability" is one such approach that involved the community in providing information and services in health. BCCP facilitates replication of community-based programs by the Government and NGOs in urban and rural areas. It also utilizes innovative approaches such as "Future Search Conference" for effective community mobilization. The Future Search Conference approach involves local community stakeholders in large group planning meetings to bring the "whole system" in one room to develop local action plans on specific health and family planning, and other social issues.

Enter-Educate Approach: BCCP applies JHU/CCP's ground-breaking enter-educate approach to produce entertaining programs with educational messages about social issues. Some successful projects include Shabuj Shathi, a television drama serial designed to create trust in service providers, and other two very popular drama serials Shabuj Chhaya, & Eyi Megh Eyi Roudro, designed and produced to promote ESP services and service sites. All the serials were produced with technical support from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and JHU/CCP. Renowned multi-national companies bought prime time television slots for these serials. A number of popular programs were also broadcast on the radio, such as Under the Green Umbrella, a weekly magazine that used humor, interactive sessions, and drama to enhance knowledge and counseling skills of health and family planning service providers. Another weekly magazine program, Jante Chai Janate Chai, featuring quiz programs, celebrity interviews, short plays, band music and question & answer sessions was designed exclusively for adolescent boys and girls to help them look after their physical health, develop morally and acquire a positive outlook on life.

BCCP recently produced its fourth TV drama serial Enechhi Shurjer Hashi for its partner organization NSDP to encourage people from different socio-economic strata to take quality health services from the 'Smiling Sun' clinics and other recognized service centers.

ARH Skills Development Approach: BCCP is taking the lead in coordinating an Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) Working Group to implement the National ARH BCC Strategy. The ARH program uses the mass media and mobilizes community participation through NGOs and adolescent groups. It also emphasizes interpersonal communication and counseling (IPC/C) with service providers to sensitize adolescents to ARH issues and teach them risk reduction life skills. The program aims to predispose adolescents to seek more information and discuss ARH issues including puberty, delayed marriage, delayed pregnancy, dual protection, HIV/AIDS, risk reduction and RH for young married couples. The technical program content is reinforced with life skills videos and video guides for facilitators and question & answer booklets for adolescents.

Capacity Building: More than 500 Bangladeshis have been trained to use the "P Process" a systematic, research-based planning tool pioneered by JHU/CCP.
BCCP is continuing to organize the annual international "Advances in Family Health and Social Communication" workshop and by 2006, BCCP will complete its 13th Advances workshop. The workshop integrates theory and practice through the use of an interactive computer software called SCOPE (Strategic Communication Planning and Evaluation). BCCP is also continuing to hold "Message Development Workshop" to cater to BCC needs of the Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Program, and other development sectors.

Client-Provider Communication: Under the NIPHP and other projects, BCCP is developing materials to strengthen interpersonal communication and counseling (IPC/C) skills of NGO and government providers. These include the revised Service Providers' Guide and the Modern Contraceptive Methods Booklet. BCCP plays a key role in assisting NGOs and the Government in the use of Generic IPC/BCC Curriculum and training videos to enhance providers' skills.

Research and Evaluation: BCCP is using its expertise in managing large scale research studies, both qualitative and quantitative, including national surveys, to guide the design of BCC programs and evaluate their impact. BCCP professionals have experience in conducting major studies and evaluations, undertaking exploratory and formative research, assessing BCC and training needs and pre-testing messages and materials. BCCP, in collaboration with UNICEF, JHU/CCP and the Social Marketing Company, has also conducted three national media surveys.

Technical Assistance: BCCP provides technical assistance to national committees in supervising different programs including health and family planning programs, and to NGOs and other development partners on a variety of BCC related programs and issues.
Resources: BCCP maintains a close working relationship with JHU/CCP, Baltimore, USA and has access to its resources including Population Reports, an international review journal of population and family planning issues. BCCP has a Photo Bank and a Media Material Center (MMC) which adds to the organization's cutting edge communication expertise. Specimen of all communication materials produced by BCCP are stored and exhibited in the MMC. A highly skilled and dedicated team works at generating both materials and public interest. Its forte is its modern high-tech apparatus support. In the photo bank, photographs along with their negatives are systematically preserved. Foreign and local visitors or interested individuals are welcome to browse or order BCC materials from the MMC.

The Vision
It is BCCP's vision and its expert workforce that helped this fledgling organization to grow over the years into a sustainable organization fully adept at meeting the growing demand of various partners. BCCP plans to continue with its mission of meaningful contribution to the improvement of social behavior through more strategic, innovative and dynamic programs in future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
Mohammad Shahjahan
Director & CEO
House # 3A, Road # 74
Gulshan-2, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh
P.O. Box 6046
Tel : (880-2) 9893362, (880-2) 9891354
Fax : (880-2) 8854512
E-mail: info@bangladesh-ccp.org

WHAT'S NEW

:: Materials on Bird Flu ...bangla
:: Success story ...bangla
:: Strategic Comm.. P-process ..bangla
:: Message Development Workshop
:: Advances workshop
:: ARH Comm. Midline   Assesment 04.
:: Campaign, Lets Talk About    AIDS.
:: Baseline Survey ....
:: Global Media Award....
::  Jordan Team...




PUBLICATIONS

:: ARH Focused Community Assesment     ..... pdf New! 
:: ARH Communication Midline    Assesment 04...pdf
:: National Media Survey 2002
:: Evaluation of Smilling Sun....
:: Baseline Survey of ARH
:: Annual Report 2002-2003
:: Newsletter(Sangjog) Bi-monthlyNew!
:: ARH Magazine Bi-monthlyNew! 
:: Annual Report 03-04

TV Magazine Premiere

Adolescent Reproductive Health

The latest News from BCCP Contact BCCP bangladesh-ccp.org Home Page


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