Communication for Development Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Communications Officers, Programme Managers and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 7 Nov 2026 Course code SD-PRC-039

Before you join: Participants should have basic experience of workplace communication, public relations, programme delivery, community engagement or stakeholder management.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Communication for development (C4D) addresses a practical challenge: public information alone rarely changes behaviour, builds trust or secures participation in development programmes. Health campaigns, climate adaptation projects, financial inclusion initiatives and humanitarian responses need communication that starts with people’s realities, identifies barriers to action and creates credible routes for dialogue. Poorly designed messages can exclude priority groups, trigger resistance or create expectations that programmes cannot meet.

This course equips participants to plan, deliver and assess communication that supports social and behavioural change. Participants use audience insight, stakeholder analysis, Theory of Change, COM-B behavioural diagnosis and participatory communication methods to define priority audiences and communication objectives. They develop messages, choose appropriate channels, plan community engagement, work with media and partners, manage misinformation, and set indicators for monitoring communication results. Attention is given to ethics, safeguarding, accessibility, language, consent and representation.

Teaching combines short instructor briefings with cases drawn from public health, humanitarian assistance, local governance and development finance. Participants analyse audience evidence, test communication choices through facilitated group work, conduct stakeholder and message-planning simulations, and apply each method to a live or realistic programme brief. They leave with a reusable C4D strategy pack containing an audience profile, behavioural analysis, stakeholder map, message matrix, channel plan, engagement plan and measurement framework.

The course is suited to communications, programme, public relations, community engagement and monitoring staff who contribute to development outcomes. It is especially valuable for professionals moving from awareness-focused communications to planned interventions that can show how communication contributes to participation, service uptake, safer practices or policy support.

What you will be able to do

  • Develop a C4D strategy using the P-Process and Theory of Change
  • Diagnose behavioural barriers and enablers using the COM-B model
  • Segment priority audiences using evidence-based audience profiles
  • Create message matrices linked to behavioural and communication objectives
  • Select channels using reach, trust, accessibility and feedback criteria
  • Plan participatory community engagement and stakeholder communication activities
  • Design communication monitoring indicators, data collection tools and learning reviews
  • Produce an implementation-ready C4D action plan for a programme brief

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Move from awareness campaigns to behaviour-focused communication planning
  • Build credible C4D strategies for programme proposals and implementation plans
  • Conduct better conversations with communities, partners and technical specialists
  • Use audience evidence to defend channel and message decisions
  • Demonstrate communication results through practical monitoring measures

For your organisation

  • Improves alignment between communication activities and programme objectives
  • Reduces wasted spend on poorly targeted messages and unsuitable channels
  • Strengthens community participation, feedback collection and local accountability
  • Creates consistent communication planning documents across project teams
  • Provides evidence for donor reporting, programme adaptation and future investment

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can distinguish C4D from public information and define its contribution to programme outcomes.

  • Communication for development versus public relations, advocacy and social marketing
  • C4D functions within health, governance, humanitarian and livelihoods programmes
  • Participation, dialogue and feedback as routes to programme accountability
  • Social and behavioural change communication compared with awareness raising
  • P-Process stages from situation analysis through evaluation and learning
  • Ethical communication principles: do no harm, consent and representation

Participants can translate a programme problem into communication priorities and a workable Theory of Change.

  • Problem trees identify root causes, effects and communication entry points
  • Theory of Change links communication actions with intermediate outcomes
  • Results chains distinguish outputs, outcomes, assumptions and external influences
  • Define communication objectives using specific behavioural and participation outcomes
  • Assumption testing identifies risks behind proposed communication pathways
  • Prioritisation matrices compare importance, feasibility, urgency and available resources

Participants can develop evidence-based audience segments and prioritise them for communication action.

  • Primary, secondary and influencing audiences mapped against desired behaviour
  • Audience segmentation criteria include needs, location, influence and readiness
  • KAP surveys measure knowledge, attitudes and reported practices
  • Focus group discussions reveal language, beliefs, motivations and social norms
  • Audience personas convert evidence into usable planning profiles
  • Equity analysis identifies groups excluded by language, disability or access

Participants can identify behavioural barriers and select appropriate communication responses using COM-B.

  • COM-B diagnoses capability, opportunity and motivation behind priority behaviours
  • Behavioural determinants include norms, trust, risk perception and self-efficacy
  • Behaviour statements specify actor, action, context, frequency and timing
  • Barrier analysis separates information gaps from structural access constraints
  • Behaviour change techniques matched to diagnosed determinants and programme resources
  • Service readiness checked before communication promotes uptake or referral

Participants can create tested messages that are accurate, relevant and action-oriented.

  • Message matrices connect audience barriers, benefits, proof and calls-to-action
  • Framing choices balance gain, loss, efficacy and social norm appeals
  • Plain-language principles improve readability, comprehension and recall
  • Creative briefs specify audience insight, objective, proposition and mandatory content
  • Pretesting checks comprehension, relevance, acceptability and unintended interpretations
  • Adapt messages for local languages, literacy levels and cultural references

Participants can select and schedule communication channels based on audience behaviour and practical constraints.

  • Channel mapping compares reach, trust, cost, accessibility and feedback potential
  • Interpersonal communication, mass media and digital channels serve different purposes
  • Media habits research informs timing, frequency and format decisions
  • Channel mixes connect community dialogue with referral and service information
  • Content calendars assign messages, owners, approvals and publication dates
  • Paid, earned, shared and owned media assessed for programme relevance

Participants can plan inclusive engagement processes that build trust and capture actionable feedback.

  • Stakeholder mapping assesses interest, influence, relationships and communication needs
  • Community entry protocols establish permissions, trusted intermediaries and local legitimacy
  • Dialogue methods include listening sessions, community forums and facilitated small groups
  • Feedback loops document concerns, assign responses and report actions taken
  • Co-creation approaches involve participants in messages, materials and solutions
  • Power analysis prevents elite capture and supports marginalised voices

Participants can engage media and partners while preparing proportionate responses to misinformation.

  • Media mapping identifies relevant outlets, journalists, audiences and editorial interests
  • Press briefs present evidence, human stories, spokespeople and factual context
  • Spokesperson preparation covers key messages, bridging and difficult questions
  • Rumour tracking records source, reach, harm and response ownership
  • Misinformation response protocols prioritise listening, correction and trusted messengers
  • Advocacy communication separates policy asks from community behaviour objectives

Participants can build a measurement framework that tracks communication quality, reach and contribution to outcomes.

  • Indicator frameworks distinguish exposure, engagement, recall, intention and behaviour
  • SMART indicators specify numerator, denominator, data source and reporting frequency
  • Baseline and endline designs measure change among intended audience segments
  • Qualitative monitoring captures meaning, trust, concerns and emerging barriers
  • Disaggregation by gender, age, disability and location identifies inequities
  • After-action reviews convert communication data into programme improvements

Participants can assemble a practical C4D strategy and implementation plan for a priority programme.

  • C4D strategy structure links evidence, objectives, audiences, activities and indicators
  • Workplans sequence research, production, approvals, dissemination and review points
  • RACI matrices clarify accountability for communication decisions and deliverables
  • Budget assumptions cover research, translation, production, media and facilitation
  • Risk registers address safeguarding, political sensitivity, misinformation and exclusion
  • Ninety-day application plans assign immediate actions, owners and review dates

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. C4D strategy template
  2. Audience segmentation and persona worksheet
  3. COM-B behavioural diagnosis canvas
  4. Message matrix and creative brief
  5. Channel and community engagement plan
  6. C4D monitoring framework

Who should attend

  • Communications Officers — need to connect communication outputs with programme outcomes
  • Programme Managers — need communication plans that support adoption and participation
  • Public Relations Managers — need trusted engagement with communities, media and partners
  • Community Engagement Officers — need structured methods for dialogue and feedback
  • Monitoring and Evaluation Specialists — need credible communication indicators and learning data
  • NGO and Government Project Staff — need practical C4D methods for funded initiatives

Skills and tools covered

Behavioural diagnosisAudience segmentationMessage developmentCommunity engagementChannel planningCommunication measurement

Tools and standards

P-Process, Theory of Change, COM-B model, Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices survey

How the course runs

Training methodology

The instructor uses short briefings to introduce C4D concepts, behavioural models and planning tools. Participants work through realistic programme cases involving health, public services, livelihoods, humanitarian assistance and climate action. Small-group analysis builds audience profiles, behavioural diagnoses, messages, channel choices and measurement plans. Facilitated simulations examine community dialogue, media engagement and responses to misinformation. Individual application planning helps participants adapt the course tools to their own programmes. Peer review and instructor feedback test whether proposed communication choices are ethical, feasible and measurable.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic experience of workplace communication, public relations, programme delivery, community engagement or stakeholder management. They should be able to discuss a current or recent project and identify its intended beneficiaries, services or desired outcomes. Familiarity with development, humanitarian, health, education, governance or social programmes is useful but not essential. No prior training in behavioural science, formal research methods, monitoring and evaluation, graphic design, media buying or digital marketing is required. Participants do not need to bring a completed communication strategy.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should have basic exposure to communication, public relations, programme delivery or stakeholder engagement. You do not need prior behavioural science, research or monitoring and evaluation training.

Bring information about a current or recent programme, campaign or service if you have one. A project brief, audience description, existing materials or monitoring data will help you apply the tools, but none is mandatory.

It suits communications and programme professionals working on development, public-sector, NGO, humanitarian or corporate social investment initiatives. It is also useful for managers who approve communication plans or need better evidence of communication results.

The course focuses on participation, behaviour, service uptake, trust and accountability rather than brand promotion or commercial sales. It uses development communication methods such as audience research, COM-B, community feedback and C4D measurement.

You can use the templates to improve an existing campaign, prepare a donor-funded communication plan or structure a new community engagement initiative. The final application plan identifies actions, owners, timing, risks and measures for your own work.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. Time is divided between instructor input, case analysis, group work, simulations, review and application planning across ten modules.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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