CAREER GUIDANCE FROM TOSIN AKIBU, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN ABUJA, NIGERIA



Follow Toskin on Twitter: [ @2weta ]

 
1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

I realised over time that I am the average of the five people I hang out with. So outside of my colleagues at work (when time permits) I hang out with people who push me to be a better me, who challenge me to my elastic limit while expanding my capabilities.

2. What do you do?

I communicate behaviour change while mainstreaming gender. I am a social and behaviour change communication specialist who picked up gender programming along the way and merged both together.

3. Why do you do what you do?

Communication is life. Equity makes life easy. So working to achieve both gives me boundless joy and satisfaction.

4. Is this where you thought you would end up?

Ending up sounds fatalistic to me. I chose this path because it translates to being paid for loving your job.

5. What values are you committed to?

Resilience, determination, impossible does not exist.

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

None! Except when I am not working which amounts to the rest of the week. Ok on a serious note, 40 hours a week minus overtime.

7. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

Deftness, open mindedness, positivity, probing mind, keen eyes, wicked sense of humour.

8. Are there any negatives to your job?

Communication being interpreted as information dissemination only.

9. What do you wish you knew at our stage? (IE: Entry-level SBCC practitioners)

The tipping point of change is the most critical point of behaviour change and is the fulcrum of your work. Never overlook or ignore it.

10. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

When you get your participants right and you involve them every step of the way, everything else is settled.

11. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Nothing… everything that happened were ingredients required to make this broth called “experience”.

12. What should keep entry-level SBCC enthusiasts up at night?

How do I use communication to make smokers stop smoking!

13. What one thing do you still struggle with?
To see people adopt the desired change in behaviour now…as in now.

14. What traits impress you the most in a working professional, irrespective of their area of expertise?
Dedication.

 

15. What are the top 7 technical skills that entry-level SBCC enthusiasts should strive to horn?

1. Be sensitive to the dynamics of your context.
2. Never assume you know the situation, nothing is ever as it seems.
3. Be open minded… non –verbal communication is also communication and might be used as a BCC material someday.
4. Audience segmentation is everything. 
5. Don’t stop asking ‘why’, ‘why’, ‘why’.
6. Listen to the participants, listen, listen.
7. A communication strategy only becomes one when you understand the situation, segment your audience, focus and design, create, monitor and evaluate.

16. Considering all the people you have met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?

 

Passion!

 

17. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

 

 That moment when you get feedback from the participants on how your intervention helped them make informed and sustainable decisions.

 

18. Which other SBCC maven would you recommend for this interview?

 

Auwal Kawu

 

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CAREER GUIDANCE FROM JESUS MATSUKI, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN MADRID, SPAIN

Follow Jesús Matsuki on Twitter: [ @JesusMatsuki ]

1.What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

One of the qualities that represents friendship: a trustworthy person.

2.What do you do?

I am a journalist. At the moment, I divide my time working in two separate areas: social work and as a spokesperson for the Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Madrid's city hall). I am also a member of the Unidad de Comunicación de Emergencias (Emergency Communications Unit) for the Spanish Red Cross.

In social work, I am managing a communication for development project in Cañada Real (Madrid), for an organisation that I created. Cañada Real is an area where most of the population is at high risk of social exclusion.

We want to determine how communication works within the population of this area and how they can acquire the relevant information to improve their life conditions. To achieve this we are analysing the communication process, identifying the influential community leaders, analysing the usage of technological tools, studying how they send and receive information from the public, social and religious organisations and analysing the presence and use of local media (radio, television and newspapers).

After this analysis we will develop and execute a plan to make communication bidirectional and more effective.

3.Why do you do what you do?

Sometimes you have to work in the job which can allow you to pay the mortgage, the education of your children, or most of the times, you cannot decide the job that you want to work for. Fortunately, this is not my situation. I love working in the area of communication.

4. Is this where you thought you would end up?

It´s too soon to say that this is the end of my career (hahaha). I have been working as an anchor in radio, producer, etc. and now I am doing what I´m doing. Who knows what I will do in the future? For sure, it will be under a kind of communication project, it doesn´t matter whick kind. It´s just part of the journey! We will never know where are we going to end up.

5. What values are you committed to?

Information save lives.

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

I work 40 hours, but I dedicate almost 20-30 hours to social projects.

7. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

 Being calm, analytic, and communicative!

8. Are there any negatives to your job?

Hum...just waking up so early! Hahaha.

9. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

You should trust what you are communicating. If you don´t, don´t communicate it.

10. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

For sure, I would have studied more languages.
11. What professional organizations are you associated with, and in what ways?

My own organisation “Guia de Babel”, the Spanish Red Cross, and journalism associations.

12. What mistakes have you made?

It´s almost impossible to keep track of my mistakes... Most of the times it has boiled down to not listening to good advice that I received!

13. Considering all the people you have met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?

Honesty, team worker, accept challenges, perseverance.

14. What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

First of all, it's okay not to know what you want to do for your entire life, but you still need to have a plan... Just start planning for what you want to accomplish over the next five years. Even just to keep the job you do right now, you need to be ambitious.

15. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

Most of the times, the best reward that you can receive is from yourself. You can be a perfectionist professional, but you should accept that you will do it better next time, and congratulate yourself whenever you achieve something.

16. What developments in the horizon could affect future career opportunities in this field?

In relation to our financial situation, "crisis" is the most used word in Spain. And a big mistake that many organisations are doing, is  to reduce funds that go to their communications departments. They forget that communication is not an expense, but an indispensable investment.

17. Can you recommend a "must-read" book that will help us broaden our skills as working professionals or inspire us to reach our highest potential?

Any book that contributes to spiritual growth. There´s no nice flower to smell if you don´t have good sand where you can plant the seed.

18. As a communicator, if you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?

It would be about how to open your mind to know in depth the people you are targeting for your communications. We need to listen much more than talk!

19. Which other SBCC maven would you recommend for this interview?

Jacobo Quintanilla -- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

20. What's the most valuable question we should ask the next SBCC maven who is interviewed on this blog?

Are we forgetting the importance of the one-to-one in communications projects ?


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CAREER GUIDANCE FROM ANDERSON OGOYE, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN GALKACYO, SOMALIA

Follow Anderson on twitter: [ @oogoye ]

 1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

They should be good listeners and open to other peoples' opinions, ready to express themselves, and should have a good command of the language in use.

2. What do you do?

I am a social worker (humanitarian worker).

3. Why do you do what you do?

To earn an income.

4. Is this where you thought you would end up?

Yes, I studied to specialize in this field.

5. What values are you committed to?

Self-discipline, Social interaction, Diligence, Flexibility, Commitment, Team work, and Ready to learn.

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

40 hours -- in exceptional cases I do 60 hours.

7. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

Basic computer operational skills, Ability to read and understand, Creativity/ability to initiate a project to a feasible output.

8. Are there any negatives to your job?

Yes – security risks, language barriers, harsh weather conditions.

9. What is the background of most senior-level executives in your SBCC circles?

Most hold master's degrees.

10. What do you wish you knew at our stage? (IE: entry-level SBCC practitioners)

I wish I knew about SBCC appraisals as they relate to community effective preference in terms of mode of communication.

11. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

Conceptualization and implemention of SBCC initiatives.

12. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

I would seek more training in SBCC. In particular, I would focus on targets-perceived weaknesses in SBCC that can be strengthened.

13. What should keep entry-level SBCC enthusiasts up at night?

Intent to SBCC.

14. What professional organizations are you associated with, and in what ways?

All humanitarian actors implementing SBCC in Somalia.

15. What used to be your biggest weakness?

Language barrier and monotony of specific messages.

16. What mistakes have you made?

Impatience with the SBCC set-up.

17. What one thing do you still struggle with?

Ensuring successful SBCC in terms of hygiene practices in Somalia.

18. What are the top 7 technical skills that entry-level SBCC enthusiasts should strive to horn?

• Conceptualization
• Flexibility
• Persistence
• Understanding
• Innovativeness
• Adaptability
• Cohesion

19. Considering all the people you have met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?

 

Understanding/conceptualization of the subject of SBCC and articulation/presentation of SBCC messages.

 

20. What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

 

Good background/training of SBCC as opposed to on-job training by many SBCC actors.

 

21. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

 

Successful implementation of SBCCC campaigns and impact-oriented programs.

 

22. What factors do you consider most often when planning for the future?

 

Feasibility, Dynamic social context, or Best-worst scenario. 

23. What developments in the horizon could affect future career opportunities in this field?

 

Changing contexts, rigid mindset of locals hence delayed conceptualization of the SBCC subjects in Somalia.

24. As a communicator, if you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?

 

Improving of SBCC materials, modes of communication and evaluation of SBCC initiatives.

 

25. What's the most valuable question we should ask the next SBCC maven who is interviewed on this blog?

 

How do you improve SBCC in a culturally rigid environment?

 

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CAREER GUIDANCE FROM CHARLIE BECKETT, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

 

Follow Charlie on twitter: [ @charliebeckett ]

 

1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

I don't really look for any special qualities. I either know people for work, or through that mysterious alchemy of coincidence and emotion that creates friendship.

 

2. What do you do?

 

I am a professor of Journalism and I run a journalism think-tank.

 

3. Why do you do what you do?

 

Because it is enjoyable and I am good at it. And by chance.

 

4. Is this where you thought you would end up?

 

I never really had a clear idea of where I would end up. But I did not expect to be a journalism professor until I applied for the job.

 

5. What values are you committed to?

 

Mainly scepticism about saying that I am committed to any one set of values.

 

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

 

I am working all the time in a sense because media is now 24/7 so I never stop learning. But in real terms? I guess 40-50 hours.

 

7. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

 

A keen interest in journalism and how it's changing. An ability to teach and research.

 

8. Are there any negatives to your job?

 

Lack of time.

 

9. What is the background of most senior-level executives in your SBCC circles?

 

Too varied to list.

 

10. What do you wish you knew at our stage? (IE: Entry-level SBCC practitioners)

 

I think it's important to know that it is not about your technical qualifications and much more about your character and aptitutde. So with journalism it is vital to be very curious and hard working not just clever.

 

11. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

 

Make yourself indispensable.

 

12. If you could do it all over again, would you do it differently?

 

In a million ways but perhaps in no ways at all.

 

13. What should keep entry-level SBCC enthusiasts up at night?

 

The competition from so many well educated committed rivals!

 

14. What professional organizations are you associated with, and in what ways?

 

LSE - London School of Economics

 

15. What mistakes have you made?

 

Too many to list.

 

16. What one thing do you still struggle with?

 

Numbers.

 

17. What traits impress you the most in a working professional, irrespective of their area of expertise?

 

Commitment - flexibility - self-criticism.

 

18. Considering all the people you have met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?

 

Impossible to define because success is so various - it also depends on your definition of success - some of the saddest, loneliest, narrowest people are very 'successful'.

 

19. What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

 

Look at people 5-10 years ahead of you and think would you like to do their job.

 

20. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

 

So many every day in the sense of a successful class but perhaps most of all my books and my work with Channel 4 News in Africa in 2005.

 

21. What developments in the horizon could affect future career opportunities in this field?

 

Far too many to list - journalism is changing radically as is education - so an ability to adapt is vital

 

22. Can you recommend a "must-read" book that will help us broaden our skills as working professionals or inspire us to reach our highest potential?

 

I don't really like the idea of 'must-read' books.

 

23. As a communicator, if you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?

 

Well I am going to write a book on how emotions play a part in social media and journalism communication - so that's the one for me.

 

24. What's the most valuable question we should ask the next SBCC maven who is interviewed on this blog?

 

Do you think your answers will be of use to anyone?

 

 

END//

 

CAREER GUIDANCE FROM STACY HILLIARD, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Follow Stacy on twitter: [ @TAYSHAconsult ]

1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

I tend to hang out with people that all actively support and encourage each other to follow our dreams and what we want to do, as well as people who have a similar outlook on life – whether it is political, personal or lifestyle we are want to leave the world a better place than when we entered it.

2. What do you do?

I am a Director and Founder of an international development consultancy, Taysha Consulting, we focus on behavior change and communications. I also serve as the International Chair for the C4D Network, an international network of C4D professionals and practitioners.

3. Why do you do what you do? 

I know this sounds cliché, but I want to make a difference and to leave the world a little bit better than when I found it. However, as I get older I have realized that there are innumerable ways in which we can all make a difference, it doesn’t need to be something “grand”. I saw this at the funeral of my grandmother who was teacher in a small town in Arkansas, USA. The church was filled with people that she had taught over the years, it was truly moving and inspiring.

The reward of seeing others I work with reach their potential is enough drive to do what I do, but also working in a field where every day is different and presents new challenges keeps my work exciting and fresh.

4. Is this where you thought you would end up?

Not at all. My undergraduate degree is in Business and my first job was in Sports Marketing and I was actively looking for jobs in the area of sports, but I then ended up working in security software (long story). I was always politically interested and active in the United States, so I moved into political and economic affairs after the tech bubble burst in the early 2000’s, it was during this that I decided to return to education and get my Masters’ in International Relations.

After my Maters’ I worked in the British Parliament, which lead me to International Development when the Conservatives where in Opposition in 2007.

It was through the work of the Conservative Party in Rwanda that led me to my work in International Development. I wouldn’t change where I am or how I got here for anything in the world. I feel that my background in the private sector along with government and politics provides me with a unique and valuable perspective for my work.

5. What values are you committed to?

I have a saying, “If I am hired to do the same job twice, then I haven’t done my job.” I am committed to sustainability and the transfer of knowledge. We all talk a lot about sustainability, but I don’t always feel that the actions reflect the rhetoric. I truly feel that the best thing we can do in the field of international development is to actively build capacity and mentor where needed.

The right to freedom is something that I hold near and dear to my heart. I am a true believer true equality and in freedom of choice, expression and speech. I feel these are fundamental human rights.

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

My work week is very much determined by deadlines, so the number of hours that I work changes week to week, but when I am at home in the UK I tend to work a typical work week of 40 hours a week. However, when I am travelling “in-country” for projects I typically work longer hours, so a work week is about 60 hours a week.

7. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

As with most jobs, much of my day-to-day work is administrative, so skills in accounting, planning and project management are extremely valuable. Other skills that are extremely valuable include the ability to think and plan strategically, specialist communications skills as well as research and analysis skills. Additionally, I have found leaving time to for creative thinking is useful for designing new programmes and tools.

8. Are there any negatives to your job?

I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t have a negative in their job. The main negative I have found is the inconsistency and uncertainty to my schedule. I often travel with one week or a few days notice for two or three weeks at a time, this makes it very difficult for planning in my personal life, but it is part of the job, so you learn to deal with it.

9. What is the background of most senior-level executives in your SBCC circles?

There is not specific background of the most senior-level executives in my SBCC circles. Some are academics, whereas others have come from a very practical background in social science, communications or both. Some are researchers, some come from a journalistic background, others come from a private sector background, like myself – so there is not one background that determines those in my SBCC circle.

10. What do you wish you knew at our stage? (IE: entry-level SBCC practitioners)

There is so much I wish I had known at the entry-level! Mainly I wish I had known how little I actually knew. Experience accounts for a lot, and it pains me to say this, because my Dad used to always (and still does) say this to me – so he was right. You are always learning and you can always learn something from someone or a situation.

11. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

The best piece of advice I have ever received was to always ask for help, because the worst thing someone can say is no, which really isn’t that terrible in the grand scheme of things. Make the effort to figure things out, but don’t wait until something is too far gone to ask for help.

Additionally, we have all had to start at the bottom and know how difficult it can be. We have all had some help or guidance from someone along the way – we are happy to provide that to others, but you have to ask.

12. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

To be honest, I wouldn’t do much differently, I think mainly because I never thought I would be working in this field. I believe that everything I have done has contributed to where I am, so I think if I did things differently I wouldn’t have the same approach.

However, I would advise people who are entering the field from a graduate standpoint to try and volunteer their services and intern wherever possible, because as I said experience accounts for a lot – the job I learned the most from was my internship.

13. What should keep entry-level SBCC enthusiasts up at night?

Entry-level SBCC enthusiasts should be most concerned about the unintended consequences of programmes. The challenge with our field is its seriousness – we are altering the lives of individuals and shaping the futures of countries, this can’t be taken lightly. When planning a programme/project you have to think through the challenges and outcomes – positive and negative – such as, empowering girls in education programmes and giving girls books and supplies can marginalize boys and result in violence against girls for the perceived favouritism.

14. What professional organizations are you associated with, and in what ways?

I am the International Chair of the C4D Network, an international network of C4D professionals and practitioners (www.C4D.org and @C4D_Network). The C4D Network focusses on connecting C4D professionals in person and online to exchange information and best practices. I am also a member of The Communication Initiative Network, Knowledge Management for Development Network (KM4D), the American Evaluation Association (AEA), the Humanitarian Practice Network (part of ODI) and I am an active member of Chatham House in the UK, amongst other local and political groups. 

15. What used to be your biggest weakness?

Oh wow, I still have weaknesses, I think I have just learned to realise when they are interfering and to deal with them earlier rather than later – they never go away. I think my biggest one is that I can be quite stubborn. For example, if I put a proposal or approach forward, then I expect others to have a constructive opinion or criticism. I will be hesitant to change my mind if someone is unable to back up their opinion without reason or without alternative approaches.

16. What mistakes have you made?

I have made plenty of mistakes, but I think one mistake I have made, sadly, is being too trusting. You need to always make sure you have some sort of agreement or commitment from clients and/or partners in writing, even if you are working with friends. It isn’t rude to ask for something in writing and will not hurt a friendship, it is business and it protects everyone involved. Remember, just because you are working in international development for the betterment of society doesn’t mean that it isn’t a business.

17. What one thing do you still struggle with?

The main thing I struggle with is saying no. It is very hard to say no to people when people genuinely want your help, but I have found that in order to give your best you have to ensure that you are able to do that and overstretching yourself only means everyone gets a little bit of you as opposed to a few people getting the best of you – which I believe is better in the long run.

18. What traits impress you the most in a working professional, irrespective of their area of expertise?

I will tell what I am not impressed with – where you went to school, how many degrees you have or who your family is – because at some point in time you have to prove yourself.

It is people who work hard, are committed to their work, which means learning as much as they can and working just that little bit extra, people who are principled – you know where they stand, whether you agree with them or not and people who do not see themselves as the victim – people who feel that I don’t care what others think, I can do this – that is what impresses me the most.

19. What are the top 7 technical skills that entry-level SBCC enthusiasts should strive to horn?

1. Strategic thinking and planning
2. Research – the basics
3. Analysis – being able to see how everything fits into the big picture
4. Communication skills – internal as well as external   
5. Administrative skills
6. Budgeting
7. Monitoring and evaluation – learn what it is, why it is important and the basics

20. Considering all the people you have met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?

To have success in this line of work you must have belief in yourself and what you are doing, belief and trust in others and most of all you must be able to listen to people and hear that they want and their needs.

21. What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

The best advice I can give it not to focus on the job, but rather what you what to achieve, because there is not just one way you can achieve your goals. What do you want to do – this isn’t a job title – where do you want to work, how do you want to work, what do you want to achieve? Focus on these things and you will be one of the lucky ones who are able to wake up every morning and know they are doing something they truly enjoy.

22. What has been your most rewarding accomplishment?

I can’t just say one thing has been my most rewarding accomplishment, but what I find rewarding is seeing the outcomes of a project years down the road, seeing the progress of an individual that I have worked with and seeing a positive change in societies.

23. What factors do you consider most often when planning for the future?

The main factors I consider when planning the future have to do with sustainability. There are a lot of interesting projects that I could work on, but all too often they are not sustainable in the long run. We have to think about what happens when the donor funding is not available, how does a project carry on?

24. What developments in the horizon could affect future career opportunities in this field?

Changes to donor funding and focus are always in flux and directly affect opportunities in this field, for better and for worse. SBCC goes in and out of fashion in donor circles, as do other aspects of development. It therefore falls upon us in the field to ensure that we remain relevant and are flexible to change with the ebbs and flows of donor programmes.

25. Can you recommend a "must-read" book that will help us broaden our skills as working professionals or inspire us to reach our highest potential?

One book that I read when I first started working in international development was The Blue Sweater, by Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen. This book is a personal account that reached a chord with me and really shows just how interconnected we truly are as a world. It is a book I always recommend to people entering the field. It isn’t overly academic, which I think is part of its appeal.

26. As a communicator, if you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?

This is a big question and something I have given some thought to. When I did a project in South Sudan on the reduction of child marriage we saw an interesting trend where we surveyed young girls about what they wanted to be when they grew up and without fail they all said they wanted to be a doctor, a businesswoman or a teacher. Now something to note is that there are very few, if any in the places where we were working, female doctors, businesswomen or teachers, which got me thinking. As female international development workers we have a direct and for the most part intentioned effect on young girls in the communities in which we are working and visiting. I think it would be interesting and important to explore this topic further.

27. Which other SBCC maven would you recommend for this interview?

There are a so many people I would recommend for interviewing. I would suggest that you speak with Soledad Muniz, who works for Insight Share, an organization that does participatory video.

28. What's the most valuable question we should ask the next SBCC maven who is interviewed on this blog?

If there is one thing you could change about the industry/field surrounding SBCC what would it be and why?


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CAREER GUIDANCE FROM CHIAMAKA ADLINE UZOMBA, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN ABUJA, NIGERIA

Get in touch with Chiamaka via: [ @Cadlyn ]

1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

I’m generally drawn to people who are fun, smart and challenge my thinking irrespective of their ideology or field as I make it a duty to learn at least one thing each day.

2. What do you do?

I am a Public Health Professional currently working with Population Council, Nigeria on an evidence-based advocacy project focused on improving public dialogue and the response of government and non-governmental organizations to the HIV/AIDS vulnerabilities of Nigerian youth.
I am also a Global Youth Ambassador for A World at School, advocating to ensure every child has a right to education.

3. Why do you do what you do?

It is amazing to work in a field where you learn every day. I won’t describe myself as a core SBCC practitioner but I have always been passionate about public health, helping and improving lives. I love to write, so I use the power of words to influence behavioural change.

4. Is this where you thought you would end up?

As regards to this sector, Yes and No.
I read “Gifted Hands” at the age of 12 and I immediately pictured myself as the female Ben Carson. Driven by great determination, I gained admission into medical school by the age of 16; by my 2nd year, I wasn’t getting the fulfilment I envisaged so I went back to the drawing board to re-analyse my aim of entering medical school. The reason I wanted to be a neurosurgeon was simple “to help people and improve lives = Public Health”. I immediately made the switch and graduated with a degree in Public Health. A decision I describe as one of the best I’ve ever made. So, my answer is Yes and No.

5. What values are you committed to?

· Assertiveness
· Continuous development
· Equality
· Humility
· Integrity
· Loyalty
· Resourcefulness; and
· Transparency

6. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

About 40 to 45 hours.

7. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

Effective communication goes beyond having a conversation. I have to watch my body language, understand people and scenarios in order to communicate effectively; this I’m learning and trying to implement every day. Stephen Covey’s 'Time Management Grid' which explains the 4 quadrants of importance has and is helping with my day-to-day work. Events and activities come and go, and they require strategic planning, coordination and organization. In the development field, partnership and networking is the order of the day and finally research, be it as a study or sourcing for information for my monthly presentations; researching keeps me informed and up-to-date.

8. What is the background of most senior-level executives in your SBCC circles?

Medicine, public health, human geography, sociology and psychology with over 5 to 10 years of experience.

9. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

Always ask, always try, the worst you can get is a no; not trying is automatically conceding defeat.

10. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Cultivate a reading habit at a much earlier age.

11. What professional organizations are you associated with, and in what ways?

· A World At School; I am a Global Youth Ambassador
· Women Deliver; I am a fellow in the Young Leaders Program

12. What mistakes have you made?

Quite a lot but I have made it a duty to learn from every mistake. There is a native adage I know but it simply translates “Out of rubbish emerges a new life.”

13. What traits impress you the most in a working professional, irrespective of their area of expertise?

True Leadership; Humility; and Diversity

14. What are the top 7 technical skills that entry-level SBCC enthusiasts should strive to horn?

In no particular order:

1. Research
2. Information and Communication Technology especially “Social Media Expertise”
3. Writing
4. Public Speaking
5. Networking
6. Communication (speaking, listening and body language); and
7. Advocacy

15. Considering all the people you have met in your line of work, what personal attributes are essential for success?

Assertiveness and humility, Positive attitude, Diversity, Relationship building ability and Willingness to learn

16. What is the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

Set goals, learn, unlearn and relearn. If you foresee a road block, rather than say ‘I can’t do it’, ask yourself ‘How can I do it?’

17. What developments in the horizon could affect future career opportunities in this field?

The field of Public Health is ever changing and evolving. Just less than a decade ago, the power of social media was harnessed for influencing social and behavioural change. As humans, we evolve alongside development, so I do not foresee any development that could affect future career opportunities in this field. Rather, developments will enhance future career opportunities in this field.

18. Can you recommend a "must-read" book that will help us broaden our skills as working professionals or inspire us to reach my highest potential?

“Made to Stick” by Dan Heath & Chip Heath is a must read for anyone who intends to change people’s attitude and behaviour through stories and writing.

19. As a communicator, if you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?

I will write a book on the deep-rooted gender inequality that exists in most developing countries using my home country as a case-study with a story-writing approach to enable readers connect and live the story. I live in a country where majority of women are expected to limit their dreams to the walls of a home. A man can attain a great height of success irrespective of marital status but a woman cannot do same without being questioned and down-spoken. This reflects the deep inequality which is also visible in the laws binding us.

20. What's the most valuable question we should ask the next SBCC maven who is interviewed on this blog?

If you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?


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CAREER GUIDANCE FROM MAULID HAMIS MSHAHAME, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION PRACTITIONER BASED IN MOMBASA, KENYA

Get in touch with Maulid via: [ mmushahame@gmail.com]

1. What qualities do you look for in the people you hang out with?

I interact with people of all ages on a daily basis. Coming from indigenous and elite backgrounds, they give me a different understanding of situations. On one hand while I am comfortable sitting and listening to stories, sharing viewpoints with community and village people, I also enjoy my interaction with the more mature audience. Everyone after all has a story to share.

2. What do you do?

I am a Project Coordinator with a Community-Based Organization in Mombasa, Kenya. I am responsible for not only behaviour change communication research and tool development but also engaging with multiple partners, stakeholders and NGOs who engage in the same activities that we do. Along with this, I build ECO-BENCHES, ECO-WALLS, ECO-PLATFORMS, ECO-HOUSES AND ECO-CLASSROOMS using unmanaged plastic bottles and plastic bags.

3. Why do you do what you do?

When I started working in the field of behaviour change communication, my aim was to facilitate betterment of my community. Over the years, I realized that behaviour change was more to do with realities, involving the affected people and goals than to do with IEC material development. As a BCC practitioner, the satisfaction I gain from facilitating this participatory process of social change is immense.

Public health is a critical component of human development. While my interest areas have been environmental issues and justice and behaviour change as well, through my work at this organization I am keen on creating participatory communication outreaches for behaviour change. Especially in an area as sensitive as public health and infectious diseases, creation of communication outreaches for affected communities needs a lot of research-based understanding of the issue. I am keen on engaging with communities and creating relevant and effective behaviour change activities.

4. What values are you committed to?

As a BCC practitioner, there are some values and skills I find of utmost importance. Being a good listener, keen observer and research oriented communication developer is of prime importance. What is also critical is the need to engage with your participants and community at all levels of communication development. The community should be the drivers of BCC, and we as practitioners the facilitators. One has to be honest especially when dealing with such risk-associated issues like public health. Knowing how large your impact can be, keeping the benefit of the community at top is very important. Reporting facts and designing BCC materials based on research and participation form critical components of BCC. I know that my role as a BCC professional is promoting the right, scientifically-socially-humanly behaviour, which is often very controversial and needs a lot of balancing act.

5. How many hours do you work in a typical week?

I am sited at my desk 5 hours a day, but my mind is always on the lookout for a deeper understanding of what works and what does not, when it comes to BCC.

6. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

Not just balancing the multiple activities that come my way, at work I get to exercise my research skills, listening and communication with different level of team members, creative skills to engage more innovatively with the participants along with top level officials. On one hand while I have to go and talk as local and individual based on the other I get to showcase my deeper understanding of issues at a more donor-policy level. Not just qualitative and quantitative research understanding, linking data and stories, the ability to transform these into BCC products needs a lot of creative skills. What is also important is the ability to negotiate and network with larger and varied groups of people, Leadership forms a major component of management job as well, especially while we engage with different kind of team members.

7. What is the background of most senior-level executives in your SBCC circles?

Either Master's degree in Development Communication or Public Health, along with PhDs.

8. What do you wish you knew at our stage? (IE: entry-level SBCC enthusiasts)

Well, I wish I knew how to manage financial details well. I didn’t deal with financial understanding of BCC much and that is where I found my work more challenging as a Manager. Communication and BCC form large chunks of financial budgets in policies and programmes, be it governmental or non-governmental. And so, understanding the utilization is one of the first premises that should be taught to SBCC practitioners.

9. What is the best piece of professional advice you've ever received -- and used or implemented?

On a 2012 trip to Nairobi, I was told that I could immensely benefit from being more patient. While that was the only critical remark on my evaluation, I took it very seriously. Over the years, I have seen how this advice has benefited me. Grooming my patience has helped me immensely cultivate my ability to wait for a response, which has enhanced my work capacities as an SBCC professional.

10. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

To be honest, I am glad that my daily learning is helping me become a more sustainable professional who learns at every point.

11. What should keep entry-level SBCC enthusiasts up at night?

Not anxiety but curiosity. I see everything from a "participation and BCC" lens now, so whenever I face a professional or personal situation, I try to project my learning on every situation. For the entry-level SBCC enthusiasts, before one actually hops in and develops products and engages with community, reading-reading-reading along with a solid grassroots understanding through visits and questions are a must. An SBCC enthusiast and professional should never shy away from field visits and travel.

12. What professional organizations are you associated with, and in what ways?

Several. They engage us in their plan of activities workshops and giving us skills on different thematic areas.

13. What used to be your biggest weakness?

 

 Development and community local development is a very emotional issue. I feel connected to every human I interact with.

14. What one thing do you still struggle with?

I still struggle with making people understand the immense need to focus on SBCC, because government systems don’t find it important to provide inputs in BCC activities for enhancing development.

15. What are the top 7 technical skills that entry-level SBCC enthusiasts should strive to horn?

• Communication
• Motivation
• Discipline
• Commitment
• Persistence to fact finding, and
• Engagement of all

16. What's the best advice you can give to help plan a career rather than simply work to keep a job?

Never be satisfied. Be a critical thinker.

17. What factors do you consider most often when planning for the future?

I keep in mind the larger impact I am creating. If one is aware of this, planning becomes easier.

18. What developments in the horizon could affect future career opportunities in this field?

Governments and other systems have slowly come to realize how important it is to engage with communities for their benefit and not follow a top-down approach.

 

19. Can you recommend a "must-read" book that will help us broaden our skills as working professionals or inspire us to reach my highest potential?

Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People"

Favorite quote from the book: "Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny."

20. As a communicator, if you could write a book on a social issue; what would it be and why?

I think my book will be based on real life examples and challenges communities are facing.


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