Coordinate

Coordination

The coordination mechanisms established and reinforced during the previous phases must continue to be maintained during program implementation. This is critical both for the efficiency of the program as well as maintaining buy-in from ministries, partners, communities and other stakeholders. In the implementation phase, you may even need to increase the number and types of coordination mechanisms being utilized.

Hold Stakeholder Meetings

Given the complexity of integrated SBCC programs, it may be necessary to hold stakeholder meetings on a more regular basis than in a vertical program – on a quarterly basis at minimum, or more frequently, if needed.  In these meetings, stakeholders should review the monitoring data to ensure the activities are implemented as planned, messages are harmonized across partners and the supply of products and services is aligned with SBCC activities. In addition, stakeholder meetings can be used to keep up the momentum of the shared vision established for the project.

Form Working Groups or Task Forces

You may form more working groups or task forces during implementation to take on key assignments, such as launches, events or materials distribution. These groups may need to meet multiple times per week during high-intensity implementation periods

Reevaluate Partner Roles

In the previous phases of the program, you determined the role each partner would play based on their areas of expertise, interest and availability, as well as on economies of scale. However, during implementation, you may find areas that have not been clearly defined. You may also find instances of duplication of effort or concerns about who does what. Monitor this closely so you can resolve any conflicts, reduce redundancies and ensure smooth operations. Roles can be changed throughout the program to ensure proper implementation.

Credit Partners

Government, donor and partner branding of communication materials is often a highly political part of the SBCC implementation process. This may be even more so in integrated SBCC programs, where multiple donors, ministries and/or partners may be involved. Integrated programs often attempt to limit the number of logos in order to reduce distraction, yet there may also be advantages to including everyone’s logo. For example, organizations (including partners and donors) are generally more likely to distribute, display and use materials that identify them as a contributor. However, displaying multiple logos may be easier on certain materials (e.g., logo strips on the bottom of posters or backs of brochures, and logo screens at the end of TV spots) than on others (e.g., radio spots, in which naming everyone involved would significantly cut into the time for the spot). Alternatively, you may consider tailoring the branding so that the stakeholder logos included vary according to the particular topic, geographic area of operation/distribution or other relevant variables.