An overview for the Danish NGO sector, 14 th of January 2015 The - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

BU BUIL ILDIN DING G PUBL BLIC IC SUPPORT PORT FOR R GL GLOBA BAL L DEVELOP OPMENT ENT IN THE US, UK, FRANC ANCE E AND GE GERMANY MANY An overview for the Danish NGO sector, 14 th of January 2015

The Narrative Partners 3

People know w little e or n r not othi hing ng about the progress we’ve made The Debate is The conversation focuses on what doesn’t work and what is negative and wasted broken Many supporters are fa fatigue igued, detractors are emboldened Aid is seen as a good d idea done badly 3

Our arguments are diffuse Emotion tional Moral responsibility Compassion/pity Women & Girls Universalism – we all (change-agents creating virtuous circle) deserve the same things Human Right Universalism – we all want the same things Have / Have nots Fairness, Equality, Equity Empowerment / Teach a man to fish Women & Girls (as social justice) Social Justice ‘Them’ as change -agents Human potential Empowerment (for us to Freedom / Individualism / personal agency make a difference) Hope /optimism Them em Us Us A cry for Aid Reform Lasting change not handouts Women & Girls (as efficacy) Investment (for them) Expertise – we know what needs to be done Progress / success stories Investment (for us) Simplicity (big problems, simple interventions) Myth busting Efficacy Self-interest Ratio ional al 4

Tra ransf sform m the way the sect ctor or talks ks about out itsel elf. f. Rever erse se the declin ine e of public c suppo port t for our work. Our Ambition Create e a climat ate e that t helps s us all be more effecti ective. e. Bring g coordin inat ation on and consis sisten ency cy to our approach. ach. 5

The Narrative Project July 2014 June 2014 Oct. 2013 Dec. 2013 Feb - May 2014 Nov 2014 Research, Working Group We identified a Narrative Research narrative and User guide reviewed new narrative as Working Group fieldwork and recommendations released by research and a top priority launched analysis shared with Working Group narrative partner orgs structure 6

OUR AUDIENCE

The Engaged Public is Quite Small TOTAL DISENGAGED TOTAL ENGAGED To qualify, people must: 100%  Have some self-declared knowledge about development 26% 30% 32% 33%  Pay some attention to related media coverage  Believe that development- related issues are at least somewhat important 74% 70% 68% 67% 0% US UK FR DE Base is adult population in each country. 8

Three Segments within the Engaged WITHIN THE ENGAGED TOTAL DISENGAGED TOTAL ENGAGED Skeptics Swings Pros 100% 100% 26% 30% 32% 33% 32% 41% 42% 47% 74% 70% 68% 67% 0% US UK FR DE 50% 47% 47% 39% 18% 14% 12% 11% 0% US UK FR DE Base is adult population in each country, and then Engaged Public in each country. 9

Audiences for this Research MUST be engaged with these issues to qualify for the research. Pros Skeptics  Positive about development  Skeptical about development  Liberal and well-educated  Older  Consume a lot of news media  More conservative  High perceived social capital  Care considerably less about other social causes Swings  Undecided about development  Generally younger than the Pros  Similar politically to the Pros  Care about other social causes, but a little less than Pros 10

INSIGHTS & IMPLICATIONS

Key Insights Public lic atti titudes es are e negat ative e and entrenc renched hed 1 Swing wings s are a reachable achable audience nce 2 Self elf-relia eliance nce and d independ ependence ence are most st effecti ective e narrat ratives es 3 Progress alone isn’t effective 4 Emp mpoweri ering ng wome men and girl rls resonat sonates es 5 Peopl ple e need to beli lieve e that t they can make e a difference erence 6 We can n succes ccessf sful ully rebut ut attac acks ks 7 12

Insight Audiences don’t believe that things 1 2 have improved in the developing 3 4 world – and this view is particularly 5 6 hard to change. 7 13

Insight 1 We can double the number of 2 3 our supporters if we can convince 4 5 the undecided ‘Swing’ audience 6 7 14

Insight The best arguments for development 1 2 stated independence & self-reliance 3 4 for people in the developing world as 5 6 the end goal of this work. 7 15

Insight The best messages about the 1 2 progress were specific, relatable, 3 4 and emphasized loss aversion 5 6 and choice. 7 16

Insight Gender equality is a compelling 1 2 issue for our public audiences across 3 4 donor countries because they can 5 6 relate to it. 7 17

Insight 1 If we can convince people that 2 3 they can make a difference, this 4 5 belief will drive them to take action. 6 7 18

Insight 1 When we rebut the attacks from 2 3 our critics, we can be successful 4 5 in changing people’s minds. 6 7 19

THE NARRATIVE

Narrative Themes 21

Narrative Messages TAGLINE: GLINE: Building the foundations of independence. 22

Always Emphasize our Goal: Self-reliance Do Don’t  Position the end goal of development as the  State abstract goals like ‘ending poverty’ as best way to give everyone a chance to become our ambition. These concepts act as triggers self-reliant. for Skeptics who, when provoked, are quick to point out unrealistic objectives as reasons not  Relate practical development support goals to to support development programs. a broader story of growing self-reliance around the world. 23

Reframe the Moral Wrong as Wasted Potential, Not Helpless Suffering Do Don’t  Harness the most resonant moral case for  Invoke pity for the poorest people, or for development support: opportunity is unfairly helpless human suffering. This sentiment distributed around the world and, people do deepens the hopelessness many people feel — not choose where they are born. especially Swings and Skeptics — about the potential impact of development support.  Provoke indignation about the immense waste of unrealized human potential caused by random circumstance around the world. 24

Reframe the World’s Poorest People as those who Share Values Do Don’t  Talk about people in developing countries as  Portray people in developing countries as individuals who share our values — ingenuity, helpless, voiceless “others” who need to be determination, pride and persistence — who rescued. were born into unlucky circumstances.  Using terms such as “the world’s poorest” is not forbidden, but they should only be used in combination with messaging that invokes shared values such as dignity and pride. 25

Show that Development Works Through Partnerships Do Don’t  Highlight the active role poor people and  Position donor countries, celebrities or NGOs developing countries take in achieving self- as heroic providers of benefits and solutions reliance and building their own futures. for poor people.  Show that expertise, effort, investment, risk  Development support is not a one-way street. and responsibility are all shared.  All our audiences believe change is more likely when the countries and people are visibly working together, and each are held accountable. 26

Use Progress as a Tool — Not a Story Itself Do Don’t  Use progress stories when they have context  Try to persuade people with progress without and are shared in alignment with beliefs framing your story through a shared people already hold about the world. value/theme first.  Frame progress in terms of risk of attrition: if  Progress stories are important because they we stop now, we will not only fail to make more show that development works, aid is effective, progress, we will lose all the gains we’ve made and things can change. Progress is not the over the last few decades. story itself. 27

DISCUSSION

Discussion points • Which parts of the narrative theme are most interesting and/or helpful to you? • How is this similar or different to our existing messaging and approach? • What seems challenging for you to use in your work? • What would help you use these insights more easily and more often? • What can we do together to encourage use of the narrative approach? 29

APPENDIX

A Comprehensive Approach The primary objective was to learn something new about how to change public attitudes – rather than greater understanding of existing attitudes. Pre-research Qualitative Quantitative Analysis Post- research  Audit existing  Focus groups  1200  Perception shifts research with stimulus person online  Advocacy actions  Create the interviews  Create narrative  Propensity to per country arguments donate  Text to test  Engaged Public analytics sample 31

The Final Four Frames Autonomy Partnership Self-sufficiency, enduring change, and pride Joint-effort, mutual self-interest and equality Progress Morality Improvement in circumstances, Urgency of the need, ethical and injustice success stories and persistence 32