For many years WACC has supported communication and media projects all over the world. The majority of projects have been proposed and carried out by small grassroots organisations whose efforts have made, and continue to make, a difference to the lives of those in their communities. Most of these organisations are well known to WACC; they have an established track record and their leaders are part of our global network of grassroots communicators. However, we have also been keen to support projects from organisations that are less well established, new to WACC and lack experience in developing proposals. In such cases, both directly and through our membership network, we have assisted project holders to develop proposals in a way that most clearly articulates their needs. Through our membership network we have also been able to assess their viability as organisations and the quality of their work. Monitoring and evaluation of these projects continue to be priorities.
The growing recognition of the importance of communication rights and the recognition by many organisations of the critical part played by communication in their efforts to make the world a better place are manifest in the ever increasing demands on our services. Unfortunately, this takes place against a background of a declining core budget. In response WACC's international governing body recently decided that WACC would be better placed in the long term to carry out its mandate by adopting new approaches based on a programmatic framework. WACC continues to support communication and media projects around the world within that new programme framework.
WACC's current programmes (listed below) combine several elements: Research and Studies
(seminars, surveys, workshops, resource materials). Education/Learning/Sharing Knowledge
(training workshops, scholarships, interns, visiting scholars/practitioners, resource centre, awareness building.) Partners and Projects (work with and/or support local/regional/global partners to facilitate project activities related to programme goals.) Networks (consolidate and animate WACC regional and global networks of people and organisations interested/involved in programme goals.) Gender Justice (gender justice issues are integral to every programme.) Advocacy (taking and promoting positions related to programme goals.) Evaluation (assessing outcomes and impact is crucial to ongoing viability, developing new programmes and learning from successes and failures.)
Recognising and building communication rights
Media and gender ustice
Communication for peace
Communication and poverty
HIV and AIDS, communication and stigma
Communication for ecumenism