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Communication of Diversity: From a storyteller to a social giver THE SERIES OF WORKSHOPS ON “CREATIVE AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY'' ORGANIZED BY UNDP AND REALFRAME WITH THE SUPPORT FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION TO BUILD CAPACITY FOR ETHNIC MINORITIES ON THEIR COMMUNICATION SKILLS.

“Organizing this workshop reaffirms my belief in the potential of the people, regardless of where they originate, or their nationality. Everyone has the potential to learn, improve, and communicate with others if they have sufficient resources, just like anyone else.,” said Aof – Teerapong Seetaso, Facilitator of the Creative and Strategic Communication for Sustainability Workshop and Member of Realframe.

Ethnic minorities and/or stateless people have remarkable stories to tell the world. However, they usually lack opportunities and skills to effectively communicate their issues. UNDP, in partnership with Realframe with support from the European Union, has therefore designed a training workshop tailored to the needs of participants to empower and equip them with skills to become better storytellers.

Aof – Teerapong Seetaso, Facilitator of the Creative and Strategic Communication for Sustainability Workshop and Member of Realframe

The first part of the workshop focused on one of the most fundamental skills for communicating ideas, writing. It started with forming an understanding of creative writing for social issues, where participants learned the fundamental concepts on comprehensive reading, searching for ideas, summarizing important points, reasoning with evidence, communicating ideas in a clear and effective prose, as well as different writing techniques.

This was followed by sessions on photography and videography skills. The participants learned about essential photography concepts such as composition, light and shadow, color, location, action, and symbol, including video storyboarding, cinematography, and basic video editing using simple tools from a smartphone. They then dived into the essentials of live streaming, particularly, Facebook Live, so that each person is equipped with comprehensive skills that are applicable to different situations.

Lastly, participants were taught how to communicate with their audiences by turning complex information into easily digestible infographic visuals.

Through learning-by-doing, as well as critical and analytical thinking, the 3 workshops placed emphasis on the idea that successful communication starts with clear goals and objectives and bearing in mind their target audiences , especially in today’s world where information is readily available on social media. Therefore, the content needs to be both appealing and engaging. While improving their communication skills, participants reflected on the relevant social issues in their communities.

“Before I met the participants, I worried a lot about the process because, firstly, I was not familiar with them and, secondly, I thought they could be facing some challenges to take into consideration such as personality, language barriers, lack of resources etc. I was only hoping they would have fun engaging in the hands-on process, focusing more on the processes rather than the end products. Surprisingly, it turned out better than I expected. Participants produced amazing results. They have something to talk about and produce tangible communication products. They also exchanged ideas openly with their peers. They were able to put what they learned into practice.”
Group photo of participants, facilitator and UNDP staff who attended the workshop

Thai version available below

The stories and final works of these participants will be revealed to the public to celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Stay tuned for updates. Learn more about UNDP in Thailand