Sustainable Community Development

Amplifying Voices works towards sustainable outcomes in health and wellbeing, peace-building and disaster resilience, using participatory media to amplify local voices, build people's confidence and get communities working together to bring about long-term change.

Explore these articles about our experiences using community-centred media for sustainable community development.

Importance of time

The importance of giving time

By Dane Waters (HCR Aus) | May 11, 2022

Dane Waters reflects on a reminder that giving time is key to building relationships which in turn are foundational to community-centred media and to community development in general.

Misinformation harms the most vulnerable

By Stephanie Mooney | November 26, 2020

Working in collaboration with Stop the Child Witchcraft Accusations (SCWA) partners, we have been analysing community feedback about Covid-19 and misinformation from trusted contacts in 12 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Three key themes emerged …

Emergent Agency

By Johnny Fisher | June 17, 2020

During the Covid19 crisis, one encouraging theme to arise is that of ‘Emergent Agency’. As many NGOs and official sources of assistance have had to withdraw or reduce services, or have even become barriers to assistance, people in disadvantaged communities have shown great resilience and entrepreneurship in developing their own ways to overcome the crisis.…

Sustainable Development Goals

By Celeste Larkins (HCR Aus) | October 1, 2019

It’s been over four years since the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by leaders around the world. Different to the Millennium Development Goals, the 17 SDGs reflect that EVERYONE has a role to play in the sustainable development of our future. We know community media is an essential component towards achieving the SDGs, which…

Yet more evidence … Radio changes lives

By Jon Hargreaves | September 11, 2019

How a radio project dramatically improved the lives of communities in conflict… By Dr Ross James, Founder, Health Communication Resources  Background The communities of Magindanaon province in Mindanao, Philippines, have experienced sustained conflict, disadvantage and disempowerment. Radio Gandingan (RG) has quietly transformed minority Maguindanaon communities, severely affected by decades of armed struggle for political autonomy…

Several hands overlap

The stories of women and girls matter

By Stephanie Mooney | December 10, 2018

Day 16 of #16DaysofActivism Gender based violence is a multi-faceted issue and can encompass physical, sexual, economic, cultural and emotional mistreatment based on a person’s gender. Among the root causes of gender-based violence are existing social norms and the imbalance of power between men and women. Gender roles are learnt through socialisation beginning in early childhood and can limit what we think we can do, who we think we are and who we think we can be. Societies with rigid gender roles often deny women…

Ending Violence Against Women

By Stephanie Mooney | November 25, 2018

Violence against women and girls is one of the most devastating and widespread human rights violations in the world today. Sadly, it usually goes unreported due to the impunity, stigma and shame surrounding it. Sunday 25th November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Ting chinese character

It’s a Ting Thing

By Ross James | March 11, 2016

The HCR network uses the Chinese pictogram “ting” (to listen) to help explain what we call community-centred media (CCM).