Social Norms
Social norms action with informed and engaged societies
Social Norms
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Kama Coast to Coast Project - Canada

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In the fall of 2001, World Literacy of Canada (WLC) launched the Kama Coast to Coast Community Reading Festivals Project in an effort to help small literacy groups across Canada develop their own local reading festivals. Featuring face-to-face training and volunteer efforts on the part of Canadian authors and illustrators, the project works to bring public reading events to children and adults in small communities. Goals include fostering interest in literacy issues, encouraging a love of reading, and, ultimately, creating a nationwide reading and literacy culture.
Communication Strategies
Training workshops were conducted with each local partner group during the winter of 2002. As part of the project, WLC developed and produced The Kama Cookbook: A Complete Recipe for Planning a Successful Reading Festival. The book is intended for use by local literacy groups as a training and resource tool on how to plan and implement a local reading event.

Each local group then organised a local reading festival based on their own community needs and wishes. Canadian authors and illustrators volunteered to participate in these festivals. Some groups planned adult reading events, while others planned family and children's readings. Each group chose a theme for their event. For example, the Port Hawkesbury Literacy Council hosted Feis: A Festival of Folklore, an evening celebrating literacy and Nova Scotia's history. Feis began with a feast and was followed by readings from three of Nova Scotia's authors and storytellers. In total, 9 community reading festivals were launched in 2002.

The project will continue through 2004. While continuing to work with its existing partners, each year WLC will create linkages with new partners in other remote parts of Canada, including the far north. In 2003, 18 communities across Canada are participating in the programme; there are 18 reading festivals scheduled.
Development Issues
Literacy.
Key Points
According to organisers, in recent years public reading events have become a regular part of Canadian culture and urban entertainment. Canadians living in urban centres have frequent opportunities to listen to their favourite authors reading in the cafés of large bookstores or at annual events. Kama Coast to Coast is an effort "to share this kind of reading event with Canadians who live beyond well-serviced cities and who are usually not able to enjoy the experience of public readings".
Partners

WLC, with financial support provided by the National Literacy Secretariat of Canada. In 2002: Literacy Nanaimo, Lethbridge Reading Association, Prince Albert Literacy Network, Brandon Family Literacy Events Committee, Mid-North Network for Adult Learning, Literacy in Action, Saint John Family Literacy Committee, West Prince Literacy Council, Port Hawkesbury Literacy Council, Gander Reading Festival Committee, Yellowknife Reading Festival Committee. In 2003: Nunavut Arctic College Community Learning Centre, Kugluktuk Family Literacy Project, Yellowknife Reading Festival Committee, Watson Lake Reading Festival Committee, Literacy Nanaimo, Literacy BC, Lethbridge Reading Association, Prince Albert Literacy Network, The Pas Friendship Centre, Brandon Family Literacy Events Committee, Literacy Northwest, Mid-North Network for Adult Learning, York River Reading Festival Committee, Literacy In Action, Gaspésie Literacy Council, Saint John Family Literacy Committee, West Prince Literacy Council, Port Hawkesbury Literacy Council, Gander Reading Festival Committee.

Sources

Kama Project page on the WLC site; and letter sent from Carmen Quenneville to The Communication Initiative on September 18 2003.