My Mind Words Paper + writing contests

Deadline: 31 May 2012

The African Network for Strategic Communication in Health and Development (AfriComNet) invites entries for the 2012 annual award for excellence in HIV and AIDS communication in Africa. The awards aim to: 1) recognize outstanding contributions made by individuals/organizations to strategic HIV/AIDS communication, 2) encourage innovation and quality in strategic communication, 3) enhance appreciation of strategic communication as a necessary tool for effective health and development programs and 4) acknowledge programmes, tools and productions that advance strategic communication and can be adapted and applied elsewhere.

ELIGIBILITY

• Individuals and organizations implementing HIV and AIDS initiatives, campaigns, productions and tools that advance the field of strategic communication and can be evaluated, adapted and applied elsewhere
• The nominated initiative must have been implemented in Africa,
• The nominated initiative/campaign must have been implemented for at least two years.
• At least one person involved in the initiative’s development should be an African citizen or have worked in Africa for a period of more than two years.

To nominate, the following procedure must be followed:

• Any person or organization can nominate an initiative by submitting a completed nomination form
• Nomination forms are available from the AfriComNet website or can be requested by email.
• The nominator must describe his or her association with the nominated initiative or production.
• A summary of what the initiative has accomplished, sample materials and any impact documented, should accompany the nomination. (e.g. Websites/URLs, Annual reports, midterm and other evaluation reports etc)
• Supporting materials in languages other than English and French should be translated
• Two referees (individual or organization) including their contact information shall be submitted for the nominated initiative. The references should have worked or associated with the creative individual/team for at least two years.
• An initiative can be nominated in only one category.

Entries will be judged based on their contribution to innovating, strengthening and popularizing strategic communication as a necessary tool for health and development. The jury will score nominations on the following criteria;

• Relevance to context
• Follows a strategic communication process
• Innovation
• Can the intervention easily be replicated?
• Sustainability of the intervention
• Impact of the intervention or Evaluation results

Winners will be awarded in the following categories;

1. Best Mass media intervention, campaign or production.

This category recognizes initiatives using mass media as the main channel (50% plus of the initiative) for their strategic communications (includes film, television or radio productions advocating behavior change or raising awareness about HIV)

2. Best Multi-channel communication intervention or campaign.

Recognizing integrated strategic communication initiatives or interventions (using television/radio, print, interpersonal channels). Nominations should show that there is a balance in the use of the various channels.

3. Best Interpersonal/community initiative/intervention

Includes use of community radio, peer education, counseling, or community mobilization

4. Best Social marketing initiative, strategy or campaign

Entries in this category include product/service advertisement, branding or promotion

5. Best Popular/folk media initiative

This category includes the use of creative and performing arts advocating behavior change or raising awareness about HIV (e.g. theater, puppetry, visual arts and dance, drama or music concerts, etc).

6. Best HIV or AIDS related series

Entries for this category include newspaper/magazine column or series of articles, documentary films and TV/ radio broadcasts, or comic book series

7. Best social/new media initiative

This category includes the use of new/social media e.g. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, text messaging, blogging etc, to advocate for behavior change or raise awareness about HIV. Entries must show that social/new media is the main implementation platform for the initiative.

RULES OF ENTRY

• The competition will be judged by an assigned judging team
• The judges' decision is final and no negotiation or correspondence will be entered into;
• One winner will be selected in each of the seven categories.
• Two finalists in each category will be contacted in advance to let them know that their initiative is being considered for an Award.
• Should the entries in a particular category fall below the minimum standard the judges reserve the right not to select a finalist
• The judges reserve the right to transfer entries for consideration in other categories at their discretion
• No responsibility is taken for entries lost, delayed, misdirected, and incomplete or any other cause outside AfriComNet’s control.
• AfriComNet reserves the right to disseminate, reproduce or publish any entry, without payment, for the purpose of sharing a particular innovative communication tool.
• AfriComNet reserves the right to disqualify any entry if it has reasonable grounds to believe that the nominee/nominator has breached any of the terms and conditions.

The two finalists in each Award category will receive a fully paid trip to the award venue, an opportunity to present their initiatives, recognition during a gala award ceremony, and media exposure. The winner will receive a plaque and the runner up a certificate recognizing the achievement. AfriComNet does not offer prize money for this award.

DEADLINE

The deadline for receiving entries is 31 May, 2012

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For enquiries: infodesk@africomnet.org

For submissions: Complete a soft copy of the nomination form and email it to AfriComNet at infodesk@africomnet.org. Two printed copies of the completed nomination form and supporting materials should be sent to AfriComNet addressed to: The Coordinator, AfriComNet, Plot 15, Binayomba Road, Bugolobi, P.O Box 3495, Kampala, Uganda

Website: http://www.africomnet.org