The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative

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. 

On the transfer, co-founder Victoria Martin expressed her pleasure to see this work continue under Wits' leadership, knowing that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction. 

As Wits, we honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades and look forward building from that strong base. This includes co-founders Warren Feek (1953-2024) and Victoria Martin as well as La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA), which continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com with links to The CI Global site. We are also eager to forge new partnerships and entertain new ideas as we consider how best to contribute to social and behaviour change in our rapidly evolving environment.

If you are joining the International Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) Summit in Panama, please join Wits and CILA on Monday, 22 June, to share your thoughts and suggestion for the relaunch of the Communication Initiative. We will be in Pacifica 5 from 12-1:25 for the Refuel, Reflect, and Renew Lunch Series: The Communication Initiative: celebrating a driving force for Communication for Social Change and the way forward. We will reflect on the legacy of Warren Feek and family in creating the Communication Initiative, consider the contributions of CI over the years and then turn our attention towards the future in this dynamic session. 

If you are unable to join us in Panama, we still want to hear from you. Please contribute your thoughts by following this link: https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026 or reaching out to ci_surveys@commint.com. 

You can also follow the QR Code:

 https://redcap.link/CommunicationInitiative2026

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Hispanic/Latino Tobacco Education Partnership (H/LP)

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This statewide project in California, United States is a partnership programme organised to coordinate and support activities for education of the Hispanic/Latino (H/L) community on the dangers of tobacco use. The Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research at the University of Southern California serves as the lead agency for the H/LP, which is funded by the California Department of Health Services/Tobacco Control Section (CDHS/TCS). The mission of the H/LP is "to empower Hispanic/Latino communities throughout the state by building leadership skills, advocating for the health of the Hispanic/Latino population, and mobilising the Hispanic/Latino community to support a tobacco-free California".
Communication Strategies
Statewide partnership and collaboration characterise the communication strategies of the H/LP, the staff of which work with the Statewide Advisory Committee, Local Partnership Area Representatives, mini-grantees, and a cadre of collaborating tobacco control partners. The Partnership provides technical assistance and training services, conducts strategic marketing to county health departments, and undertakes campaigns to inform key opinion leaders and the public about tobacco-related diseases and tobacco control in the H/L community.

Specifically, the Partnership conducts activities including:
  • Collaborates with the California Smokers Helpline to provide cultural and linguistically appropriate cessation services
  • Supports media advocacy efforts at the local level by identifying linguistically and culturally appropriate spokespersons that have expertise in tobacco control
  • Implements a secondhand smoke campaign, Regale Salud (Give the Gift of Health), by supporting housing facilities and/or worksites with a significant H/L population in adopting voluntary policies for smoke-free premises indoors and/or outdoors. An advisory committee who geographically represent California and who have expertise in tobacco control will be established to help guide the campaign, which is described in more detail on the H/LP website
  • Develops materials such as a community education Regale Salud Tool Kit to assist grassroots community based organisations/leaders in adopting smoke-free policies.
  • Describes communication, media, and advocacy strategies for integrating tobacco control messages into events in honour of El Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. "While Latinos celebrate the spirit of those who have passed away, it is also a good opportunity to remember the loved ones whose lives were cut short because of tobacco. By leveraging community awareness of this event to deliver the cessation message, you can increase the reach and effectiveness of your efforts." Click here to read more.
  • Provides cultural and linguistic technical assistance to the CDHS/TCS by joining statewide workgroups, providing guidance on media development, training spokespersons, assisting in the development and implementation of the Communities of Excellence process, and presenting at various CDHS/TCS conferences.
  • Works with medical providers/health systems with a significant H/L client population to implement system changes that will facilitate referrals to the California Smokers Helpline or other cessation services and that will incorporate smoking status/tobacco use as a vital sign.
Development Issues
Health, Tobacco.
Partners

Funded by the CDHS/TCS.

Sources

Email from Cecilia Portugal (Assistant Director, H/LP) to The Communication Initiative on October 25 2004; and H/LP website.