Notes on Community Actions and Communication

4th Quarter Overview

  • Focus on methodologies and approaches of community actions and involvements across disciplines.

Communication Settings

  • Different settings influence the flow and style of communication.

Government Communication

  • Definition: Activities by public institutions aimed at sharing information and explaining significant decisions.
  • Types of Government Communication:
    • Active: Planned communication given without request.
    • Passive: Information provided only upon request.

Civil Society Communication

  • Role: Helps in raising awareness, sharing culture, and guiding community actions.
  • Example Initiative: SAVE THE EARTH!

Key Functions of Civil Society Communication

  1. Surveillance: Sharing information about community threats and opportunities.
  2. Correlation: Assisting society to respond appropriately to its environment.
  3. Transmission: Passing down cultural knowledge and practices from one generation to another.

Private Sector Communication

  • Nature: Utilizes both formal and informal channels within businesses.
  • Considerations: Must take into account communication channel, message type, and target audience.

The Communication Process

  • Components include:
    • Source/Sender: Initiator of the message.
    • Encoding: Transforming the idea into symbols and words.
    • Transmission: The act of sending the message to the receiver.
    • Receiver: The person who receives the message.
    • Decoding: The receiver's interpretation of the message.
    • Feedback: Response from the receiver to the sender indicating understanding or misunderstanding.
    • Noise: Any interruptions or barriers in the communication process.

Tools of Communication

  • Memos vs. Meetings:
    • Use meetings if some employees have reading difficulties.
    • Emails or voicemails can suffice for straightforward confirmations.

Channels of Communication

  • Interpersonal Channels: Effective for navigating complex changes and overcoming risks.
  • Mediated Communications: Uses reports, posters, videos, and CEO messages for wider information dissemination.

Directionality in Communication

  • Vertical Communication: Flow of information between different hierarchical levels.
  • Horizontal Communication: Interaction between individuals at the same organizational level.

Quiz Section Insights

  1. Key elements of communication are critical to understand, including sender, channel, and feedback.
  2. Horizontal communication remains crucial for effective teamwork.
  3. Feedback is essential for ensuring comprehension within the communication loop.

Important Questions

  • Understand how communication flows and interaction differs in various contexts (formal vs. informal).
  • Recognize the types of communication (downward vs. upward) and the role of feedback to enhance understanding.

Conclusion

  • An overview of methodologies and approaches to community actions, emphasizing communication across various settings and sectors, which is vital for effective engagement and response.