Module 15 - Making Maps Work: Planning, Communication and Advocacy

Introduction

This Module helps trainees develop competence with planning and communication tools that communities can use to bring about policy changes. The Module is not about cartographic activities, but rather the related social, networking and policy processes that allow maps to be applied in problem solving.

The trainees are introduced to methods of planning, monitoring and evaluating the advocacy component of participatory mapping. The Units guide the trainees in elaborating a communication strategy and expose them to networking and group-action tools and techniques that can be used to make participatory maps serve given purposes.

The Module emphasises assessing the social processes and goal of community empowerment in participatory mapping. The Module helps practitioners consider how advocacy, rights and capacity building are integral elements of ensuring that the mapping methodology serves a positive end.

The Module looks at community processes, networking, alliance building and advocacy capacity building at different policy levels, with each action relating back to its role in participatory mapping. Trainees are exposed to options for planning transformative activities at different levels: inside a community, in local government, for national policy and for regional and international instruments, norms and standards. Particular attention is given to diversity awareness and the rights of indigenous peoples.

Module objectives / expected outcomes

After the completion of the Module the trainee will be able to critically reflect on the process (from the conceptualisation of the initiative through its implementation, including the social dimensions of map making activities), develop a communication strategy and its building blocks, select tools and techniques that can be used to improve networking, collaboration and knowledge sharing for conducting collaborative actions, select advocacy techniques required to influence different audiences and identify international or regional policy standards or norms which can support local advocacy goals.