In January 2018, I spent three weeks in Puerto Rico supporting groups of women and men who have been working ceaselessly to help their communities recover after two major hurricanes – Irma and Maria – devastated the Caribbean island last September.
Read MoreAll of us here at Rain Barrel – Robert, Paul, Paula and Andrea – send you warm, end-of-year greetings. Once again, we want to share our news and plans for the year ahead – our 10th.
Read MoreThere are eight tables of 70 participants. Each has a mix of creative media talent: radio or TV production staff, scriptwriters, composers/singers and animators. They also include people working in Early Child Development and members of the Content Advisory Group from an extremely popular children’s radio series, Itetero, that just completed its second season. And there are parents, people living in far-away villages and several young people with a range of disabilities.
Read MoreOn 19 September 2017, an earthquake that registered 7.1 on the Richter scale hit Mexico, causing 420 deaths in several parts of the country – Mexico City, Morelos, Puebla, State of Mexico, Guerrero and Oaxaca. In addition to its painful human toll, the quake felled hundreds of apartment buildings, homes, schools and workplaces. It occurred, by chance, exactly on the 32nd anniversary of Mexico’s even more devastating 1985 earthquake, reviving collective memories of loss and recurring tragedy.
Read MoreWe were very moved to see this outpouring of affection and recognition for recently-deceased RBC Associate Gary Coldevin from Concordia University, where he taught for a quarter of a century. We were honored to contribute to the university’s online tribute. Gratitude and respect, dear Gary!
Read MoreRain Barrel is happy to see that an important report we worked on will be launched September 18th at UN headquarters. The report focusses on the health and human rights of adolescents around the world — how they are getting far too little attention and support from the various “powers-that-be”.
Read MoreThis excellent article, published on The Conversation website where journalism and science seamlessly meet, encapsulates Rain Barrel’s overall approach to communication. The section called “What we know from the literature” nicely summarizes what we frequently call “gain frame” communication, the positive framing of solutions to address social problems rooted in conscious or unconscious biases and ingrained social norms. In these times of extreme polarization and science denial, of “alternative facts” and cultural bubbles, it’s particularly difficult to establish common ground for dialogue and social change. This is what we strive for in our work around the world. Research and experiments like the ones described in this piece are vital for communicators committed to social justice and — in the case of climate change — saving the planet.
Read MoreRain Barrel Communications is pleased to announce the appointment of Paula Claycomb as Director. She joins Paul Hoeffel and Robert David Cohen, former senior UN communication officers, prize-winning journalists and social activists, who founded Rain Barrel in 2008. Paula has been serving since 2014 as Project Manager and team member on work ranging from increasing public demand for immunization in Moldova to decreasing violence against children in Cambodia. “Paula’s approach to social change is rigorous technically and ethically at all levels, from families and communities to Presidents and Prime Ministers,” Robert and Paul said. “She revels in engaging with people one-on-one and finding common ground as the point of departure for making change.”
Read MoreOn May 10, 2017, Rain Barrel Communications and PCI Media Impact organized a seminar in NYC featuring well-known author and Program Evaluation expert Dr. Saville Kushner*. It was attended by 25 international development professionals from UN agencies and NGOs. Entitled “Reality, Rights & Democracy: Three Casualties of M & E”, this very lively, provocative event looked “outside the box” to examine the political, ethical and practical implications of the imperative to “get results” in development projects, during this period of rising challenges to program initiatives and multilateral cooperation.
Read MoreEarly this year we let you know that ECPAT called on Rain Barrel to provide support in documenting the first ever forum for adult survivors of childhood sexual exploitation. It took place in November 2016 at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Now we want to share the completed video with you, produced by Rain Barrel Associates Markus Stoeffel and Georg Steinböck with support from the Council of Europe.
Read MoreOn November 18th, ECPAT International held the first ever forum for adult survivors of childhood sexual exploitation. The landmark Global Survivors’ Forum provided a platform for dialogue and amplified the voices of survivors from around the world. The Forum coincided with the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse and took place at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Survivors from different parts of the world were able to watch the discussion online and post their own comments and questions for the participants. Vulnerable children can’t make themselves heard, so that is where committed and courageous organizations like ECPAT come in.
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