Social mobilization and community engagement to support behaviour change

Abstract

This presentation focuses on the role of health literacy and participatory approaches in supporting behaviour change in public health. Based on the work of the GT-3C Health Literacy and Behavioural Change subgroup, it presents methods for developing, testing and validating communication strategies in collaboration with target populations. The Social Mobilisation Project is presented as a key element of this work, an initiative aimed at engaging citizens, institutional partners and community organizations, promoting health literacy and fostering active community participation in the development of a more informed, aware and resilient society. It seeks to empower selected community actors and entities as “micro‑influencers” through the delivery of structured training sessions, the provision of a validated toolkit with informational materials, and the systematic monitoring of initiatives implemented at local level. Another part of this work is the establishment of participatory groups that include representatives from diverse audience segments. These groups support the co‑creation, evaluation and validation of health communication campaigns, messages and materials, ensuring that interventions are grounded in the lived experiences, needs and capacities of communities. By integrating community perspectives, participatory processes enhance the relevance, clarity and acceptability of public health communication. Main insights highlighted include the importance of inclusivity, cultural relevance and continuous feedback mechanisms in strengthening communication effectiveness. Overall, the presentation illustrates how participatory and health literacy‑oriented approaches can enhance trust, promote equity and support sustainable behaviour change across diverse population groups.