Consultancy: Capacity Building on Climate Communication, Learning & Advocacy Verified listing

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1. Background 

Sami Foundation, in partnership with Concern Worldwide and with support from the Z Zurich Foundation, is  implementing the ZCRA Programme in District Shaheed Benazirabad (SBA) and District Matiari, Sindh. The programme  focuses on strengthening community and institutional resilience to multi-hazard climate risks through disaster risk  management, early warning, nature-based solutions, climate-resilient livelihoods and strengthened coordination with  relevant stakeholders.

Local media, media influencers and community youth can play an important role in communicating climate risks,  promoting preparedness and early action, disseminating early warning messages, documenting community resilience  and supporting advocacy with local authorities.

To strengthen these capacities, Sami Foundation will conduct Capacity Building Training on Climate Communication,  Learning & Advocacy in District Shaheed Benazirabad and District Matiari.

2. Purpose 

The purpose of the activity is to strengthen the capacity of local media personnel, media influencers and community  youth to effectively communicate multi-hazard climate risks, promote disaster preparedness and resilience, document  local learning and support climate-related advocacy through traditional and digital media.

3. Objectives 

The training will aim to:

• Improve participants' understanding of climate change, climate-related hazards and local vulnerabilities. • Build skills for accurate, timely and responsible reporting of multi-hazard climate risks, particularly floods and  heatwaves.
• Enhance understanding of the role of media and youth before, during and after disasters. • Equip participants with practical tools for climate risk communication, early warning and preparedness  messaging.
• Strengthen participants' capacity to use social media for climate awareness, advocacy and resilience  communication. And the responsible use of AI, particularly for research, translation, script development, and  content improvement.
• Enable participants to document community resilience, local adaptation practices and relevant government  initiatives.
• Promote responsible communication and visibility of relevant ZCRA Programme interventions. • Establish linkages among local media, youth, communities, government stakeholders and relevant  climate/media networks. Also, a follow-up mechanism should be established for participants, such as a  WhatsApp group or media/youth network.

4. Target Participants 

The training will engage relevant stakeholders from both districts, including:

• Local journalists’/media personnel
• Local media influencers and digital content creators
• Youth representatives from ZCRA-supported communities
• Selected community representatives
• Relevant government/DRM stakeholders, where appropriate

Participant selection will consider gender balance, inclusion, geographical representation and relevance to  climate/disaster communication.

5. Geographic Coverage 

The activity will be conducted in:

1. District Shaheed Benazirabad 
2. District Matiari 

One training session will be organized in each district, subject to programme requirements and logistical feasibility. 6. Key Training Topics 

The training will focus on practical and locally relevant topics:

Climate and Disaster Risk 

• Climate change and local climate risks
• Floods, heatwaves and other relevant hazards
• Vulnerability, resilience and preparedness

Climate Reporting and Script Writing 

• Difference between climate change, climate variability, and weather events.
• Identification of the local climate risks, vulnerable groups, and affected communities. • Use of credible sources, including PMD, PDMA, DDMA, relevant government departments, and verified  scientific sources.
• Cross-check information and use data, maps, statistics, and local evidence responsibly. • Report on floods, heatwaves, droughts, water scarcity, and other hazards in a balanced manner. • Apply the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” approach to climate reporting.
• Avoid rumours, fake news, sensational headlines, victim-blaming, and unverified claims. • Respect the dignity, privacy, consent, and rights of affected people, especially vulnerable groups. • Highlight local solutions, community resilience, and adaptation practices.
• Identify the target audience and purpose of the message, such as awareness, early warning, preparedness, or  advocacy.
• Use simple, clear, and locally understood language, with one key message in each script. • Follow a basic script structure: attention-grabbing opening, explanation of hazard, local impact, practical  actions, and a clear call to action.
• Develop 30–60-second video, radio, or voice message scripts on topics such as floods and heatwaves. • Plan suitable visuals, captions, voice-over, and background sound.
• Fact-check and review all scripts for safeguarding before publication.

Climate Reporting with the Support of AI 

• Appropriate Uses of AI
• Precautions When Using AI
• Practical AI Exercise

Role of Media and Youth 

• Role of media and youth in disaster risk reduction
• Supporting preparedness and early action
• Promoting community resilience and local solutions
• Supporting local government communication

Social Media and Digital Communication 

• Effective use of Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube and other relevant platforms
• Developing climate-related posts, videos and visual content
• Mobile photography/videography and storytelling
• Use of appropriate hashtags and digital networks

Learning, Documentation and Advocacy 

• Documenting community resilience and adaptation practices
• Developing human-interest stories and success stories
• Evidence-based advocacy and stakeholder engagement
• Promoting relevant government and ZCRA initiatives

Ethical and Inclusive Communication 

• Gender-sensitive and inclusive communication
• Safeguarding and informed consent
• Responsible use of photographs, videos and personal information
• Do-no-harm principles

7. Training Methodology 

The training will use a participatory and practical approach, including:

• Interactive presentations
• Group discussions
• Local case studies and examples
• Scenario-based exercises
• Role plays
• Social media content development
• Practical exercise on climate reporting and script writing
• Climate reporting with the support of AI
• Credible sources for climate reporting and stories
• Practical mobile photography/video exercises
• Group work on climate and early warning messages
• Experience sharing with media/DRM practitioners
• Pre- and post-training assessments

Participants will be encouraged to develop practical communication messages and content related to floods,  heatwaves, early warning, preparedness and community resilience.

8. Expected Outputs 

The activity is expected to deliver:

• Two district-level training sessions conducted.
• Local media personnel, influencers and youth trained on climate communication and advocacy. • Improved participant knowledge of multi-hazard climate risks and disaster preparedness. • Participants equipped with practical communication tools and approaches.
• Climate/disaster communication messages and social media content developed by participants. • Linkages established with relevant climate/media networks and stakeholders.
• Increased documentation and visibility of community resilience and relevant ZCRA interventions. • A database of trained participants maintained for future engagement.

9. Expected Outcomes 

The activity will contribute to:

• Improved quality and reach of local climate risk communication.
• Increased public awareness of climate risks, preparedness and early action.
• Improved dissemination of early warning messages.
• Increased youth and media engagement in climate resilience.
• Stronger collaboration among communities, media and local government.
• Greater visibility and learning around ZCRA-supported resilience initiatives.
• Participants will be able to use AI for climate reporting and script writing.
• Methods for cross-checking and verifying climate-related information.

Master’s degree in Mass Communication, Journalism, Media Studies, Climate Change, Environmental Sciences, Disaster  Management, Development Studies, Social Sciences, or a related field.

Experience 

• Minimum 5 years of relevant professional experience in journalism, media communication, climate  communication, or disaster risk communication.
• Proven experience in designing and facilitating training for journalists, media personnel, media influencers,  or youth communicators.
• Demonstrated experience in climate and disaster risk reporting, including multi-hazard risks and early  warning information.
• Experience in digital/social media communication, storytelling, advocacy, and development of media  communication materials.
• Strong understanding of the role of media before, during, and after disasters and communicating climate  resilience initiatives to the public.
• Experience working with government departments, NGOs, INGOs, media organizations, and local  communities.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Familiarity with climate risks, disaster management, and the local media landscape in Sindh.