As the need to communicate with the external environment grows, so grows the importance of ensuring that an organisation is communicating in a unified manner. Nomvula Dlamini, Director at the CDRA, writes a compelling article that reveals the various dimensions we need to tap in to when aiming to establish our voice.
Communicating our opinion, documenting our work, success stories and learning points can help position our organisations firmly within the civil society sector.
This article is particularly relevant as VOICE is one of the ten elements of Advancement that needs to be tapped into carefully in order to position your organisation for funding. Knowing your institutional viewpoint as well as managing your individual locus is key to external communication.
Have a read as she unpacks the following themes: Finding my voice; Finding our voice; Bringing voice; Receiving voice; Engaging voice; Ghost voice; Writing voice.
INTRODUCTION TO ARTICLE
Voices: the building blocks of social change by Nomvula Dlamini Community Development Resource Association March 2012
“If we don’t speak up, then no one will know we are here”. Rose Mapendo – Pushing the Elephant
Out of the diversity of “voices” we find the richness of conversations, and out of our rich conversations spring the relationships, ideas and impulses for change. We are social beings and it is through our many voices in many conversations that we are most social. How authentic voices are brought, received, engaged with and supported makes a world of difference to the quality of conversation, to human engagement and to the contribution we each can make to processes of change.
This small piece explores some thoughts about voice that I have collected over the years, experiencing both my own voice and those of others, and becoming more conscious of the power that lies in voice.
