Media Initiative for Children (MIFC) - Northern Ireland

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Summary
The Media Initiative for Children (MIFC) - a joint effort of NIPPA - the Early Years Organization (Belfast, Northern Ireland, or NI) and the Peace Initiatives Institute, or Pii (Colorado, USA) - is a multi-year effort to use mass media and classroom experience to teach young children to respect and include others who are different. As a coordinated educational peacebuilding programme using a combination of 60-second television messages and preschool curricula, it focusses on 3 types of differences: physical/disability, racial, and cultural. The purpose of the campaign is to help children ages 3 to 5 within NI (and, indirectly, their parents and teachers) understand what it feels like to be excluded and be more apt to include others who are different from themselves. The ultimate aim is to increase awareness of different cultural traditions, events, and orientations.

Main Communication Strategies
Approximately one year of extensive cultural research preceded selection of the creative team and development of themes. The media presentations and supporting material developed are then used to demonstrate respect for others who are different and encourage understanding of others who are different. In early February 2004, 3 separate advertisements were run for 3 weeks on television stations in Northern Ireland and the Republic; at the same time, the curriculum was taught at 10 preschools in NI. (Pii is sponsoring continuation of the advertisements on public television through March 20 2004 in Belfast and Dublin, corresponding with theintroduction of the curriculum in more preschools in NI). The ads feature animated characters who act out children playing in a park. (They may be viewed online by clicking here). The characters are then reinforced in the pre-school setting, where interactive activities are used to ask children about their feelings and attitudes with regard to the story lines.

Animation is the principal creative method. Organisers feel that visuals are key to communicating with a younger audience; they must carry extraordinary impact in building relationship rather than relying on the verbal medium. A small community of characters illustrates the behaviours and emotions in 3 dimensions (3D) in order to maximise their reality as believable beings. Organisers say that this approach gives more control in the later stages of the project and allows viewing of the park and characters from any angle, as well giving a richer visual experience. Using 3D characters also offers more flexibility to extract real emotion from the intended audience. All characters' characteristics are heavily exaggerated in the facial area: organisers explain that the use of exaggerated eyes, in particular, allows greater communication and more empathy with the young viewer at greater distance and connotes a childlike facial structure.

Characters model flexible thinking and problem-solving strategies/skills with regard to respecting differences and including others who are different. Other character elements include the addition of a secondary personality symbol - a simple iconic design placed on the front of each character's sweatshirt to reflect the overall personality of the character. Organisers feel that this symbol adds an extra layer of personality and recognition. The context of the characters' environment is NI; the specific venue for introducing respect and change within a larger worldview is a park - a safe place for children, one in which they can experience conflict but remain in control of their actions and the outcomes. The sights and sounds normally accompanying children playing in a park are designed to reenforce the realism of the setting. Young children's voices are used to build empathy through narrative. A small song or jingle at the beginning and end of each ad aims to build familiarity and encourage audience participation and recall of it.

Baseline attitudinal research with a control group and a non-control group was carried out prior to launch of the media campaign. Follow-up research will be conducted at appropriate intervals to measure possible changes in attitude and behaviour as well as media and curriculum effectiveness. Initial research consisted of measuring young children's reactions to various elements of the adverts while still in development, using an animatic (video portrayal of storyboard), still photographs, and a test soundtrack with children's voices. Specifically, these preschool children were asked about their understanding of the story, the characters' physical characteristics, actions, feelings, and related activities as well as the setting. Script and character revisions were made in response to these audience responses.

Development Issues
Children, Early Childhood Development, Rights.

Key Points
NIPPA's Chief Executive Siobhan Fitzpatrick said: "The programme supports directly Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act and Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child - which recognises the rights of the child to grow up in an environment of understanding, dignity, freedom, peace and equality."

The MIFC in NI is the first of many to be developed by Pii and its partners worldwide. It is a pilot programme, subject to change pending results of research efforts. Organisers indicate that the site of the Peace Initiative Institute's next Media Initiative For Children will likely be selected sometime in 2005.

Partners
NIPPA, Pii. Development funding for the adverts and concept was provided by Pii; another USA-based foundation is aiding in curriculum implementation. Organisations interested in exploring the development of a similar media initiative within their country may contact The Peace Initiatives Institute (below).

For more information, contact:
Paul W. Harris
Executive Director, Peace Initiatives Institute (Pii)
3924 15th Street
Boulder, CO 80304 USA
U.S. Tel.: (720) 244-5917
U.K. Tel.: (011+44) (0) 7791 619 782
paulwharris@comcast.net
MIFC website
Pii website

NIPPA
6c Wildflower Way
Apollo Road
Belfast BT12 6TA
Tel.: 028 9066 2825
Fax: 028 9038 1270
mail@nippa.org

Source
"Ads To Help Children Respect Differences, Northern Ireland site - forwarded to the Young People's Media Network on February 10 2004 (click here for the archives); and MIFC website; and emails from Paul Harris to The Communication Initiative on February 29 2004 and November 15 2004.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site February 23 2004.
Last Updated November 15 2004.