The Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) Capacity Assessment Tool is a new version of (with a new name) and replaces the C-Change SBCC Quality Assessment Tool that was previously published in April 2009. Packaged with an accompanying worksheet, this Tool has been developed for use in workshop and meeting venues in which an organisation and a facilitator work to determine an organisation's competencies in three areas:

• SBCC planning - the use of communication and behaviour theories and models in planning, designing, and implementing health and development programmes;
• SBCC programme implementation - managing and supervising communications activities, developing materials and activities, and working with media and local organisations in support of SBCC efforts; and
• SBCC research, monitoring, and evaluation - the use of appropriate quantitative, qualitative, or group participatory methods to measure the social or behavioral outcomes (or impacts) of SBCC interventions.

The intention is that by using this Tool, programme planners can identify the strengths and weaknesses of current programmes, and define activities to strengthen and refocus programmes to improve the overall quality of their SBCC efforts. The Tool reflects C-Change's competency-based approach that emphasises acquiring and using specific knowledge and skills to improve the quality of SBCC work.

A facilitator administers the Tool to members of an organisation and provides the scoring along with feedback, which serves as a baseline and identifies the gaps in the organisation that require strengthening. The same Tool can be administered at a later point to provide data that shows improvements in specific competencies and where additional work still remains.

This Tool can be adapted for use across a wide variety of health areas, including: HIV and AIDS; malaria; family planning; and maternal, sexual, and reproductive health. Users are encouraged to adapt sections of the Tool or use the particular components that best address their needs in assessing capacities of organisations implementing SBCC programmes.

As the Tool has not yet been formally evaluated, it currently represents a dynamic and evolving resource that will be refined as C-Change's experience with it unfolds. Organisations are invited to explore its various uses depending upon their specific needs, and to share experiences and provide suggestions for further enhancements to the Tool.

English, Portuguese.

C-Change website accessed on August 31 2009 and on October 8 2009.