Behaviour Change Hub

Intro Image
It has specialists at the hub and teams of practitioners as spokes. Specialists guide the teams to work through a structured design cycle, moving in lockstep with each other, while also learning different aspects of formative research, intervention design, implementation, and evaluation. What the specialists bring to the table is their experience of applying the behaviour science framework to create interventions across sectors and contexts. What the practitioners bring to the table is their experience of the local context. Together, they co-create solutions.

Key features

  • Behaviour science

    We follow the Behaviour Centred Design framework, which offers universal drivers, a theory of change and a design process.

  • Specialist-led process

    Specialists, who have experience in applying the BCD framework, guide the teams of practitioners through the design process.

  • Design in lock-step

    The teams of practitioners go through the design process in lock-step with one another, completing one step at a time.

  • Learning by doing

    While designing behaviour change interventions, the teams of practitioners also learn how to design such interventions.

Benefits

  • Effective, scalable interventions

    Universal drivers of behaviour change, informed by local context, can help design effective interventions that are easily scalable.

  • Efficient use of
    resources

    When teams move in lock-step and work on same behaviours, there are efficiencies of design at scale as it avoids duplication of efforts.

  • Capacity building of practitioners

    Learning by doing takes the best of behaviour change theory and makes it practical and relevant, as it is applied to each specific context.

  • Reduced carbon
    footprint

    Strong online facilitation throughout significantly reduces the need for international travel and therefore carbon footprint.

Pilots

In partnership with SNV, we conducted two pilots of the hub concept from 2020-22, WASH Hub which had five country teams working on five different behaviours and the Covid hub which had 2 countries working on the same set of Covid-related behaviours.

  • “For SNV, being a part of the Hub and working closely with the talented team at Upward Spiral has been an innovative way to strengthen the capacities of our WASH teams across Asia and Africa and has enabled us to design behaviour change interventions at scale. The hub as a process is evolving, each year the practice deepens as does the engagement from and with the teams who really value the approaches and expertise shared. We are looking forward to being a part of this in 2023.”

    Gabrielle Halcrow
    Multi-Country Project Manager, SNV

  • "I didn’t have solid experience with a behavior change communication before, as it is not much explored in the WASH sector in Mozambique and, it was a very good opportunity for me to get more knowledge and gain confidence in this subject. With the skills and knowledge developed in the Hub , we are more confident that we are able to influence the WASH sector in Mozambique to include Behavior Change Communication, reinforcing the demand creation activities usually carried out.”

    Zainabo Salvador
    WASH Advisor, SNV

  • "The step-by-step approach of learning each of ABCDE step and then applying it practically in a project process, with back up from the consultants was very effective in translating theory to practice and enhancing the quality of the outputs at each step. The hitherto complex steps of the BCD framework were demystified through the depth discussions, practical hands-on practice and feedbacks from the team and the consultants. I am now able to not only practically apply the framework but also facilitate stakeholders to apply it.”

    Jackson Wandera
    Global Technical Advisor, Rural Sanitation and Hygiene, SNV

  • "The hub approach during COVID-19 response programme in Indonesia and Mozambique enabled us to use a common framework to design, implement, and monitor our interventions, at the same time contextualise it to the local values. The hub fostered cross-learning between country teams and allowed us to take inspirations from each other.”

    Saniya Niska
    WASH SDG Programme Manager, SNV Indonesia

Behaviour Change Hub is neutral to sectors, organisations and frameworks. If you want to know more about how to set up a hub to create social impact across countries and contexts, write to us at hello@upwardspiral.in