What is Seeding Video Advocacy?

The Seeding Video Advocacy initiative is WITNESS' response to the overwhelming demand for training in the use of video for human rights and social justice advocacy. Through this program, WITNESS provides short-term trainings to a wide array of organizations and networks and acts as a catalyst to stimulate wider and more effective use of video in advocacy efforts worldwide. The initiative also enables us to share lessons learned from our Core Partners'  experiences with the broader social justice community.

We are open to diverse collaborations including workshops, conferences, train-the-trainer seminars, and other teaching opportunities that fall outside our long-term partnership structure. We typically tie Seeding trainings into existing gatherings or broader trainings of organizations or activists as we do not generally have the resources to convene meetings ourselves.  As a result, it is not always possible for us to accomodate individual requests for Seeding training.  Since the program was launched in early 2004, WITNESS has trained more than 1000 changemakers representing over 100 countries worldwide.

Some forms of presentations and training we provide include:

• Short presentations on the use of video, introducing the video advocacy framework as a basis to complement and strengthen rights-based campaigns and focusing on key video examples from WITNESS partners.
  
• Two- to three-hour workshops illustrating a number of video advocacy case studies and examining major aspects of video advocacy strategy, such as target audience and production formats. These workshops are designed to encourage participants to grasp the major advantages and potential challenges of using video as a complementary advocacy tool; a Q&A period is also included.
  
• Half- and full-day trainings on video advocacy incorporating practical exercises, linked with supplemental screenings and discussions. These sessions provide participants with a range of effective strategies for using video in their human rights documentation and advocacy, derived from the experiences of WITNESS and our partners. By the end of the session, participants will be able to develop ideas for incorporating video usage specific to their work.
• Multi-day trainings modeled on our training to Core Partners, incorporating technical skills in using video, as well as in-depth tactical guidance on developing an effective video action plan (VAP). The VAP lays out in a concise manner pre-production, production, and distribution activities needed for successfully incorporating video into human rights advocacy work.

Download a basic description of half- to 2-day Seedings:

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Please email seeding@witness.org for Seeding presentation and training rates. While in some cases we provide free trainings, wherever possible we request an honorarium for time spent on preparation and presentation and for travel and accommodation costs.