Children
Child rights action with informed and engaged societies
Children
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Project Moving Target - Canada

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Project Moving Target was launched in Canada in October 2002 in an effort to expose young people to the lengths that the tobacco market has gone to in order to market its product. Sponsored by an education grant from the City of North Vancouver, this programme enables high school students to review actual tobacco documents that have been used in litigation. A mentorship component is also included.

The Project's central slogan is: "Quitting Smoking is Very Hard. Tobacco Companies Like It That Way. Project Moving Target®. Don't Be Sucked in by Tobacco".
Communication Strategies

High school students are provided with copies of what are intended to be easy-to-read industry documents used in tobacco trials in an effort to expose what the industry knew about the health implications of tobacco use. They then complete lesson plans (worksheets) as part of a training process in which they become Tobacco Awareness Peer Mentors who liaise with younger pupils in the 4th and 5th grades. All worksheets, lesson plans, and documents are spiral-bound in three-ring binders that are meant to be re-used. A free, private online forum provides ongoing support and updates for participating Peer Mentors, facilitators, and teachers.

The Project Moving Target classroom curriculum complies with Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction and has been accepted into the U.S. Dept. of Education E.R.I.C. database. In 2005, a new section of the curriculum was added on spit/chew tobacco.

A book has been published in association with this project. Entitled "You Are The Target", this book covers some of the insidious aspects of what organisers call the tobacco industry's fraud and deception). In December 2002, a team of Tobacco Awareness Peer Mentors completed their volunteer commitment for Project Moving Target when they made their third of three visits to talk to elementary school pupils about their personal experiences with tobacco, and what they learned about the tobacco industry from the book "You Are The Target" the classroom curriculum.

Development Issues

Tobacco, Youth, Children.

Key Points

According to organisers, "hard copies of formerly secret tobacco documents reveal the tobacco industry's agenda for 'replacement smokers', nine out of ten of whom are under the age of 19."

Health Canada provided grant funding to introduce the programme into British Columbia schools. Evaluations confirm that, of those students surveyed, 94.7% now regard tobacco use negatively, 81% indicate they will never use tobacco, and 94% plan to use refusal skills learned from the programme to decline offers of tobacco products.

The cost of the Project Moving Target material is CDN$14.50; US$12.95. For further details, visit the You are the Target website.

Partners

Grants provided by the City of North Vancouver and Health Canada.

Sources

Emails from Chris Lovelidge to The Communication Initiative on December 9 2002, June 21 2005, and September 14 2005..