CINCINNATI (Sept. 9, 2024) – How can we tell if a social movement is making a difference? And more specifically, how can we tell if a social movement’s framing is effective? United Way of Greater Cincinnati teamed up with FrameWorks Institute’s Dr. Julie Sweetland to explore those questions. She conveyed lessons from the early childhood movement, which is a powerful example of how national, state and local organizations have driven systems change through a shared story.

Key lessons from the early childhood movement:

Prioritize shifting key cultural mindsets/misconceptions and work continuously to shift them. For example, it was once widely believed that a child’s development was influenced only by the values and behaviors of the child’s parents. But this view shifted to recognize that a child’s development also is influenced by relationships and experiences beyond the home. The understanding of a child’s environment expanded to include grandparents, neighbors, family friends, coaches, etc. This shift also marked a move away from phrases such as, “It all comes down to parents,” reflecting a broader perspective on child development.

Repeat reframing ideas without sounding repetitive. It is important to have a consistent story that can be shared over time and across different settings. For example, the concept that a web of relationships and the broader community shape child development can be repeated across cultures and time frames and remain relevant. You don’t have to repeat the exact same words over and over; rather, focusing on core ideas and arguments, such as “it’s not just parents,” helps maintain a unified message and guide thinking in a shared direction.

Make a consistent claim about shared fates and collective benefits. This gets to the public nature of the issue and how it matters to all of us, not just those who immediately benefit from a change. For example, child care issues have made their way to presidential debates and public forums/agendas.

Go for short wins but stay focused on the long-term changes you need. This requires strategic thinking and a long-term perspective to avoid constantly redeveloping and re-educating on the needed mindset shifts. The impact of these efforts on the early childhood movement can be seen in policy changes, societal shifts, institutional changes and ongoing activism. To know whether your framing efforts are effective, you need to be able to measure these changes.

For more lessons on the impact and essentials of framing, join us for our next session on “We Agree There’s a Problem, But How Do we Fix It? – Reframing Housing Issues” on Thursday, Nov. 14.