Title: For a Better Tomorrow: Strategic Executions for Social Change

Abstract: This presentation synthesizes formative research, key findings, and offers strategic recommendations for practitioners and researchers committed to addressing today’s complex social problems. As such, four distinct yet thematically interconnected social change studies, each addressing a pressing societal challenge through formative research, strategic communication, advocacy and community engagement, will be reviewed. Together, these studies illuminate the multifaceted nature of social change and the diverse methodologies employed to achieve meaningful, lasting impact across varied contexts.

The first study investigates the environmental crisis of pollution experienced by Macedonians, exploring formative research and a campaign to increase individual behaviors that potentially reduce pollution. The second study turns to the growing phenomenon of image-based sexual harassment (IBSH), focused on motivating individuals to talk to someone about the harassment. The third study examines pathways to recovery through formative research aimed at understanding stigmatizing health interactions and proposing a stigma reduction toolkit. The fourth and final study evaluates a non-profit social media campaign, critically reviewing its strategic design, audience engagement, and measurable outcomes.