INTRODUCTION:
Social behaviour change communication (SBCC) approaches recognise the importance of engaging community members to accelerate health-promoting norms across society. South African grandmothers, locally known as gogos, are influential leaders and repositories of knowledge for their families and communities. Despite this potential influence, grandmothers are underutilised in public health programming. Drawing on evidence from goGOGOgo interventions, this workshop explores the role of grandmothers as change agents capable of influencing health behaviours at all four levels of the SBCC socio-ecological model: individual, interpersonal, community and policy.

METHODS:
This 1-hour interactive workshop will be structured around the socio-ecological model and use structured group activities and facilitated reflection to explore the impact of gogos on public health outcomes. Participants will be guided through the four levels of behaviour change, using case studies and findings from goGOGOgo programmes on digital inclusion, maternal and child health, sexual and reproductive health and mental health. Small-group activities will enable participants to map pathways through which grandmothers influence norms, behaviours and access to public health services. Participants will use these pathways to design contextual, relevant SBCC strategies rooted in intergenerational collaboration.

RESULTS:
Evidence from goGOGOgo programmes shows that co-creating change with grandmothers leads to improved health knowledge, intergenerational communication, healthcare access, digital inclusion and reduced stigma around sexual and reproductive health. These effects influence community norms and access to critical public services. Workshop participants will gain practical tools and insights to help identify intergenerational barriers and interventions designed around inclusive practices.

CONCLUSIONS:
Collaborating with grandmothers as active change agents supports programme design that is relevant to its target audience and grounded in empirical evidence. This workshop contributes actionable insights into how grandmothers can accelerate behaviour change and guide the creation of inclusive public health strategies.