This document provides strategies for organizations to connect with youth audiences and get into schools to provide services. It discusses filling needs in schools around issues like internet safety, bullying, and substance abuse. It also provides ideas for finding audiences outside of schools, such as at churches, sports groups, movie theaters and malls. Suggestions are given for using social media like Facebook and YouTube to engage youth and share information. The document concludes with recommendations for interactive presentation activities that allow youth to provide feedback and practice skills.
Robin will do introductions, welcome and housekeeping/system information
Robin will do agenda
Michelle The hot student issues will be different for each community so it can be helpful to know what is relevant within your community. Youth blogs, focus groups, can help give you that information
Michelle The issues that are identified as important to the community./family are likely to be different than those identified by the youth. It will be important to know as you try to gain entry to the schools, what viewpoint is most likely to have the strongest ‘pull’ for the school administrators. Attending PTO meetings or school improvement meetings, reading school communications sent home to parents, etc can all give you this insight.
Michelle You want to be able to present your agency as a resource to the schools and an ‘expert’ on youth issues. However, don’t make any promises you cannot keep. Be willing to work within their time constraints and limitations. Be flexible. Do a strength and skills assessment for your agency to determine what resources you have to offer in what areas.
Karen Waiting in doctor’s and dentist’s offices certainly presents a captive audience. Most people will pick up material that is available to pass the time. Agency brochures can be made available. Have your youth put together a small booklet that presents the services of your agencies and the stories of the clients that you serve. You can target both youth and adult audiences this way and it will attract attention. Some offices have TV’s with video or DVD capabilities and can run a looped recorded “infomercial” about your agency and services.
Karen
Karen Paid movie theater promotions or advertising can be designed to target a particular audience (by moviegoer demographics which they will have) so that you can get the best exposure for your money. Movie theaters can include information about your agency in the pre-movie announcement - they are more likely to do so in conjunction with an agency event such as National Runaway Prevention month or National Safe Place week. Paid advertising on radio or TV can also target specific audiences and run your PSA’s or commercials on specific channels such as MTV, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, etc. Transit advertising opportunities include inside and outside space on the buses. Sporting venues offer opportunities for awareness efforts via digital advertising, PSA announcement or large print announcements. They may also be willing to place information on the back of ticket stubs, scorecards or in print material Many schools offer paid print space in planners. This is an excellent way to keep front of mind awareness for youth.
Karen
Karen Mall have multiple venues for reaching youth Artwork representing your agency is a great permanent way to have a continued presence in youth venues
PSAs about your services can be included in announcements at sporting events during breaks in action At events that include passes in and out of the event, such as wristbands, info about your agency can be printed on them Many pizza places are willing to attach flyers to the top of the boxes for promotional purposes or on the back of the receipt Discount coupons or buy one get one coupons with your agency info on the back are win-win for both you and the business
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Michelle Carissa Project is a great example of testimonial or real life scenario You Tube use that fits our agencies profile
Karen It is imperative if using youth, to have parental/guardian consent and disclosure consent if they are former clients talking about their experiences with your agency Take the youth with you who are prepared to act out the role play and do not expect to get spontaneous audience participation Former clients can do the Q & A about your services Normative education can focus on the positives – majority of teens do not smoke, binge-drink,, engage in other risk behaviors but you have to be aware of what the norm of teen behavior is in your community in order to speak about it Key to using youth in your presentations is to make sure that you have a group that is representative of the audience they are speaking to – same diversity in all important aspects of teen culture