[Coral-List] Effective communications tools?

[Kate Jirik]

Hi Katie,

It is important to determine the goals/outcomes and target audience for your outreach project before choosing a mode of communication (e.g. video, documentary). Is your goal to raise awareness, influence policy, change industry practice, promote consumer behavior change, etc.? 

Generally, there is an inverse 
relationship between audience reach and behavior change (though the theory behind this is still being developed). It may be that smaller-group interactions, where feedback can be given, are appropriate for your projects--but a more effective approach is needed. One tool, which has been recommended to me by social scientists conducting empirical research in this field, is community-based social marketing. Values-based messaging is another tool that is helpful for the ecology/conservation work I do.


Remember to spend the time and effort to identify barriers to specific behaviors and to pilot test your program.

Best,

Kate Jirik 

----------------------
Kate Jirik
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California, San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive, Dept 0207
La Jolla, CA 92093-0207

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Message: 5
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:25:53 -0400
From: Katherine McLean <kmclean at lakeheadu.ca>
Subject: [Coral-List] Effective communications tools?
To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
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I work with a small eNGO that operates in the Caribbean. One of the major
challenges I am currently facing is the development of effective outreach
and education campaigns to support our various projects. These projects
generally deal with coastal resource management issues (fishing, coastal
development? the usual for a small Caribbean Island). I am hoping that
there are some of you out there who have recommendations of particularly
effective communications tools that have been successful in community
outreach efforts..

I am not sure that our pamphlets and other papers are very well received by
fisherfolk, and community meetings are often expensive and poorly attended.
We are starting to try out hand at videos/documentaries.



Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Please contact me at
kmclean at lakeheadu.ca.

Thanks and happy holidays!



Katie McLean