Outreach refers to the process of informing or raising awareness. Outreach materials may include brochures, posters, websites, post cards, presentations, or school education programs.
Due to the many concerns and uncertainties related to abandoned mine lands, any TU chapter involved in abandoned mine reclamation should have an outreach program that informs the general public about the project. An effective outreach program will help you increase the visibility of your work, develop partnerships, and resolve any lingering concerns.
An effective outreach program will also help you turn people’s awareness into action. There are a great number of individuals who have the time and desire to lend themselves to a cause or causes – reaching them is the problem. Outreach is a critical exercise for every TU Chapter that desires growth, energy, and community involvement.
An effective outreach program will entail a significant amount of planning before any actions are undertaken. Your chapter will need to identify the opinion leaders in the community, the perceptions about your organization, and any potential obstacles within community. An effective outreach plan will take time and careful research and should include the following steps:
For your outreach program to be its most effective, consider developing a committee that is able to focus solely on outreach projects. By forming a committee, you can also give individual members new opportunities to contribute their efforts and talents in the area that interests them the most.
An outreach committee relies on the energy and enthusiasm of those who are a part of it. To encourage participation and stimulate volunteers, consider making any outreach committee an ad hoc committee, one that disbands after it has achieved the objectives. This way the committee will serve its purpose in a timely manner without taking away from other, equally vital chapter projects.
For more detailed information:
Getting in Step: A Guide for Conducting Watershed Outreach Campaigns
http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/outreach/documents [1]
Links:
[1] http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/outreach/documents