1. Community Outreach Strategies 101
Presented by: Pallavi Kashyap
Outreach Coordinator
DRCC CE LHIN

2. Key Learning Broader understanding and definition of Outreach
Scope and Advantages of Outreach
Toolkit for Effective Outreach

3. What is Outreach?
Outreach in simple words is: “ To start where the client is, outside the office –in the community ” Outreach is an intervention or activity conducted by community health workers, health educators, health promoters out in the community, face-to-face with individuals, agency staff, leaders, educators, politicians and the community

4. What is Outreach?
Outreach is defined as a two-way communication between your agency and the stakeholders to establish and foster mutual understanding, promote participation and involvement and influence behaviours, attitudes and actions. Outreach is reaching out to people who are not using any of the services provided by your agency and informing and educating them about your services.

5. What is Inreach?
Inreach is: Approaching the people who are using the services provided by your organization, but who are not using your education and management services. Inreach is fostering relationships with these individuals and educating them about your programs and services and urging them to participate and access your program.

6. Why should we do Outreach?
Outreach efforts result in developing a liaison between the agency and the community
Improves community awareness, trust and accurate understanding of your mission, program and successes
Increases collaboration and communication with community members, stakeholders and key partners
Share resources and exchange ideas
Increase program attendance
Most importantly, when conducted consistently, outreach can stimulate behavioral change and the implementation of risk/harm reduction modalities among the targeted groups.

7. Principles of Outreach
Clearly identify the people you are trying to reach
One size does not fit all -- Tailor your outreach strategy, message and your materials according to your target audience
Think from the clients/ communities perspective and include information about your services that may be helpful to hear/read
Enlist key community leaders to be your ambassadors
Outreach = Material + Personal Contact in multiple ways and multiple times, build trust and become a familiar face
Be a conversationalist and not a preacher
Create a system and schedule for providing outreach
Take your outreach to social media/social network
Consider where you have done outreach and think about who is missing, track who is coming and adjust your strategy as needed?

8. Outreach Goals Enhance Community Awareness
Increase the visibility of program
Broaden community support
Engage new partners/ stakeholders
Improve knowledge and attitudes and health behaviours

9. Outreach Lifecycle Planning Needs Assessment Goals and Objectives
Stakeholder Identification
Key messages
2. Development
Structure for Implementation
Outreach strategy tools and Mechanism
3. Execution
Implementation
Adjustments
Evaluation
Process and Outcome evaluation
Result analysis

10. 10 Steps Of Outreach Planning
Conduct Needs Assessment – Cultural Assessment, Community Resource inventory and Community Asset Mapping
Know your issue
Create a list of Stakeholders
Development
Conceive a Game Plan after you have the results of your needs assessment
Build a Coalition and start engaging with key decision-makers
Develop Outreach Materials
Select your potential Stakeholders
Community needs assessment- 3 areas– Community needs assessment, community resource inventory, community asset mapping --Cultural Assessment–population analysis—i.e. Demographic assessment, ethnicity, age, gender, socio economic status, cultural beliefs, cultural attitudes towards chronic diseases, cultural norms and key decision-makers in the family; Community Resource inventory – Who are the community gatekeepers/leaders, current political climate, target audience, other diabetes educators/ programs, other chronic disease mgt prog; Community Asset Mapping- 1.stats, 2.People asset—skills/strengths, 3. Institutional– Local agencies, businesses, educational, health and community org, 4. Govt and Non profit, 5. Land and Physical– transportation, infrastucture, community and park/rec facilities
Define the method of assessment– Focus group, survey, community forum, key informant interviews, stakeholder interviews; Develop tools for this assessment– focus group script, surveys, questions for community forum, interview questions Collect and collate info from above
Define community you want to target, Identify key community leaders,
Assessment of community resources
Recruit volunteers

11. 10 Steps Of Outreach Execution Bring Everyone Together
Implement outreach plan
Evaluation
Evaluate, both the process as well as the outcome
Share Best Practices, help others learn from your experiences.
Community needs assessment- 3 areas– Community needs assessment, community resource inventory, community asset mapping --Cultural Assessment–population analysis—i.e. Demographic assessment, ethnicity, age, gender, socio economic status, cultural beliefs, cultural attitudes towards chronic diseases, cultural norms and key decision-makers in the family; Community Resource inventory – Who are the community gatekeepers/leaders, current political climate, target audience, other diabetes educators/ programs, other chronic disease mgt prog; Community Asset Mapping- 1.stats, 2.People asset—skills/strengths, 3. Institutional– Local agencies, businesses, educational, health and community org, 4. Govt and Non profit, 5. Land and Physical– transportation, infrastucture, community and park/rec facilities
Define the method of assessment– Focus group, survey, community forum, key informant interviews, stakeholder interviews; Develop tools for this assessment– focus group script, surveys, questions for community forum, interview questions Collect and collate info from above
Define community you want to target, Identify key community leaders,
Assessment of community resources
Recruit volunteers

12. Outreach Tools & Mechanisms
Key tools for engaging communities and increasing awareness of your project
Community Outreach kits according to the audience
Community forums/ workshops--designed for specific target groups
Presentations to various businesses, agencies, partners
Stakeholder Partnership Development–Collaboration based Approach to planning
Communications Plan– Oral and Written messages
Displays at locations where the community gather
Website
Kind of tool and mechanism of delivery depends on the audience
Collaboration Based approach– Participatory – For capacity building– 3 types–Community Coalition, Partnership and Community Advisory Committee.
Community Coalition—Org of individuals representing diverse org, factions, and constituencies who agree to work together for a common goal. Community Partnerships– Formal and Informal– Formal written contract/ MOU and have funding relationship; Informal– Relationship based on mutual expectation—help to promote prog, post posters, flyers, give free space
Community Advisory Committee– Help guide the devt and implementation of your project– comprise of your community leaders, members who have an understanding and knowledge of the issue– Docs, nurses, media, health educators, social workers etc
Communications Plan-- Media Package, Press releases, newsletters, flyers, posters, bulletin boards, brochures, articles for publishing, public service announcements, radio shows-Newsletters/Media and Print and Web

13. Case Study Split into 2 groups for the following exercise:
Plan and develop an outreach and an inreach plan for a DEP in a CHC which is located in a rural setting and has been operational for two years. The population is 15,000, comprised mainly of older adults. The community does not have public transportation. This DEP is functioning at a 52% capacity and is having difficulties recruiting clients.
Identify the objectives of your outreach and inreach plan
Identify your stakeholders
Identify the strategies, tools and mechanisms for this outreach plan