10 Ways to Get the Word Out
and Get Your Community Involved
- Use media to reach the community.
- Newsletters/Newspaper
- Place an article in the monthly newsletter
of organizations in your community. Provide
information on the issue or event and a
request for support. Be sure to include
your contact information.
- Submit an opinion/editorial page to your
local newspaper explaining the issue or
event and why it is an important and worthwhile
issue in your community. Include your job
title and work contact information.
- Write a letter to the editor. Find the "letter
to the editor" contact information in your
local newspaper and submit a brief summary
explaining the issue or event and why it's
important. Include your job title and work
contact information.
- Pay for an advertisement in your local
newspaper explaining the issue or event
and your contact information so others can
get involved.
- Contact the editor of your local newspaper
and request to be a guest columnist. Submit
a monthly column addressing environmental
or health/wellness issues that affect your
community.
- Radio
- Submit a public service announcement (PSA)
at your local radio station. Include a brief
summary of the issue or event. Include contact
information so people can contact you if
they are interested in more information.
- If
your radio station has a morning talk
show contact them and ask if you can make
an appearance. Prepare a brief summary
of the issue or event. Be sure to include
where listeners can find more information
and your contact information.
- Contact leaders in your community. Make
a brief presentation on the issue or event and how
it could benefit your community to the Tribal Council
Office or to other influential members of your community.
- Contact other groups. Make
a presentation to other community groups or coalitions
in your community. These groups may include: health
organizations, environmental groups, seniors/elders' groups,
youth groups, schools, neighborhoods, religious
groups, etc. Contact the group and ask to be put
on the agenda for their next meeting. Possibly pass
out brochures or informational handouts about the
issue or event prior to the meeting and have them
available at the meeting. Leave extra brochures
or handouts for the group to pass out after the
meeting..
- Use the internet. If your Tribal
Council Office or other organizations in your
community have a website possibly work with and
encourage them to provide links from the home
page to information on your issue or to advertise
for your event.
- Use other events. Take advantage
of other events in your community to promote your
issue or event. If appropriate set up a booth
with information or simply bring informational
materials to hand out.
- Have your own event. Compile
brochures and other informational materials and
host an educational fair to inform community members
about the issue and to get them involved. Possibly
provide snacks or fun games to help kids learn
about the issue and to attract parents with children.
- Collaborate. Collaborate with other organizations in your community such as those interested in environmental or health/wellness issues. You will be able to share resources and ideas as well as increase the credibility of your project.
Write
a letter to state and local agencies, including
your state energy office, state or local housing
authority, state representatives, etc. Let them
know the importance of your issue especially for
rural Alaska. Ask them to keep this in mind when
making decisions that will affect rural Alaska.- Contact local businesses. Encourage local businesses to learn more information about your issue if it applies (i.e. conserving energy, banning smoking, etc.). Or use their facility to advertise for the issue or event.
- Set
an example in your community. Making changes in your community begins with you. If you are trying to get the word out about a specific issue (i.e. recycling, not smoking, etc.) be sure to let others see you doing it.
