BEP Decision Tree 2a – Community to meet a water goal: specific audience understanding – National Extension Water Outreach Education

I need to develop an education program or outreach strategy:

Tree 2 – To increase public awareness or help the community to meet a water goal

Tree 2a: Solving this problem requires increased citizen understanding of ecological assets, socioeconomic assets, or the impact of water-related behaviors or activities.

One, or more, specific target audience has been identified.

YES

Reference: Decision Tree Flowchart 2a

YES

[Select any of the following topics that relate to your situation.]

♦ Local agencies, groups, or stakeholders already work to build citizen understanding about water in the community.

Do groups identify target audience interests and develop information or communication resources to improve understanding among the target audience?

YES

♦ Citizen participation in research or study of a local problem builds understanding and motivation.

Does the target audience have an opportunity to participate in information gathering, investigation, or monitoring activities?

YES

♦ Can the target audience access school, training, or continuing education resources that relate water use or management topics to their interests?

YES

Local agencies, groups, or stakeholders already work to build citizen understanding about water in the community.

Groups identify target audience interests and develop information or communication resources to improve understanding among the target audience.

Groups either do not identify target audience interests or they do not develop information or communication resources to improve understanding among the target audiences.

Work with local agencies or organizations to build information and communication skills and/or support a leadership development program among local agencies or groups.

Use communication or teaching strategies and environmental education principles to increase awareness, to provide information, and to build knowledge and skills about the water goal among stakeholder groups.

YES

Groups identify target audience needs and develop information or communication resources to improve understanding among the target audiences.

Use communication or teaching strategies to enhance outreach skills among leadership groups and to improve the quality of their work through assessment and evaluation practices.

Use communication or teaching strategies, in cooperation with local groups, to demonstrate civic empowerment, participation or involvement opportunities.

Citizen participation in research or study of a local problem builds understanding and motivation.

The target audience has an opportunity to participate in information gathering, investigation, or monitoring activities.

The target audience does not have an opportunity to participate in information gathering, investigation, or monitoring activities.

Work with local agencies or groups to create opportunities for citizens to become involved in gathering and/or for analyzing information about community water management.

Use communication or teaching techniques to provide information about opportunities to participate in gathering information.

Use audience assessment (social science techniques) to improve participation. Identify audience values, barriers to participation, or missing skills or resources.

Use social marketing techniques, in collaboration with the target audience, to improve communication message.

YES

The target audience has an opportunity to participate in information gathering, investigation, or monitoring activities.

Use teaching techniques and leadership development principles to train policy makers and policy implementers.

Help policy makers learn how to facilitate community engagement and how to offer avenues for public participation that are competent, fair, and enhance involvement for all levels involved in the process.

Provide community involvement, participation, civic empowerment and leadership training for the target audience. Build understanding for the relationship between information gathering activities and community goals, and for how to make use of data about the local condition.

The target audience can access school, training, or continuing education resources that relate water use or management topics to their interests.

The target audience cannot access school, training, or continuing education resources that relate water use or management topics to their interests.

Develop and/or promote local training and distance education resources, in collaboration with the target audience.

Use audience assessment (social science techniques) to identify barriers to accessing existing training resources. Adjust outreach plans to address identified problems.

YES

The target audience can access school, training, or continuing education resources that relate water use or management topics to their interests.

Use audience assessment (social science techniques) to identify audience interests.

Use social marketing techniques; in collaboration with the target audience, to design a communication plan that assists the audience to find and select training that meets their needs.

Evaluate the effectiveness of outreach plans and training activities. Adjust outreach and training to address identified needs.