Forum: Importance of Messaging ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421776 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:41:56 GMT http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421029 Messages-What have we found to be effective? Keeping score on successful initiatives and connecting successes to good outcomes for children and their communities over a period of time. Demonstrating return on investment. - Hershel Sarbin-President Child Advocacy 360 Foundation

Forum: Messages ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421029 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:41:44 GMT http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421024 Finding ways to achieve higher levels of ordinary citizen action on behalf of disadvantaged youth in their own communities. What moves people to want to make a difference? How, exactly, can leverage successful initiatives from one community to the next? - Hershel Sarbin-President Child Advocacy 360 Foundation

Forum: Current Issues ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421024 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:39:23 GMT http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421019 I certainly agree with the framing of the issues in Doug Gould's Background Information summary. As a Board member at Children's Rights, and more recently through my columns for Connect for Kids, I have underscored how good communication -- smart messaging -- can be a catalyst for community action. - Hershel Sarbin-President Child Advocacy 360 Foundation

Forum: Importance of Messaging ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3421019 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 13:37:19 GMT http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3416401 Welcome!

Child Advocacy 360, which works in partnership with Connect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment, commissioned a message development project to arm advocates with effective messages to better mobilize public support for policies that will help children and families.

Our focus is on economic security and child health issues. We have consulted with a number of advocacy groups to confirm the urgency of this work, especially in face of state budget battles and the worsening economy.

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-Doug Gould

Forum: Background Information and List of Advisors ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3416401 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:02:12 GMT http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3411297

Forum: Importance of Messaging ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3411297 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:33:20 GMT http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3402276 Welcome to the Child Advocates Message Development Research Project

Child Advocacy 360, which works in partnership with Connect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment, commissioned a message development project to arm advocates with effective messages to better mobilize public support for policies that will help children and families. Our focus is on economic security and child health issues. We have consulted with a number of advocacy groups to confirm the urgency of this work, especially in face of state budget battles and the worsening economy.

Public opinion research suggests that Americans believe it is individual caregivers rather than policies that determine the well-being of children. They think families are primarily responsible and ignore the role of government intervention. But we need to reframe the debate and mobilize voters to seek systemic, sustainable policies that we know can improve conditions for generations of American children, particularly those living in poverty.
 
We at Douglas Gould and Company and our research partner at the Topos Partnership have a track record of developing and testing messages and prepping advocates to use communications strategies that educates and mobilizes support.  We have worked on similar initiatives focused on poverty, low wage work, education reform, as well as many other issues.  Success requires national and local organization involvement, a great research team and spokespeople who can inform the process and ultimately use the new messages and frames that are developed. 

We start with qualitative and quantitative data gathering that includes input from an advisory group (see list in formation) of experts and ends with practical tools and strategies materials. We are hoping you will be willing to speak with us as we frame the research.

The goal is to increase the number of engaged constituents working on behalf of the neediest and most vulnerable children.  The methodology that we know works is as follows:

1. Create an Advisory Group – Engage leaders in children’s causes to provide input regarding research, analysis, an advocacy guide and strategy.
2. Develop Story Lines and Messages – Build story lines that inform, instruct and evoke a need to change systems that affect child-services needs. 
3. Convene Focus Groups – Establish a series of focus groups around the country to determine what people think and what language, symbols and messages they use to describe the problem as well as what motivates them to act.  
4. Analyze Results – Conduct a message-testing survey via polling.
5. Build a Strategic Plan – After reviewing and analyzing the results of message testing, we will complete a strategic plan, create an advisory for advocates and offer our research findings to the child-services field.
6. Create and Disseminate Tools – A tool kit showing the application of the materials would be created for advocates to use.  Trainings and briefings would help disseminate the work.

Forum: Background Information and List of Advisors ]]> http://douglasgould.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3402276 Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:44:59 GMT