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Effective Outreach: Lessons Learned from LakeSmart Christine Smith Christine.p.smith@maine

Effective Outreach: Lessons Learned from LakeSmart Christine Smith Christine.p.smith@maine.gov Lakes Education Coordinator Maine DEP. Getting In Step Process. Define driving forces, goals and objectives Analyze target audience Create tools Package program Distribute program

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Effective Outreach: Lessons Learned from LakeSmart Christine Smith Christine.p.smith@maine

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  1. Effective Outreach: Lessons Learned from LakeSmart Christine Smith Christine.p.smith@maine.gov Lakes Education Coordinator Maine DEP

  2. Getting In Step Process • Define driving forces, goals and objectives • Analyze target audience • Create tools • Package program • Distribute program • Evaluate outreach • Improve and implement http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/outreach/documents/getnstep.pdf

  3. Step 1. Define driving forces, goals and objectives Driving Force Declining water quality due to urban/suburban landscaping Goal Lake-friendly landuse practices statewide Objectives wait for next steps (don’t forget)

  4. Step 2. Identify and analyze target audience • Target audience - lake shore residents • McKenzie-Mohr • Barriers and incentives to actions • Identify “Spark plugs” and “Jacobs” in community • Lake User survey 2000, Omnibus surveys, focus groups • Concerned, lacking knowledge on cause and effect, looking for easy fixes, retired

  5. Survey Data • 2000 Lake User surveyhttp://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/survey.htm • 2005 Omnibus survey and focus groupshttp://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doceducation/nps/2005_report.pdf • 1999 Omnibus Surveyhttp://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docwatershed/npscamp4year.htm

  6. Step 3. Create the tools • Training workshops • Evaluation form for site visits • Awards for incentive and to increase visibility

  7. Objectives • Hold 5 workshops/year • Measure workshop success • Track number awards and recognitions/year • Long term measurement by redoing watershed surveys

  8. Step 4. Package Program • Name • Logo • Slogan- “Living lightly on the land for the sake of our lake” All develop by surveying audience

  9. Step 4. Package Program • Presenters with credentials • Agendas for the workshops • Pledges, prompts • SWCD to do property evaluations • Promotion

  10. Step 5. Distribute program 2 year pilot 2003-2004

  11. Step 6. Evaluate Process Indicators ’03-’04 : • 6 of 10 workshops (well received) but expensive • 61% signed up – showed up in ‘04 • 68 property evaluations • 27 awards, 39 recognitions

  12. Summer 2005 • Evaluations on 22 lakes • Many requests for workshops • Lack of response to first workshops • Performance Partnership Agreement • Measurable objectives • More evaluation

  13. New Objectives • Objective: 15% of properties on project lakes are LakeSmart • Objective: 75% of workshop participants take action

  14. Do More Evaluation • Process- numbers, familiar • Impact- measuring action, water quality • Context- who, what, where, why (includes success stories)

  15. Surveys • Written survey of target audience • Phone survey of ’04 workshop registrants • Tell them you will call • Call no shows • Phone interviews of participants, spark plugs, evaluators, collaborators

  16. Impact Evaluation of 2004 Workshops • 72% learned something new • 37% had a property evaluation in ’04 • 83% took action (planting, diversions, had evaluation..)

  17. Context Evaluation: • Who is getting awards? • Where are awards? • When are awards? • What support is need? • Why are some lakes successful and others not?

  18. Context Evaluation Example Analyze location of property evaluations in relation to workshops.

  19. 3+ Evaluations- ’03-’05 • 16 lakes had 3+ evaluations • 10 lakes had workshop = 70 evals • 6 lakes no workshop = 58 evals Conclusion: workshop not a requirement

  20. Step 7. Improve and Implement We need to focus on fewer lakes • Offer support (with social marketing tools) to lake associations for longer • Offer shorter trainings • Choose lakes with key elements

  21. Elements for a Successful LakeSmart Program • A local “Spark Plug” • Active Lake Assoc. • No other big projects • A minimum 2 year commitment • Lake Assoc. offers incentives, $, plants, YCC

  22. Elements for a Successful LakeSmart Program 6. Local interest 7. Evaluators- SWCD or other 8. High% year round or summer 9. High% shorefront in L A 10. Sense of community

  23. Lessons Learned • EVALUATE- process, impact, context • Measurable Objectives • Implement Changes

  24. Questions?

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