How can you effectively communicate the goals of your community service project?

Community service is a great way to make a positive impact on your local area, develop your leadership skills, and enhance your social work practice. However, to make your project successful, you need to communicate its goals clearly and effectively to various stakeholders, such as your team members, partners, funders, and beneficiaries. In this article, you will learn some tips on how to do that.

1 Identify your audience

Before you start communicating your project goals, you need to know who your audience is and what they need to know. Different groups may have different interests, expectations, and questions about your project. For example, your team members may want to know their roles and responsibilities, your partners may want to know how you will collaborate and coordinate, your funders may want to know how you will measure and report your outcomes, and your beneficiaries may want to know how you will address their needs and challenges. By identifying your audience, you can tailor your message and choose the best format and channel to reach them.

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Jerome Threlkeld

Experienced Continuous Improvement Practitioner trained to assess, strategize and execute practical steps to disrupt systems and maximize efforts.
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I think you should start with the idea and conversation with a diverse pool of employees. Once an audience is identified, you should invite members of that audience to a conversation for shared ownership. This conversation will give you invaluable information that will make your efforts more impactful. Next, I would create a marketing campaign internally and externally to build momentum and to ensure everyone is informed. Get photos and video of the activity efforts for B-Roll which adds to the messaging and success stories. I would engage everyone for feedback and ideas to make the effort stronger the next time.

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2 Use SMART goals

One of the best ways to communicate your project goals is to use the SMART framework, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. SMART goals help you define what you want to accomplish, how you will do it, and when you will do it. They also help you communicate your project goals in a clear, concise, and realistic way. For example, instead of saying "We want to improve the well-being of seniors in our community", you can say "We want to increase the social engagement and physical activity of 50 seniors in our community by organizing weekly online workshops and walks for six months".

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Robert Beasley, MSW

Veterans Resource coordinator at American legion
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First, you should organize a community awareness meeting. Invite stakeholders from the Community, clergy, social and professional organizations. Public service announcements on Radio and Television along with visual flyers posted in your target area. Social media will allow your goals to be shared to a mass amount of people.

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3 Explain the benefits

Another way to communicate your project goals is to explain the benefits of your project for your audience. This helps you motivate them to support and participate in your project. You can use the WIIFM (What's In It For Me) principle to highlight how your project will address their needs, interests, or values. For example, you can say "By joining our project, you will not only help seniors in our community, but also develop your leadership, communication, and teamwork skills, which are essential for your social work career".

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4 Provide feedback and updates

Communication is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process. You need to provide feedback and updates on your project goals regularly to keep your audience informed, engaged, and involved. You can use various methods, such as newsletters, social media, surveys, meetings, or reports, to share your progress, challenges, and achievements. You can also use feedback and updates to acknowledge and appreciate your audience's contributions, celebrate your milestones, and solicit their suggestions and feedback.

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5 Seek input and collaboration

Finally, you need to communicate your project goals in a way that invites input and collaboration from your audience. This helps you build trust, rapport, and commitment among your stakeholders. You can use open-ended questions, brainstorming sessions, focus groups, or workshops to solicit their ideas, opinions, and perspectives on your project goals. You can also use collaborative tools, such as Google Docs, Trello, or Slack, to facilitate communication and coordination among your team members and partners. By seeking input and collaboration, you can enhance your project goals, address potential issues, and leverage diverse skills and resources.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you effectively communicate the goals of your community service project?

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3

4

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1 Identify your audience

2 Use SMART goals

3 Explain the benefits

4 Provide feedback and updates

5 Seek input and collaboration

6 Here’s what else to consider

Social Work

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How can you effectively communicate the goals of your community service project?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Identify your audience

2 Use SMART goals

3 Explain the benefits

4 Provide feedback and updates

5 Seek input and collaboration

6 Here’s what else to consider

Social Work

Rate this article

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