The First 5 Health Access Training Project recently facilitated a series of workshops designed to improve outreach with immigrant families. The tips and tools included effective ways to communicate with residents who may have low literacy levels and speak Spanish or Mixteco. Here are five key tips for developing outreach content:
1. Identify your audience. Gain a clear understanding of what they care about and what language they speak. Where do they access information and who do they trust? Choose a format that is accessible for them.
For example: for lower-literacy audiences, include a phone number to call, use images that help people understand the words, and don't rely on print - consider radio and videos to get the word out.
2. Narrow your topic. What do you want your audience to do or learn? What is your call to action (ex: call a number, attend an event)? Be specific, clear and concise. Avoid jargon and acronyms.
3. Simplify your message. Use who, what, when, where, why, how to guide the development of your outreach. When possible, use imagery to help share your message. Make it easy to connect using a photo or voice recording of your trusted messenger.
4. Test your product. Ask a client or coworker to interact with your outreach material and share their takeaways and questions. Ask how folks heard about an event or service to learn what’s working.
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