Identifying strategies and tactics for reducing risks

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Identifying strategies and tactics for reducing
risks
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What is risk reduction

• Finding out what to the problem you're trying to
  prevent, then
• Working to cut down on those factors

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What are protective factors?

• Things that keep whatever it is you're trying to
  prevent from occurring.
• Protective factors generally help cut down on
  risks or counteract risks.

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Strategies and tactics

• A strategy is a broad step in a plan to
  accomplish a specific goal.
• A tactic is a specific step you take to complete
  a strategy.

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Involving the community in selecting stages

• Can change community norms
• Creates a base of support for changing behavior
• Can give a sense of what resources are available
• Is more likely to lead to long-term changes

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Groups to include

• Law enforcement
• Religious leaders
• Local government officials
• School administrators, teachers, PTA, school
  board
• Service agencies
• Local media
• Youth parents
• Local businesspeople
• Members of the target population

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Selecting strategies

• Take advantage of existing information!
• Find out what similar groups have done.
• Network, network, network!
• See what original strategies you can come up with.

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Characteristics of effective strategies

• Increase protective factors.
• Clearly defined.
• Appropriate to target population.
• Employ early intervention.
• Make best use of resources.
• For multiple risk factors, use multiple
  strategies.

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Questions to ask when evaluating strategies

• Does it address known risk factors?
• How will it work?
• Is it likely to reach your target population?
• Can it be evaluated?

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Types of risk reduction strategies

• Risk reduction strategies are usually split into
  two types
• 1) those meant to change individual behavior
• 2) those related to organizational and community
  development

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Common tactics in risk reduction

• Information campaigns
• Street outreach
• Community outreach
• Peer education
• Risk reduction counseling
• Direct action