TURNING CONSERVATION AWARENESS INTO ACTION

1

• TURNING CONSERVATION AWARENESS INTO ACTION
• AUDIENCE MINORITY ETHNIC GROUPS

2
KEY COMMUNICATION SUPPORT TOOLS

• Skilled communicators
• Hands on experience
• Segmented outreach to communities
• Building sustainable relationships
• Community champions/leaders
• Focus groups
• Targeted communication channels
• Identifying target groups
• Building cultural relevance

3
Recommendations for better practice in
communicating about conservation issues

• Use relevant language(s) - and culturally
  specific initiatives that relate to the different
  audiences
• Outreach to communities in their own setting
  rather than waiting for them to come to us
• Community champions identifying and supporting
  people within communities who will ensure the
  conservation agenda is understood and raised.
• Sustainable relationships not just one-off
  box-ticking
• Ownership recognising and relating of role
  that different communities play in conservation
  in UK around the world

4
Good practice examples - what has and has not
worked well?

• Culturally relevant events East England Anan
  Mela, 'Welcome to Nature' marquee
• Wild ideas (using media and young people)
• City farms
• Peaches Golding (role model)
• Black Environment Network
• DISC project
• Bristol zoo summer campaign, stage1/2

5
How is the effectiveness of communication
campaigns best measured?

• Consciousness raising is evident in change of
  everyday behaviours (hard to measure)
• Attendance and participations at events
• Membership and participation in conservation
  groups
• Establishing and use of conservation initiatives
  within communities
• Identification of Community Champions -
  individuals with strong voice in relevant
  community
• Follow-up and sustaining communication and
  relations with communities

6
What are the most significant challenges and
opportunities in the delivery of your
conservation agenda with this target audience?

• Building critical mass
• Generating Resources
• Further Diversity within diverse cultural groups
• Cultural relevance and understanding cultural
  needs
• Recognising existing knowledge and values
• Recognising and valuing your own assets
• Sharing partnership
• Recruitment/Retention of minority ethnic people
  as personnel in conservation agencies and agenda

7
Is there enough awareness around conservation
issues in your target audience? If not, who do
we still need to reach?

• No - Schools and schoolchildren are good at
  communicating and learning, but more awareness
  need to get home, and impact on day-to-day
  actions.

What is the communications agenda for this target
audience is it awareness raising or call to
action?

• Both, but with focus on Action

8
Limited budgets force us into important choices
where should our priorities lie?

• Making partnerships with like-minded groups and
  individuals who would enable a critical mass

Itemise your top communication issues related to
conservation and biodiversity over the next 5
years.

• Relating to minority ethnic young audience, and
  ensuring action is taken at home.
• Building sustainable relationships that translate
  to new actions / behaviours