Communicating Impact of CES Programs

1
Communicating Impact of CES Programs

• Communicating Impact
• Writing Tips

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Objectives

• Increase the understanding Advisory Council
  members have on their influence of the publics
  perception of CES programs.
• Develop skills in communicating the impact of CES
  programs.

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Neighbors Friends - Colleagues

• Part 1 Brainstorming
• Record on flip charts
• Call out people you talked with about Extension.
  (Ex friend, spouse, child, etc.)
• Where were you when you mentioned Extension?
  (Ex car, farm supply store, home, etc.)
  places.

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Neighbors Friends - Colleagues

• Part 2 Explore Lists
• Discuss with the group.
• Explore the People List and the Places List.
• Who might the people on the list know or be
  related to?
• Who might have overheard a comment?
• Are any on the list neighbors or friends of
  legislators?
• Do they know a legislator or elected official?
• Were all comments positive? How might it
  influence their perception of Extension?

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How the Word Spreads 10 - 10,000
10 people
Who tell 10 people
Reach 100 people
Who tell 10 people
Reach 1000 people
Who tell 10 people
Reach 10,000 people
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How the Word Spreads 50
50 people
Who tell 50 people
Reach 2500 people
Who tell 50 people
Reach 125,000 people
Who tell 50 people
Reach 6,300,000 people
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How the Word Spreads The Point

• With 4 levels of contacts
• 10 people can reach 10,000
• OR
• 50 people can reach 6 million

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3 Rs of Accountability

• Relevance Why
• The educational need that led to the development
  of the program or educational experience
• Answers the question, Why is this program
  needed?

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3 Rs of Accountability

• Response Actions
• Shows how the Extension educator responded to
  the identified need or issue.
• Answers the question, What did Extension do to
  address the need or issue?

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3 Rs of Accountability

• Results What happened
• Communicates the outcomes of the educational
  program
• Answers the question, What are the economic,
  social or environmental changes that resulted
  from these educational efforts?

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3 Rs of Accountability

• As Advisory Council Leaders
• Know the programs you are sharing ask county
  educators, specialists, or administrators for
  details and data
• Your support is more valuable than a report from
  CES or an employee
• Be able to describe
• Relevance why the program was conducted
• Response what was done
• Results what happened

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Can You Find the 3 Rs

• Group Activity
• Share handout with examples of impact statements
• Read each example and identify sentences which
  describe
• Relevance
• Response
• Results
• For each example discuss additional information
  that would be helpful.

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Points to Remember

• Focus on education
• Wear your taxpayer hat
• Focus on results that indicate increased
  knowledge, changed behaviors, or added value
• Write then rewrite practice
• Make conversations systematic and intentional

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Writing Tips

• Objectives
• Learn writing tips which can improve written
  communication.
• Develop a brief statement to share with
  decision-makers regarding the impact of CES
  programs.

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Say It Simply

• The next four slides will present a statement
  that describes a common phrase.
• Can you identify the phrase?

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Say it Simply
What does it mean? In this case I have undertaken
the journey here for the purpose of interring
the deceased. From this point of view I do not,
however, propose putting anything on record in so
far as praise is concerned. I come to bury
Caesar, not to praise him.
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Say It Simply

• What does it mean?
• Cleave gramineous matter for fodder during the
  period that the orb of the day is refulgent.
• Make hay while the sun shines.

18
Say It Simply

• What does it mean?
• A plethora of culinary specialists vitiate the
  liquid in which a variety of nutritional
  substances have been simmered
• Too many cooks spoil the broth

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Say It Simply

• What does it mean?
• A condition characterized by tardiness is more
  desirable than one that is systematically marked
  by eternal absenteeism.
• Better late than never.

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Audience
• Know your audience age, gender, reading
  level, etc.
• What does you audience know about CES?
• Is the audience interested in your topic?
• What will the reader want to know?
• Keep your audience in mind as you write

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Audience
• Audience Similarities
• Are interested in results
• Want brief understandable information
• Competition for their attention
• Are not specialists or scientists
• Have some control over programs

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Words
• Less is more
• Words are the tools use the right one
• Words dont think for you they convey YOUR
  thoughts
• If the idea isnt clear words wont clear it up
• Trouble trying to put it into words stop
  trying to write

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Words Use the
• Short
• Simple
• Personal
• Specific
• Colorful
• Active
• Familiar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Word

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Numbers
• With statistics make them clear
• one out of eight not 12 ½ percent
• Analogies In the next five minutes, 10 people
  will be diagnosed with cancer.

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Writing Numbers
• Spell out numbers below 10 use the number to
  express more than 10
• Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence,
  i.e., Fifty-three people. . .

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Writing For Impact Tips for Improving Writing
Skills

• Writing Numbers
• With two or more numbers in a group, treat the
  sentence as a unit
• He had two suits.
• He had 100 ties.
• He had 100 ties, 12 shirts, 2 suits.
• One or two more wont matter.

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Common Grammatical Mistakes

• Too Many Prepositional Phrases
• Mixed Tenses
• Dangling Modifiers
• Redundancy
• Non-Agreement
• Careless Repetition

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Polish Your Style

• Distribute Handout
• In small groups rewrite the sentences.
• See if you can use action verbs and eliminate
  words.

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Simple Words are Best

• Distribute Worksheet
• Individually (or in small groups) put a simpler
  word or a short phrase in the blank.

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Youre The Editor

• Cut unnecessary words
• Simplify sentences
• Use words that are easier to understand
• Avoid technical jargon
• Avoid acronyms

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Clear the Fog

• The edited versions are much clearer, shorter and
  easier to understand.
• Original The discussions became quite heated at
  times, which was an indication that members
  themselves determined the goals of their club.
• Better Occasional heated discussions proved
  that members set their clubs goals.

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Clear the Fog

• The edited versions are much clearer, shorter and
  easier to understand.
• Original The horticulturalist pointed out that
  the homeowners in his section of town wanted
  nice, green lawns but werent willing to apply
  enough fertilizer to reach their goals.
• Better The horticulturist said many local
  homeowners wont apply enough fertilizer to have
  good lawns.

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Clear the Fog

• The edited versions are much clearer, shorter and
  easier to understand.
• Original The essay contest is sponsored locally
  by the Central Electric Supply Company in
  cooperation with the Roberts County Extension
  Office.
• Better The Central Electric Supply Company and
  Roberts County Extension Office sponsor the essay
  contest.

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Youre The Editor

• Distribute worksheet
• In small groups or individually, edit the
  examples by eliminating words, phrases and
  restating

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• You are the voice of Extension.

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• Everything you say influences an opinion.

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• When communicating One size does NOT fit all.

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• Speak for yourself.

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• The written word a powerful tool.

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• Be Specific.

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SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

• Make it memorable for all the RIGHT reasons!