Community Resource Cultivation Module 3

Start Where You Are Use existing contacts, networks and resources as a starting place for developing your robotics program. Look to them for: – Funding – Volunteers and members – Facilities – Knowledgeable professionals

Recruitment Areas to consider when recruiting – youth to take part in the programs, – volunteers to help lead programs, – or recruiting supporters who will enable us to provide programs by donating funding, equipment, or other forms of assistance.

Recruitment Loop Where Do You Start? Identify Your Target Audience Youth Any One Afterschool Camps Military Home-school Volunteers Any One Teachers Technology People Sponsor’s Employees Sponsors/Partnerships Local Businesses Corporate Stores Local Organizations How Do You Reach Them? Methods of Recruitment Demonstration Days PTA Newsletters Facebook Newspaper Local Media Referrals Want Ads Request Letters Tour Invitations Where Do You Start? Identify Your Target Audience Youth Any One Afterschool Camps Military Home-school Volunteers Any One Teachers Technology People Sponsor’s Employees Sponsors/Partnerships Local Businesses Corporate Stores Local Organizations How Do You Reach Them? Methods of Recruitment Demonstration Days PTA Newsletters Facebook Newspaper Local Media Referrals Want Ads Request Letters Tour Invitations

Recruitment Considerations Think about: Youth interested in robotics – Strategies for recruiting more youth Volunteers you already know (don’t forget about parents) – Strategies/resources for recruiting new volunteers Technology companies Power and cable companies Small businesses Retired professionals in your community Potential partnerships and sponsors in your area Then look back at the first contact. Think about ways in which one contact can lead to others.

Marketing, Promotion & Outreach Effective Marketing for a Robotics Program Defines a target audience Makes program visible through – Advertising – Activities – Media Providing a positive experience will build interest and commitment

Participation Progression

Examples and Templates What promotional ideas were you already familiar with? What promotional ideas surprised you? What ideas can you see being effective in your community? What do you think your role is in promoting your future robotics program? Can you think of any promotional activities that would reach out to both youth and adults? What would such an activity look like? What assets already exist in your program or community that can help you in promoting robotics? Will any of your new contacts be able to assist you in promoting your program? How might they do this?

Elevator Speeches What is an elevator speech? It is 1‐2 minutes long. It is a positive way to share your goals and get others excited about your program. It is a chance to focus on the outcomes your program is targeting.

Elevator Speech Activity It may feel uncomfortable to “push” your program and ask for support from people you don’t know well, but being able to share information and imagine possible relationships is a crucial skill. The funding and volunteer support you need for a robotics program, are often outside of the experiences and relationships we have in other areas of 4‐H.

Elevator Speech How easy or challenging was it to speak about robotics? Did you enjoy the experience ‐ why or why not? What could you do to make it easier to speak about robotics to new contacts? How did taking time to consider your program and develop talking points affect your ability to connect with new contacts? What information about your program had the greatest impact on others? How will this activity influence the way you speak to potential supporters in the future? What other information or assistance can I give you at this time?

Action Plan Update What details have you resolved/found answers to? What steps remain to be accomplished before you offer your first program? Have you met with your local 4‐H staff to ensure that you are following all appropriate steps to form a new club? – (Such as registering volunteers, etc. These requirements and guidelines may vary by region/state to it is important to work with your 4‐H staff member!)

Action Plan Update How do you feel about the Action Plan Update you have just completed? What steps are you looking forward to completing? Are any of the steps causing concern for you? How can we address your concerns? What new ideas or questions do you have as a result of this activity? How do you think the Action Plan will help you prepare your new program?

Training Discussion What parts of this training were surprising for you? What parts of the training were challenging? Which were easy? What other information do you still need? What are some activities for which you will be looking for volunteer assistance? What ‘next steps’ will you make as a result of this training? After this training, do you feel better prepared to recruit volunteers and develop partnerships?

Closing and Questions Identified ongoing role in promoting your robotics program Developed a support system of volunteers and community partners Shared strategies for marketing Resources for developing a promotional campaign Updated Action Plan! Questions?