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Course Purpose To provide participants with information and strategies to effectively recruit and retain appropriate individuals into Safety Counts 22

Recruitment

What Constitutes an Effective Recruitment Strategy for Safety Counts? Brings appropriate people into Safety Counts: Active drug users Not in treatment Adults Can be HIV positive, HIV negative or status unknown Brings adequate numbers of clients How many clients are required for the intervention Requirements of the funding source 4

Effective Recruitment First Step DEFINE A RECRUITMENT GOAL How many participants do you need to recruit to effectively run the intervention? How many participants did you say you were going to recruit to your funding sources? 5

TARGETED RECRUITMENT: Method of engaging potential, appropriate individuals of a targeted group (i.e. drug users, males, adolescent) for a specific purpose or program. It is generally conducted by experienced outreach workers. PEER DRIVEN RECRUITMENT Structured method of recruitment which utilizes participant’s social network. Participants recruit their peers from their social network to become involved in an agency service or program. It has a “snowball” aspect to it. (i.e. I recruit my friend, my friend recruits his/her friends and so on). 6

Recruitment Strategy should be guided by…. The structure of the intervention: 4 months Characteristics of the population: Active drug users The most appropriate approach for your specific target population The needs, abilities and resources of the organization The recruitment goal 7

A General Six Step Approach to Developing a Recruitment Strategy 1. Who is being targeted through the recruitment? 2. Where is the appropriate place to recruit clients? 3. When should recruitment be done? 4. What messages should be delivered during recruitment? 5. How should the messages be delivered? 6. Who is the most appropriate person to do recruitment? 8

1. Know the Target Population What are the characteristics of your target population? Demographic profile Social profile 9

2. Know Where They Are Identify venues where drug users are. Identify venues where drug users are most accessible. 10

3. Know When When do drug users frequent identified locations? When are drug users most receptive to what you have to say? 11

4 & 5. Know What to Say and How Recruitment messages need to be effective. Tailored to media used Include accurate information Easily understood 12

6. Know Who Should Deliver the Message Messengers come in various forms (gatekeepers, stakeholders, members of the population) Messengers should have… Credibility with drug users Culturally competence Training to follow protocols Knowledge about the intervention Ability to use language familiar to and used by target group 13

Gathering Information Collect information as to location, messages, timing Information sources include: Substance users Staff Key informants Stakeholders Gatekeepers Affected populations 14

Gathering Information Information sources include: Program records Researchers Arrest records Location Drug Possession/Sales Arrests Demographics Commercial sex workers 15

Methods for collecting information Focus groups One-on-one interviews Group interviews Questionnaires Internet Field observations Program record review and analysis Review of existing research and data 16

Methods for collecting information Use multiple sources and methods to collect information Triangulation If information consistent, move forward and monitor results If information not consistent, attempt to reconcile 17

Peer Driven Recruitment 18

PEER DRIVEN RECRUITMENT Structured method of recruitment which utilizes participant’s social network. Participants recruit their peers in their social network to become involved Safety Counts It has a “snowball” aspect to it. (i.e., I recruit my friend, my friend recruits his/her friends and so on). 19

Why does it work? People in the same social network tend to share similar interest and activities. People are more likely to trust and listen to their social network peers.

Peer Driven Recruitment Process Select/Recruit Seeds Prepare Seeds Seeds recruit peers Seeds receive incentive for each peer recruited Agency staff conduct Program Enrollment Session with recruits. Appropriate recruits enter Safety Counts program Select/Recruit new Seeds from Safety Counts grads 21

Peer Driven Recruitment 22 Seed 2Seed 1Seed 3 R1R2R3R4R5R6R7R8R9 Referrals 10,11,12,…27

Example of a coupon Safety Counts A Health Promoting Program Communities That Care, Inc Short Road, Your Town Open 9 – 5, Ph

Selecting and Recruiting Seeds 24

Preparing Seeds 25

Include in Seed Workshop Information about PDR process Communication skills (how to talk to their peers) Talking points to share with their peers Ways to remember the talking points Activities to facilitate learning 26

Peer Driven Retention Strategy Seeds get an additional incentive for those recruits that remain in Safety Counts for the full duration of the program (4 months). 27

Peer Driven Recruitment Process Select/Recruit Seeds Prepare the Seeds Seeds recruit peers Seeds receive incentive for each peer recruited Conduct Program Enrollment Session with new recruits. Appropriate recruits enter Safety Counts program Select/Recruit new Seeds from Safety Counts grads Seed becomes “big sister or brother” to peer in program. Peer finishes Safety Counts program Seed receives additional incentive. 28

Last Words on Recruitment Select the most appropriate recruitment method or combination of methods based on the data Train staff Implement and monitor recruitment strategy Modify as needed Recruitment requires creativity, experience, adaptability, and making sound, evidence-based decisions 29

Retention 30

Retention Maintaining participation in services or interventions for the dosage needed (for Safety Counts, four months and all core elements) Specific strategies to retain participants depend on: Structure of intervention or service Characteristics of target population Organizational needs, resources and capacity 31

Guiding Principles of Retention Provide high quality customer service Consider the characteristics of your target population Implement and deliver services (Safety Counts) that are appropriate and meaningful for the target population and setting Communicate with clients Build rapport 32

Retention Activity 33

Develop A Retention Plan Plan retention during recruitment Utilize the recruitment development information to help develop a retention plan Characteristics of the drug using population informs retention strategy Use process monitoring to see if retention strategies are effective 34

Retention Strategies Utilize the Program Enrollment Session Be honest about requirements and expectations Explain purpose of intervention Don’t coerce and secure client buy-in Build client confidence for completion of intervention Secure client contact information including contact info for people who do not reside with the client 35

Retention Strategies (cont.) Build sense of ownership/community Tailor services to population Level of support Tracking/Communication Build rapport Consider characteristics of the target population 36

Thank You! Final Questions or Comments Please complete the Evaluation Form Travel Safely 37