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Understanding the Audience
Contact/Tracking
Underserved Populations
Speakers Bureaus
Workshops,
Open Houses, Community Meetings
Collateral Materials/Video
Origin-Destination Surveys
Radio Spots,
Press Releases, Newspaper Ads
Other outreach activities
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One of the most important initial steps in developing a successful public involvement and outreach program is to know the types of people that live in the communities within the study area and how to best communicate with them. Understanding the diversity and make-up of the affected communities and assessing residents' needs is critical from the beginning of the project to ensure the participation. SRI develops community characteristic sheets showing income levels, literacy rates, age, minority areas, and other demographics. Identifying these areas on maps using GIS capabilities, development and growth data, recent Census data and Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZs) data. Other ways to get to know the area include contact with local agencies, community leaders and resource agencies “windshield” surveys.
PROJECT EXAMPLE: Lee/Collier MPO 2035 LRTP Update – developed community characteristic sheets, weekly contact log, weekly outreach progress reports, site visits.
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Our firm believes that good record-keeping can prevent mistakes. Detailed contact/tracking reports are created and maintained, followings our philosophy of “to seek rather than be sought”. An extremely important part of each project is to develop a comprehensive, current mailing list to contact residents, agencies, organizations and elected officials, and to distribute project information in a timely manner. We utilize a host of databases, as well as the services and knowledge of local Chambers of Commerce, economic development agencies, sheriff and police departments, planning departments, human services, elderly associations resource agencies and business organizations. Comments, emails, letters and telephone calls are kept, logged and documented in a report at the end of the project.
PROJECT EXAMPLE: Business 40 Improvements - Contacted over 200 businesses in a 3-month period to schedule presentations, lobby fairs and employee meetings. Lee/Collier MPO 2035 LRTP Update – in concert with our outreach efforts to the underserved, worked on creating a solid contact database for use after our role was completed.
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An extremely important part of the public involvement process is to identify ways to actively encourage participation in underserved, low income and minority communities. We coordinate with and utilize the help of neighborhood leaders to “spread the word”, translate documents, newsletters or other publications into the appropriate language, disseminate information in a way that is preferable to each community and schedule meetings that are accessible to all members of the community. We also coordinate closely with resource agencies, libraries, police departments community relations liaison, among others. We also coordinate with tribal representatives in a manner that is consistent with the State and/or federal communication processes.
PROJECT EXAMPLE: Lee/Collier MPO 2035 LRTP Update - Researched and contacted agencies that work with these populations; utilized GIS maps showing these areas to ensure maximum coverage; made contact with and determined preferred method of contact; assisted MPOs in reaching out to underserved communities.
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One of our most effective tools for educating the public about a project is our Speakers Bureau forum. A group of speakers goes into the community and gives informative presentations about the project. Speakers include staff members, but we encourage the participation of community leaders, activists, agency representatives and non-profit organization members. A Speakers “tool kit” is prepared for each speaker so they are well prepared and well informed. Each speaker is provided with training and, when they are ready to speak, they are very familiar with the project so as to provide accurate information.
PROJECT EXAMPLES: Tampa Rail MIS, Hillsborough County Corridor Preservation Plan, Strategic Regional Transit Needs Assessment – established these Speakers Bureaus and logged hundreds of presentations; trained and continued to add speakers throughout project development.
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These types of gatherings are strategically scheduled for most all projects. We are careful to select convenient times and locations that are accessible to the disabled, low income and minority populations. Such locations should be located along bus routes, or areas within affected communities at local recreation centers, churches, schools, or public libraries. Depending on the participants’ needs, language translation, signing services, ADA compliant facilities, children’s areas, certified childcare and refreshments may be provided.
We seek maximum participation through advertising in neighborhoods and using community leaders, chambers of commerce, neighborhood associations, and non-profit organizations to generate participation, and help promote events. We also use web sites, print materials, radio spots and newspaper ads to disseminate information and encourage involvement.
PROJECT EXAMPLES: Tampa Rail Project, Pinellas Mobility Initiative, Hillsborough County Corridor Preservation Plan, Constrained Roads Plan and South County Plan - Held a series of neighborhood and community workshops, meetings and open houses throughout project development and utilized a variety of methods to obtain large audiences.
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With the creative assistance of Blue Heron Media and OLA Designworks, our firm designs and produces print materials, including printed newsletters, interactive web-based newsletters, flyers, posters, mail inserts, brochures, comment cards, 3-D maps and scrapbooks. We also produce CD-roms, videos, video simulations and signage. Our firm believes in creating specialized materials that reflect the concerns and sensitivities of particular populations and geographic area such as environmental issues, wildlife, vegetation, and many other issues. We work very closely with our graphic designers and videographers to ensure that information is communicated clearly and consicely so that it is easily understood. SRI also works with college students to help wiht Spanish translations.
PROJECT EXAMPLES; Strategic Regional Transit Needs Assessment, Pinellas Mobility Initiative, US 64, Surf City, Hillsborough County Corridor Preservation Plan: Designed and produced project scrapbook, CD-rom, videos, video simulations, 3d mapping, newsletters, Speakers Bureau tool kit, brochures, and comment cards.
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SRI helps clients develop the questions asked of drivers when only a few minutes are available. We work with survey companies to ensure that they can quickly get the answers to their survey questions. This type of information, when gathered at traffic lights or off-ramps, is extremely critical in developing traffic forecasts and detour routes by knowing where drivers begin and end their travels, which routes are used, and length of commute.
PROJECT EXAMPLES: Business 40 Improvements and Business 40 Origin-Destination Project – conducted O-D surveys at off-ramps using state-of-the-art technology (hand held deveices to track answers).
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Media plays a significant role in today’s society, from reporting local events to reporting world news that reaches all corners of the world. A very important part of our public involvement role is to ensure that the most effective types of media are used to disseminate information about the project. Prior to any major event or project milestone, SRI develops the necessary materials to be distributed via the media. We prepare press releases and develop ads, as well as voice-over radio spots and written radio/TV spots. Our firm also prepares video scripts for television talk and radio shows.
PROJECT EXAMPLES: Tampa Rail MIS, Business 40 Improvements and Business 40 Origin-Destination Project
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With the increased use of social networking in today's society, we do utilize Face Book and Twitter accounts, write blogs on web sites and utilize the internet to the greatest extent possible. While social networking is important and does effectively reach a certain segment of the market, SRI continues to emphasize the importance of going out into the public and “getting real face time” with the residents living and working in the affected communities, a key element in conducting a successful, community-based project.
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